# Seeking classical music used in Pop



## tammlcaughlin (Jul 20, 2010)

Hi,

I am going away for a weekend with some friends to a lodge in November, and I am organising a mix entertainment.

I want to have a quiz round based on the idea that I play a snipped of classical piece of music that has been used in a pop song (or obscure advert) and my friends have to identify the song. Can anyone offer suggestions?

So far I have:

Rach piano 2: All by myself: Eric Carmen
Mahler Titan 2nd mvt (IIRC): Frere jaque
Beethoven piano sontata 8: This Night : Billy Joel (too obvious)
Mahler 7 (IIRC): advert to castrol gtx
paganini caprice 24: south bank show (but very obvious)

I do want to concentrate on pop songs or the obscure and subtle rather than the obvious such as night on a bare mountain/maxwell tapes.


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## tammlcaughlin (Jul 20, 2010)

Hi,
Despite googling before I made this post, I have had another go and have found a few web sites that list classical music used a basis for pop songs.

So thanks, but no need for anyone to waste time replying when the info is out there.

Tam.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Tam, I hope it lists the 1812 Overture being used in The Move's 'Night Of Fear'! Oh, and Metallica used Bernstein's America but I can't remember the title (it was on the 'Black' album). 

Best wishes, SCH.


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## Petwhac (Jun 9, 2010)

You know there's a track on a recent(ish) Santana album Supernatural- that has this really nice tune and it sounded so familiar and then-Bingo- I realized it was lifted straight out of Brahms 3rd.

Santana the thief 




Brahms the genius


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

I remember when Carlos was interviewed by Melvyn Bragg on TV years ago he mentioned walking into a music store and being struck by what was playing - when he asked it turned out to be from Brahms's 3rd Symphony (or '3rd Concerto' as Carlos called it - Bragg was too polite to correct him). Perhaps this first encounter with Brahms influenced his thinking there.


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## Petwhac (Jun 9, 2010)

elgar's ghost said:


> I remember when Carlos was interviewed by Melvyn Bragg on TV years ago he mentioned walking into a music store and being struck by what was playing - when he asked it turned out to be from Brahms's 3rd Symphony (or '3rd Concerto' as Carlos called it - Bragg was too polite to correct him). Perhaps this first encounter with Brahms influenced his thinking there.


I don't mind him using Brahms's tune but he should have given him a credit on the sleeve!


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## Redheaded Soprano (Oct 15, 2010)

You may already have these....

(1965) "Lover's Concerto" by The Toys in the 60s to the tune of Bach's Minuet in G? 

All my friends thought I was crazy when I said that they had stolen it from Bach, as even at 11 years old, I recognized it.

(1967) "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" by Procol Harum - (loosely) based on J.S. Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 3, Air (commonly known as Air on a G String) and Cantata 140 "Sleepers Awake".

this one always bothered me...

(1974) "Annie's Song" by John Denver - based on Peter Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5, second movement

I thought you probably already had them, but thought, since they were all so popular when they came out, I'd give them anyway......


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## tammlcaughlin (Jul 20, 2010)

Thanks.
No, I did not have all of them.
One of the web sites I found is here: http://www.allegro.philharmonic.me.uk/


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## David58117 (Nov 5, 2009)

Petwhac said:


> You know there's a track on a recent(ish) Santana album Supernatural- that has this really nice tune and it sounded so familiar and then-Bingo- I realized it was lifted straight out of Brahms 3rd.
> 
> Santana the thief
> 
> ...


Hahaha, that's funny, that's my comment on that youtube page from apparently a year ago.


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## Serge (Mar 25, 2010)

Bruckner 5th: Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes.


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## Wicked_one (Aug 18, 2010)

elgars ghost said:


> Tam, I hope it lists the 1812 Overture being used in The Move's 'Night Of Fear'! Oh, and Metallica used Bernstein's America but I can't remember the title (it was on the 'Black' album).
> 
> Best wishes, SCH.


The song you're talking about from Metallica is "Don't Tread on Me" 

I know that Yngwie Malmsteen and all his followers have always borrowed bits from the baroque era. Don't really know now to give you an example but maybe I'll come back with some


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Serge said:


> Bruckner 5th: Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes.


Now THAT is cool!


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Some contemporary composer needs to do a Theme and Variations on a "folk song" by Lady Gaga, or similar.


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## Jean Christophe Paré (Nov 21, 2010)

tammlcaughlin said:


> Mahler Titan 2nd mvt (IIRC): Frere jaque


If you're talking about the French "Frère Jacques", it is in fact Mahler that copied the melody and not the other way around.

Camille Saint-Saëns uses a lot of French comptines in his songs, particularly "Fossiles" from the Canival of Animals.

I also remember some song by Aesop Rock that used I forgot what piece of Bach as his main line.


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## LindenLea (Feb 4, 2007)

How can anyone ever forget (or indeed recover from!!!) Apocalyptica's amazing version of Grieg's Hall of the Mountain King!!!


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