Assuming you’ve read my other blurbs about Sunday, and you’ve watched my videos, the important thing to know about this show is that it relies HEAVILY on motifs. This is because Sondheim had to tie the characters in the first act to the characters in the second act as well as having to show the relationship between Dot and George grow and become resolved.

There are a few main motifs to know for this song. Ive numbered them in my book on Sunday I’m writing as follows:

Motif 1: The first notes in the show. 5 notes, also the melody of “Putting it Together”

Motif 2: Probably the most used in the show. It is the theme that is used in the beginning of “Lesson #8” (it’s probably best to understand this motif first, which I explain in my analysis of “Lesson #8”)

Motif 3: Part of George’s art theme. A series of eighth notes in thirds and major 2nds.

Ok, the song begins with motif 2, the “pain” motif. Over this music, Dot is saying “Yes, George, run to your work…” This vamps until George says “I cannot divide my feelings as neatly as you…” under which, his art theme occurs. It makes sense tha this theme would appear because he is justifying his distance and isolation from the world. Now, the theme starts to develop into a dissonant fury, with diminished fifth intervals becoming more and more frenzied. The motif finally breaks free at “Tell me not to go.” It seems that whenever Dot is pleading, or putting herself on the line emotionally, the accompaniment is minimal. Here is is just a bass note with 4 rolling notes after it. This makes sense, because Dot is alone, and pleading alone, so the music is minimal. We then move on to “Tell me that you’re hurt, tell me you’re relieved…” which is actually the underscore preceeding “Move On.” it is widely known that this song is a sister to “Move on,” but most people thing that it starts at “There’s nothing to say.” When actually, it begins right here.

 Now George sings, “What I feel? You know exactly how I feel.” Under this is motif 2, the pain motif. It is important that this is the accompaniment, because it clearly shows how George feels. He actually does love Dot, but cannot say it. By using this theme, Sondheim is able to show George’s emotions without words, even more so, with conflicting lyrics. (Genius alert!!) George sings some more, and gets to “Not the ones you need” Need lands on a sharped sixth in the key of D minor, a B. This is almost a reversed modal mixture which created a really beautiful dissonance. It is dissonant obivously, because these words are hurting Dot, and the audience will relate to Dot because of the harmonic placement of the word “need.” On “need,” the “Move On” theme begins, which is a mixture of motif 1, motif 2, and motif 3. It steals the theme from motif 1, the harmonic color of motif 2, and the rhythmic pattern of motif 3. All these combined show George’s conflict within himself. He loves his art, but he also loves Dot, so the three motifs are mixed. It also moves so quickly, because Dot makes the decision to move on, and in “Move on” Dot is telling George to in fact, move on. Ha. So the color and the rhythmic texture mirror the lyrics of the song, as well as the emotion. They continue to sing, and Dot has another break in the the motif with “You are complete, George.” Again, Dot is putting herself on the line, so the accompaniment is quite minimal. Just a bass note, with the overlaying melody. In this next section, it is important to note that “do not” are generally supressed by the highlighing of “We, you, I,” and “belong.” Those 4 words are usuall at the peak of the line, and are accented. This is meant to show that neithe George or Dot want this. They want to be together, but they realize they cannot. This is why “do not” generally apears covered up by these words. Another interesting tidbit is the measure “I am diminished.” Dot lands “diminished” on octave A’s which is right over an Eb in the bass, which, if inverted becomes a diminished fifth (augmented fourth in this case). Just a little nerdy Sondheim trivia. The song contines with “You, We” and “Me” being highlighted, over shadowing “No one.” The “Move On” motif occurs again, and Dot says to George, “I have to move on” to finish out the song.