Returning musical parts/themes

[Black Session]

I haven't read this anywhere on this forum, but have you noticed that there are certain musical themes/motives/riffs/melodies/... that return in songs? For example in Baying of the Hounds and Harlequin Forest their is this same part, but brought a bit different. Sometimes very obviously, sometimes very subtle.
The use of returning themes/motives is most noticeable on Still Life and on Ghost Reveries I think, perhaps also on MAYH, since these are all (in more or less way) concept albums.
This is one aspect wich proves that Mikael is an amazing musical artist (musical genius?). And I think if classically educated people would listen to Opeth they would discover even far more than this in it, and would recognize Opeth as great art.

 

[saut]

The ends of Moonlapse Vertigo and SPD.

 

[soundave]

Absolutely. Returning themes are huge on concept albums as a way of providing cohesion. I'm not sure Opeth are quite at the Wagner level of having different themes represent different things, but I definitely notice it on Still Life (which I'm listening to right now). I agree that if more classically trained people were introduced to Opeth, they'd probably enjoy it.

 

[Mistress Bleak]

There's a part in "Harlequin Forest" that I DEFINITELY recognize as being nearly identical to part in another song, though I can't figure out which song it is. I'm pretty sure that the one I'm thinking of is off of Still Life or MAYH. It starts at around 3:28, and it definitely brought about some major deja vu the first time I heard it. Does anyone know what I'm talking about?

Oh, also, Martin Lopez definitely used the same beat or variations of that beat in almost every song. If any of you are drummers, you probably know what I'm talking about. It's that double paradiddle he does on the ride, usually over double pedal, though sometimes he imitates the ride with the pedal. (RLRLRRLRLRLL) Ok, I hope that made sense.

 

[Brackofthemountain]

confused... who the fuck is Melinda. I still never figured that out.

 

[vampyrouss]

A character. Like Superman.

 

[Black Session]

@ Mistress Bleak: yes indeed, I know exactly what you mean (I think) and it's actually from Ghost of Perdition ... on 2:49 and once again on (but differently) 9:07. it's not exactly the same, but I'm sure this is intended, and is a variation. I wish I knew more about music in the technical way, because there would be so much more ...

 

[Black Session]

@ Mistress Bleak: yes indeed, I know exactly what you mean (I think) and it's actually from Ghost of Perdition ... on 2:49 and once again on (but differently) 9:07. it's not exactly the same, but I'm sure this is intended, and is a variation. I wish I knew more about music in the technical way, because there would be so much more ...

 

[FRUGiHOYi]

I never noticed.

 

[in limbow]

In MAYH, a lot of the clean guitar interludes sound similar... they've got that liquid-y smooth tone