Arpeggios are absolutely central to the music of Twin Peaks. Of course, arpeggios are to a degree central to all western music; they are the key notes that every chord is built around. Yet arpeggiated bass seems omnipresent in all of the most important music in Twin Peaks. The theme tune is underlined by a faint arpeggio, which means that not only does it underline the whole show, it also makes its way into Falling by Julee Cruise. It’s even more prominent in Laura Palmer’s theme, where the entire bass is an octave and a half arpeggiating. No Stars by Rebekah Del Rio is classic 6/8 time playing a full arpeggio, which you’ll hear almost identically in Just You and I.
Playing the main notes of a chord is not that interesting. What’s interesting is this constantly repeating theme of doh-mi-soh-doh-soh-mi-doh in a cycle, or doh-mi-soh-doh-mi-doh-soh-mi-doh if it’s Laura Palmer’s theme. The choice of a cyclical musical motif to run through all the main pieces of music of the show is hardly a coincidence in a show which places so much emphasis on time repeating itself. And let’s look where these arpeggios come up.
In this scene, the one at the Roadhouse where Maddy’s death is revealed, Julee Cruise has three songs, the latter two of which sandwich the It is happening again statement by the Giant/Fireman – and both of which are linked by this arpeggio motif. The underlining of a motif of circularity in the music is perfect for realising the parallel murders of Maddy and Laura, as well as the sense that these cycles of violence will go on perpetually if they are not broken. Yet to break them would also break the music, the aesthetic pleasure of Twin Peaks – I cannot help but wonder if Lynch and Frost are deliberately contrasting the beauty of the music with the violence of the music to test his audience, to ask us at what point our relaxed viewing becomes wrong. Remember that Twin Peaks is, at its heart, a show about a town which does nothing as its young women are brutally murdered, a town which is corrupted to the core. Twin Peaks has often been criticised for its aesthetic depiction of violence against women, but I don’t buy into that, largely because Fire Walk With Me, told from Laura’s perspective, is one of the most harrowing films I’ve seen. It pulls no punches when it comes to the subject matter. So when Lynch and Frost choose that Kubrick-esque aestheticisation of pain, particularly in a show which is so self-aware, that is surely a deliberate challenge to the viewer. What does it mean for the chain of violence to be interrupted?
With that in mind, it’s interesting to note that the moment that Dale saves Laura is underscored with Laura’s theme, one which also relies heavily on arpeggios.
This moment, when the cycle of violence should be broken, we instead hear those arpeggios going round and round. In hindsight, this is a sure sign that something is wrong – to save Laura, Dale needs to break the cycle. In Part 17, we are presented with a perfect, all strings tied up ending which simply cannot happen. The violence that has engulfed Twin Peaks cannot be solved so perfectly. And so of course the fact that that cyclical music continues tells us that there is something wrong. When Laura vanishes and the second, more troubling ending begins, that is when the beautiful music ends and our tranquillity is ruptured by Sheryl Lee’s unparalleled scream. If we are to truly break out of the world of aesthetic violence, we have to do so in a way that confronts evil, not that simply pushes it to the side – it has to be uncomfortable and deeply unsettling. That is why the false ending of Part 17 works so well – because it shows people the closure they wanted and then completely undercuts it and exposes its falsity.
Arpeggios are used as a starting point to lead into a much grander thesis about the show there – do leave a comment below and let me know if you agree or disagree!
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