# Classical motif used in popular music



## Plumpsweet (Nov 11, 2007)

Greetings to all! I'm a Classical music buff and at present am particularly involved in listening to Rachmaninoff and Sebelius. 

At any rate, a friend of mine who is more into popular music mentioned that he heard a classical piece which had the five-note motif that is heard in Don McLean's "Vincent" - the notes are the based on the 2nd inversion of a Major 6th chord ("starry starry night") with the second note of the scale thrown in (in C - G A C D E).

I know lots of pop composers have borrowed motifs from the classics (Eric Carmen most notably; and isn't Groovy Kind of Love from Clementi?  ) but I wasn't sure about this. It's such a common figure (pentatonic scale in a way) but my friend instantly recognized it in terms of how it followed the rhythm pretty closely. He's not that well versed in composers and didn't catch the info on the radio broadcast.

There may be many works that use it but off the top of my head I can't think of them. Perhaps I'm blocking it!  

Any insights?

Great forum, btw!!!


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## Rondo (Jul 11, 2007)

There's a particular song by _The Temptations_ which immediately comes to mind that follows the G-A-C-D progression- similar to the one you mentioned, but sans the E.


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## Manuel (Feb 1, 2007)

*Hotel California *uses some harmonic progressions that resemble ones at the final movement of Schubert's _Wanderer Fantasy_.


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## Frasier (Mar 10, 2007)

Plumpsweet said:


> I know lots of pop composers have borrowed motifs from the classics (Eric Carmen most notably; and isn't Groovy Kind of Love from Clementi?  ) but I wasn't sure about this. It's such a common figure (pentatonic scale in a way) but my friend instantly recognized it in terms of how it followed the rhythm pretty closely. He's not that well versed in composers and didn't catch the info on the radio broadcast.
> 
> Any insights?


Only that all western genres share the same scales and modalities so it's no surprise that many pops appear to borrow classics and vice versa. For every phrase in a pop song I'll bet you can find it in some classical work somewhere, maybe rhythmically disguised but it's there.


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## Gustav (Aug 29, 2005)

you say that you are interested in Sibelius's music, but apparently you can't spell his name right.


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## Manuel (Feb 1, 2007)

Gustav said:


> you say that you are interested in Sibelius's music, but apparently you can't spell his name right.


Ever considered the option of using _capital letters_ at the begining of each sentence, Gustav?


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## Frasier (Mar 10, 2007)

And get the grammar right. It's "Sibelius' music"


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## Manuel (Feb 1, 2007)

Frasier said:


> And get the grammar right. It's "Sibelius' music"




Are you enjoying the positive externalities here, Gustav? You came in for musical thoughts and you are also getting the education on grammar first graders are supposed to receive. But for free!.


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## Plumpsweet (Nov 11, 2007)

Sorry about the spelling error! Typing fast and not checking. My apologies, but it doesn't mean I haven't appreciated his work. Anyway, thanks to all who have responded to my topic.


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## Gustav (Aug 29, 2005)

Manuel said:


> Are you enjoying the positive externalities here, Gustav? You came in for musical thoughts and you are also getting the education on grammar first graders are supposed to receive. But for free!.


sorry, but English is not my first language. That being said. Where is the musical thoughts? I don't see them. Maybe you can point me to where these "musical thoughts" are, did you came up with them?


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## Guest (Nov 12, 2007)

My dear Gustav, 

Someone said something that you should remember sometimes:

"Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?"


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## Manuel (Feb 1, 2007)

Gustav said:


> _s_orry, but English is not my first language. That being said. Where is the musical thoughts? I don't see them. Maybe you can point me to where these "musical thoughts" are, did you came up with them?


Now that's something _clever_.


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