# I'm looking for examples where John Williams possibly borrowed musical ideas from other pieces



## loolaphonic (Apr 27, 2012)

Williams - Star Wars - Dune Sea
Stravinsky - Rite of Spring - Second Part (Introduction) 

Williams - Home Alone - Holiday Flight
Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker - Trepak

Any others?


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## Simplesly (Apr 27, 2012)

please tell me this isn't a homework project for your composition class...


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## loolaphonic (Apr 27, 2012)

For joy of trivia which (as a composer) one might find interesting.


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## arnau (Apr 28, 2012)

Star Wars main theme and Erich Wolfgang Korngold http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V47enEvsafQ


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## EvilGrandmother (Apr 28, 2012)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMPUOCJe2nw

Maybe?


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## Arbee (Apr 28, 2012)

From the first time I heard the Imperial March (from 20 secs in):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6MYLtqL9T8

I couldn't get this out of my head (from 30 secs in) ~o) :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djQdI1t9_Ag

:oops:


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## Daryl (Apr 28, 2012)

arnau @ Sat Apr 28 said:


> Star Wars main theme and Erich Wolfgang Korngold http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V47enEvsafQ


This is all very well, but have you listened to Autumn from Glazunov's The Seasons? :wink: 

D


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## Scrianinoff (Apr 28, 2012)

Someone even made a youtube video about this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9IV5u9iwuQ&feature=player_embedded (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9IV5u9i ... r_embedded)

It came up in this thread: http://www.soundsonline-forums.com/show ... hp?t=38081

I think the word "silly" mentioned there is a wrong choice of words. At least, I do not share this opinion, at all. 

Through the centuries composers have always referred musically to each others material, not only as a reference but also out of reverence. 

Stravinsky said: "Good composers borrow, great composers steal." Think about it, it's so true, from several perspectives and on so many levels.


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## jleckie (Apr 28, 2012)

Jaws obviously stravinsky


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## musicpete (Apr 29, 2012)

How about the beginning of Star Wars Episode VI (after the overture, when the shuttle appears), compare it to the beginning of Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra.

I always say: It doesn't matter where someone borrows from, but what he does with the borrowed material - if he creates something new and creative out of it, then I am all for it. If it it just boring imitation, then tar and feather him!


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## FriFlo (Apr 29, 2012)

> Jaws obviously stravinsky



Also some Debussy La Mer influences in there ... thats what makes Williams less the stealing and more the borrowing kind of guy, I guess ...


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