Good news! The witch is dead!

This theme that initially feels like a lighthearted celebration quickly turns dark when we learn that this celebration, and the themes that come along with it, is a celebration of someone’s death. There are two main themes that is tied to both the No One Mourns the Wicked scene and the line “Good news!”. One of which is just the tune with the lyrics “Good news,” and it has many, many variations, but all of them sound somewhat like this, which I’ll call the “Good News Lyric Theme”:

Transcribed with Sibelius Ultimate. Playback by Noteperformer 5.

We hear the other theme, the Good News Fanfare, right before the Good News Lyric Theme.

Transcribed with Dorico 6 Pro. Playback by Noteperformer 5.

This version that I’ve orchestrated has a thicker texture than what’s heard in “No One Mourns the Wicked,” but it similar to the orchestration found in “Every Day More Wicked.”

This fanfare, with its clearly major key and upbeat rhythm, invokes a sense of celebration in the audience. We get ready for some sort of good news from the Munchkins on screen or on stage, but we slowly realize that the Munchkins, and Glinda, are celebrating someone’s death, which makes us uncertain about how “good” this “good news” actually is. More is revealed about this theme in “No One Mourns the Wicked,” and I’ll be sure to cover it there!