hoofdmelodie

Hoofdmelodie is a term used in music theory and pedagogy to refer to the principal melodic line of a composition. It is the melodic material that listeners most readily identify and remember, often carrying the main theme or hook. In a vocal piece, the hoofdmelodie is typically the vocal line; in instrumental music, it is the melody performed by the lead instrument or voice.

Other parts, such as accompaniment and counter-melodies, provide harmonic support and texture, but do not function as the primary melodic message. In polyphonic music, there may be several simultaneous melodies; the hoofdmelodie is the dominant one at any given moment, though its prominence can shift with texture and arrangement.

Composers and arrangers emphasize the hoofdmelodie through melodic contour, rhythm, register, and dynamics. Repetition, variation, and development help to unify a piece around the hoofdmelodie. The concept is often used in Dutch-language music education and analytical writing, where discussions of form typically identify the hoofdmelodie first, followed by supporting parts and harmonic structure.

Relation to related ideas such as theme, motif, and counter-melody is common: the hoofdmelodie represents the primary melodic message, while motifs recur within it and counter-melodies offer additional melodic lines that interact with it.