Musical Themes

The Cats score uses many recurring musical themes, some of which are associated with a particular character or event.

Fanfare
This recurring trumpet fanfare is not associated with any particular character or event. It is mainly used to transition out of quieter, serious moments, and for this purpose, it is used as a direct introduction to "The Old Gumbie Cat", "The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles" and "The Journey to the Heaviside Layer". The fanfare theme also appears in "Magical Mister Mistoffelees", where it is used to amplify the celebratory refrains.





Grizabella's Motif
See Grizabella

Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats
Musical segments from "Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats" are revisited in later portions of the show. The instrumental opening of "Jellicle Songs" is revisited during the "Macavity Fight" when Demeter realises something is wrong. As she exposes Macavity's disguise in the same scene, a pounding rendition of the verse material of "Jellicle Songs" is played. In "The Journey to the Heaviside Layer", the hymn section of "Jellicle Songs" is quoted.

Jellicle Theme
The Jellicle theme is first introduced in its full eight-phrase form in the "Overture". The theme can be heard throughout the musical in three main versions: two phrases, four phrases, eight phrases.
 * "Overture" - played in its full eight-phrase form in the final third act
 * "The Naming of Cats"
 * "The Invitation to the Jellicle Ball" - played in its two-phrase form during the White Cat Solo, and played in its four-phrase form during Mistoffelees' stanza
 * "The Jellicle Ball"
 * "Memory Act 1"
 * "The Moments of Happiness"
 * "Macavity Fight"
 * "The Jellicle Choice" - played in its two-phrase form as Munkustrap speaks, intoned with synthesizer bells (labelled on the score as "Jellicle Bells")
 * "Memory" - played in its two-phrase form at the very end, intoned with synthesizer bells (labelled on the score as "Jellicle Bells")
 * "The Journey to the Heaviside Layer" - played in its full eight-phrase form as the giant tire rises off the ground with Grizabella and Old Deuteronomy.





Macavity's Motif
See Macavity

Skimbleshank's Motif
See Skimbleshanks