Abstract
Gatsby depicts the themes and atmosphere of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel through music. Instead of attempting to reproduce plot points from the novel beat-by-beat—or using voice to “tell” the story—this piece uses an array of motifs and musical themes along with various textures and instrumentations in order to evoke the primary settings and themes of The Great Gatsby. I present these motifs in different combinations within each of the movements. This creates both a sense of identity between them and unity overall. The first movement, “The Eyes of God,” focuses on the themes of “decay,” “class divisions,” and most of all, “judgment,” hence the title. The second depicts the atmosphere of Jay Gatsby’s nearly-nightly parties in which all manner of glitterati come to wine, dine, and gossip. The final movement moves away from the party to focus on the core of Gatsby’s motivations—hope—and the ultimately tragic futility of his desires.