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A complete musical idea — a melody with phrase structure, usually 8–16 bars, that serves as the primary material for a movement or section.
A theme is more complete than a motif — it has a beginning, middle, and end. Write themes that are memorable on first hearing, harmonically clear, and rich in motifs that can be developed. The best themes balance simplicity with distinctiveness.
The first theme of Beethoven's "Eroica" Symphony — a simple triadic melody that becomes one of the most developed themes in all of music.
Theme is one of 228 terms in the Gradus musical dictionary, where every definition is written around how composers actually use the word.
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