Monday, September 24, 2007

"song-borrowing."

omg.
has anyone else ever noticed that "I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light" has a frightenly similar melody to the Kyrie from Missa de Angelis?

6 comments:

Scelata said...

I have asked that several times around the blog-o-sphere, ever since I first heard HOUSTON, and I am always answered with the plagiarist's defense," Well, there are only so many notes...."

I am not accusing whoever wrote that hymn of plagiarism, that is just a quote I heard from a fabulously wealthy musical theater plagiarist.

I think the homage (rather than "steal",) is obvious, but you are the only other person who has agreed.

(Save the Liturgy, Save the World)

Mara Joy said...

ah, yes.
I did use the word "steal" as literary exaggeration...
and if I am right in my vague music history classes memories, it seems to me that ALL of the greatest composers reguarly borrowed one anothers work!
no shame in that...


haha...and who exactly would be that "fabulously wealthy mt plagiarist?"

Puff the Magic Dragon said...

Homage is when the use is in order to praise the original composer, whereas stealing (plagiarising) is more the attempt to pass off as your own the original work of someone else. Since we don't know the mind later composer, it would be best to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume it was done as an honour.

Anonymous said...

fabulously wealthy mt plagiarist?

andrew lloyd webber?

The big ballad from Jesus Christ Superstar is note for note the big theme from the slow movement from the Mendelssohn violin concerto, Music of the Night lifts tunes from Fanciulla del West

Anonymous said...

Wow...I never noticed.

Is there anything that is comparable beyond the 1-3-4-5, 6-5-4-5 motion?

I suppose if it’s just that opening phrase, I might put it in the “only so many notes” camp. But, if there is more, maybe it indeed is derived from that Kyrie.

(Hehe...you’re such a girl, beginning a post with “omg”. :))

Boniface said...

Haha! I have frequently used the excuse, "Well, there's only 12 notes" when I am accused of musical theft in my own compositions. But it is true.