In what musical tradition are 'leitmotifs' commonly utilized?

Leitmotifs are short, recurring musical phrases or themes that are associated with specific characters, ideas, or situations within a narrative. This technique is particularly prevalent in opera and film scores, where composers create distinct motifs to represent key elements of the story.

For instance, in opera, a leitmotif may be linked to a character, such as the main protagonist or antagonist, and it appears throughout the work whenever that character is on stage or referenced. In film scores, composers like John Williams or Hans Zimmer use leitmotifs to evoke particular emotions or highlight plot points, enhancing the storytelling through music.

While jazz, solo instrumental performances, and folk traditions have their own unique uses of motifs and themes, they do not typically rely on leitmotifs in the structured, narrative-driven way that opera and film scores do. This characteristic of leitmotifs makes them a powerful tool for composers in those specific genres to deepen the audience's engagement with the narrative.