Word: motif
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...speech was reasoned and academic—Obama took care to talk out the pros and cons of some of the more publicly discussed scenarios for future American military involvement. This motif hinted at the thoroughness of Obama’s months-long strategy review. Calls of “dithering” aside, the president rightly seems to have left no stone unturned. He approached the problem not only with an open mind but also with an eye to the longer-term consequences of every potential strategy, both for Afghanistan and the United States...
Cortese rounded out the night’s program with Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 5,” a romantic classic valued for both its grand scale and its lyrical nuance. In the first movement, a muted clarinet stated a brooding motif that was to be reintroduced frequently throughout the piece. A lilting second theme showcased the ensemble’s nuanced sense of musical line, though its dynamic palette leaned to the conservative side. The high strings led the vibrant third movement waltz with a perfect dose of rhythmic momentum, propelling...
...Chippendale’s frenetic drumming, which offloads much of its traditional duty as repetitive time-keeper to Gibson’s chunky, rhythmic bass. Chippendale is thus free to play as a soloist in a jazz combo, exploring every possible subdivision and inversion of the dominant rhythmic motif. The drums in “Nation of Boar” heighten tension as they increase in complexity, reaching a frantic virtuosic peak before lunging back into a pounding 4/4 rhythm...
...dictator. Max emerges as a much more nuanced and developed character in the film than his literary counterpart. He is less impish and more thoughtful, and he experiences a more profound realization at the movie’s end. The creation and destruction of the home is a recurring motif. Max is seen building forts, igloos, and king’s quarters, but none of these endure or give him the safety he seeks. Likewise, the Wild Things are drawn to caves and attempt to construct their own safe refuge in the form of a large, wooden cocoon...
...People Go While Moses was a unifying presence during the founding era, a generation later he got dragged into the issue that most divided the country. The Israelites' escape from slavery was the dominant motif of slave spirituals, including "Turn Back Pharaoh's Army," "I Am Bound for the Promised Land" and the most famous, "Go Down, Moses," which was called the national anthem of slaves: "When Israel was in Egypt Land,/ Let my people go;/ Oppressed so hard they could not stand,/ Let my people go." (See pictures of colorful religious festivals...