Katie Hambor The Music of Doctor Who (Selected Works Since 2005) Music is a very important aspect of film,

so much to the point that many people will dislike watching a film without any soundtrack at all. There are few television programs that have their own extensive scores beyond the opening credits, but one such show is Doctor Who. With almost 300 pieces written by Murray Gold since the show was revamped in 2005, music is used to evoke emotions including but not limited to happiness, nostalgia, sorrow, fear, and love. It is important to look at the way music can evoke these emotions and how they are carried through a series such as Doctor Who. Through selected pieces that were written between 2005 and 2011, this essay will analyze Golds use of music in the series, by way of musical terms and the emotions it evokes.

Series One and Two

Of course, the most prominent and recognizable song in Doctor Who (1S1/S2) is the theme song. Although it was first written in the 60s when the show first aired, it was arranged again for the new series in 2005. This new arrangement tells the avid Whovian (Doctor Who fan) that although there is a new regeneration of the Doctor and the wellloved previous regenerations of the Doctor are gone, the precious theme song is still there but renovated with more modern sounds to match the era. Westminster Bridge (2S1/S2) was first used in the first episode, Rose. It begins with very dissonant strings, switching back and forth as a minor second. This interval

Cataloguing of the Doctor Who tracks will be denoted as a number system, written as [number in playlist] [series number(s)]. For example, Doomsday is 8S1/S2. A complete list of selected tracks are at the end of this essay.

signifies tension and the possibility of trouble later on in the series. Even so, it is the beginning of new adventures and the song quickly picks up to become good running music, upbeat and ready for the action to come. Of course the main character is in need of his own theme, and The Doctors Theme (3S1/S2) is brilliantly suitable. Serene and ethereal, this short piece acts as a leitmotif throughout the series, whenever the Doctors mysterious past is mentioned but not explained. It includes a delicate and breathy female voice to set the mood. In Series Four, his theme is altered (15-S4) to become more godlike; the ethereal voice becomes a chorus and the piece is more epic and strong. Roses Theme (6-S1/S2), also used as a leitmotif throughout the series, shows Roses love for the Doctor. Everything she does and believing in the Doctor, comes out of her love and respect for him, so it is just that her personal theme would be a love song. Legato with the melody on the piano and the orchestra (mainly strings) as an accompaniment, the song could almost be from a romantic movie instead of a science fiction program. Two songs from Series Ones two-part finale, Im Coming To Get You (4-S1/S2) and Hologram (5-S1/S2), show how much the Doctor cares for Rose. Im Coming To Get You occurs when the Doctor declares he will come save Rose. With the forceful descending bass line to begin and end the piece, it is not difficult to hear that the Doctor is adamant in bringing Rose back, while the main melody, a few octaves above the bass, is uplifting and full of hope that Rose can hold onto. There is also a chorus of Ahhs throughout the piece, which (as will be further discussed) signifies power to the characters. Hologram again shows how much the Doctor cares for Rose, with descending diatonic runs on the flute and harp.

The most notable enemy of the Doctor, the Daleks, of course have their own theme (other enemies do as well, but as the Daleks are the most prominent, they will be the only ones discussed here). Their song, synonymously titled The Daleks (7-S1/S2), begins with a grating stringed instrument, signifying the malevolence of their race. It quickly becomes a march, as they prepare for war. The Daleks are a race of beings and they follow their authority without thinking twice; within the song, there is a chorus chanting Oh, mah koreh? which is Hebrew for Oh, what is happening? Later, in Series Three, Evolution of the Daleks (11-S3) is similar in that it is warlike with a chanting chorus. The Daleks are all the same, not individuals in any way, and the chanting chorus, monophonic without any harmonies, show that they are all the same and in a group. The theme for the dnouement of the end of Series Two, entitled Doomsday (8S1/S2) is the despairing theme of Rose and the Doctor after Rose is stuck on another dimension, in the similarly-titled episode, Doomsday. It begins with a pedalpoint that continues for much of the piece. Then the ethereal voice comes in with a minor melody (in F minor), though it is also chromatic as well as minor. The most important part of the piece is its ending, as it does not end on the i chord, but on the V chord (C), signifying that the relationship between Rose and the Doctor is not yet over, even though she is gone for the next series and a half. This foreshadowing, while not immediately apparent, was brilliant on Golds part. The piece is filled with longing, as the Doctor and Rose are filled with longing for each other. The piece is also in the first episode of the series when Rose first steps into the TARDIS. By using this piece in both of these places, as well as later on in Series Three on a few occasions to signify the Doctors yearning for Rose, it will always be related to the Doctor and Roses love for each other.

Series Three
The first piece on the Series Three soundtrack is titled All the Strange, Strange Creatures (9-S3). This was the most prominent piece for this series, and was used throughout Series Four and the Series Four specials. It marks the beginning of a new series with a new companion, as Rose is no longer by the Doctors side. It is a strong and powerful piece; the Doctor does not want to lose another friend, so he is strong like the music as he tries to get over the fact that Rose is gone. The new companions theme, Marthas Theme (10-S3), is vocal, like Roses theme, with longing with the voice (Martha begins to like the Doctor just as Rose did before, but in Marthas case it is not returned). About halfway through, brass is added to the soft melody, indicating that Martha is a strong and independent woman, and is able to save the world singlehandedly. The most nostalgic of the pieces, This is Gallifrey: Our Childhood, Our Home (12S3) is full of longing and praise for Gallifrey, the Doctors home planet. Military-like with snare drums, but also with a sentimental melody on the oboe, it describes the glorious and powerful wonder of Gallifrey and the Timelords.

Series Four
The Series Four companion, Donna, was first introduced in Series Three, along with her theme, Donnas Theme (13-S3). Donna is a very bubbly and assertive woman, and likewise her motif is not timid. She has a lot of sass, and her theme has it as well. The piece frequently reminds me of a circus, which is also very much like her character, entertaining and outspoken.

Some pieces, out of context, could easily be mistaken for a classical piece. One such piece is Songs of Captivity and Freedom (14-S4) sung by the Ood race, newly freed by the Doctor from being slaves. This piece is a beautiful aria sung by a countertenor and begins with a violin solo and then continues to the soloist singing in Latin [repeated lines omitted] Cum tacent clament / Serva ne / Servan tuter / Servan servan tuter [] Dum inter homines sumus colamus humanitatem / Cum tacent clament. (With silence we shout / Without salvation / He provides our salvation / He provides us our salvation! [] As long as we are among humans, let us be humane / With silence we shout). As the Oods are an old race, this use of Latin and this genre makes sense in context.

Series Four Specials

The Series Four Specials had their own soundtrack, but only the last two shown in the show are the most notable. Vale Decem (17-S4S) is sung by the Ood race just as Songs of Captivity and Freedom (14-S4) was. Performed as an ode to the Tenth Doctor before his regeneration, the title means Goodbye Ten in Latin . At the end of the piece, vale is sung ten times since this is the tenth Doctor. One of the last lines, Numquam Singularis translates to you are not alone, an important line in the series as well as encouragement for the Doctor through his regeneration. Right after Vale Decem, the Tenth Doctor regenerates into the Eleventh, and The New Doctor (18-S4S) plays. Though the audience needs to wait about a year to see the

The full lyrics for Vale Decem is: Vale Decem (Goodbye Ten) / Ad Aeternam (On to eternity) / Di Melioria (The fates be with you) / Ad Aeternam / Vale Decem / Di Melioria / Beati (Oh, Blessed He) / Pacifici (Who brought us peace) / Vale Decem / Alis Grave (Lay down your burden) / Ad Perpetuam (We will remember you) / Memoriam (For evermore) / Vale Decem / Gratis Tibi Ago (We give you thanks) / Ad Aeternam / Numquam Singularis (You Are Not Alone) / Numquam (Never) Dum Spiro Fido (Trust to the last) / Vale (x10)

Eleventh Doctor in action, this song is upbeat and fun with an electric guitar, evoking excitement for the adventures to come with a new Doctor.

Series Five and Six

For a new era with a new Doctor and new head writer, a new variation on the theme song was in order. Thus Doctor Who XI (19-S5) was written, more epic than the last version, but with a nostalgic reverb dating back to the original theme from the 60s. I Am the Doctor (21-S5) is the Eleventh Doctors theme, an epic piece that has easily been rearranged for various episodes between Series Five and Series Six (most notably, Words Win Wars (23-S5), I Remember You (25-S5), and Onwards! (26-S5) from Series Five, and I am The Doctor in Utah (27-S6)). This piece is actually a rearrangement of All the Strange, Strange Creatures (9-S3) though it is very difficult to tell. It includes counterpoint with two or three melodies simultaneously occurring at once throughout the piece. Along with the Eleventh Doctors other theme, The Mad Man With A Box (21-S5), these themes replaced the previous themes of the Ninth and Tenth doctors that were always previously used. The newest companion, Amy, has many variations to her theme, especially since she was first introduced as a young girl (Little Amy (19-S5)) and then later an adult (Amys Theme (22-S5)). As a young girl, her theme has a quiet voice singing the melody, and as she gets older it becomes stronger but still light and curious about the world and it is this curiosity brings Amy along in the TARDIS with the Doctor. In Series Six, Amy ages 36 years longer than her husband, Rory, and her theme changes from vocal to guitar, with an augmented (longer) melody (36 Years (31-S6)).

River Song, introduced at the end of Series Four and later brought back for much of Series Five and Six, is a mystery until the end of Series Six. Her first theme from Series Four, The Song of Song (16-S4) is mysterious, and halfway through it becomes more action-packed, as excitement always surrounds her. This also includes part of the Doctors theme (3-S1/S2), indicating that she is connected to him somehow, though we are not sure how. For Series Five, Gold replaced Rivers ethereal theme (16-S4) with A River of Tears (24-S5), more synthesized and mysterious, mysterious just as she has become. When her identity is revealed, Melody Pond (29-S6) is played, titled for her original name. As we learn that River/Melody has Timelord capabilities from the Time Vortex, part of This is Gallifrey (12-S3) is included in Melody Pond, to show that Gallifrey is part of her identity. In Series Six, there are several notable pieces that are only featured in one or two episodes, but their composition is important to note. Deadly Siren (28-S6) is important to look at for its tone painting. As it depicts a siren luring people in, it is partly diegetic, for the characters hear the siren singing to them. The piece is minor but also very chromatic, as well as ethereal, making the siren seem to be of a supernatural origin. The Hotel Prison (31-S6) is modeled after musak, or elevator music, played on a synthesizer. Also diegetic, this gives the correct notion that the characters are in a hotel, somewhat boring, although the hotel is more than it seems, as the characters later discover.

Onwards
Through Golds well-loved music, the plot of Doctor Who is of a much higher quality than many other programs. It has always been well-loved, as soundtracks and as live performances; In 2008 and 2010, the music was featured as a part of BBCs Proms concert series in the Royal Albert Hall, London. The music has also inspired Trock

(Timelord Rock) bands, most notably Chameleon Circuit, the band that began the Trock trend. Chameleon Circuit has produced two albums (one self-titled, the other Still Got Legs) in which many Doctor Who motifs are intertwined in the songs, including the Doctor Who theme, I Am the Doctor, and Amys Theme. One thing these two examples of Doctor Who music outside of the show can tell us is that the music of Doctor Who, abundant and emotional, will always be around for as long as the almost-50-year-old television program is watched and loved.

Doctor Who Soundtrack Catalogue of Selected Tracks

1S1/S2 2S1/S2 3S1/S2 4S1/S2 5S1/S2 6S1/S2 7S1/S2 8S1/S2 9S3 10S3 11S3 12S3 13S3 14S4 15S4 16S4 17S4S 18S4S 19S5 20S5 21S5 22S5 23S5 24S5 25S5 26S5 27S5 28S6 29S6 30S6 31S6 32S6

Doctor Who Theme Westminster Bridge The Doctors Theme Im Coming To Get You Hologram Roses Theme The Daleks Doomsday All the Strange, Strange Creatures Marthas Theme Evolution of the Daleks This is Gallifrey: Our Childhood, Our Home Donnas Theme Songs of Captivity and Freedom The Doctors Theme Series 4 The Song of Song Vale Decem The New Doctor Doctor Who XI Little Amy I Am the Doctor The Mad Man With A Box Amys Theme Words Win Wars A River of Tears I Remember You Onwards! I am The Doctor in Utah Deadly Siren Melody Pond 36 Years The Hotel Prison

The selected tracks are denoted as a number system, written as [number in playlist][series number(s)]. For example, Doomsday is 8S1/S2.