# Sibelius Symphony No. 1 and Godfather



## MozartEarlySymphonies (Nov 29, 2013)

Is it just me or does Nino Rota's Godfather Waltz sound a lot like the clarinet opening to Sibelius's First Symphony? Tell me if you think the two pieces sound alike.


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## davicaxias (Aug 10, 2020)

MozartEarlySymphonies said:


> Is it just me or does Nino Rota's Godfather Waltz sound a lot like the clarinet opening to Sibelius's First Symphony? Tell me if you think the two pieces sound alike.


Hi, this my first post here. I just found this topic because I was also searching on the Internet about this similarity. This is very intrigant.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Hi davicaxias, can I call you Dave? Hehe. First few notes do sound similar even though in different key, and slightly different rhythm. Either Rota used that bit in his melody, or just luck. I suspect the latter.


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## davicaxias (Aug 10, 2020)

Hi Phil. Dave or David (Davi is the portuguese form for David) is fine, no problem.
I am looking at your post date, looks like took some time for someone reply you. I'm glad.
I found some quotes in my research that suggest that Nino Rota used the main theme from the Sibeblius First Symphony on the Godfather main theme. And I found it in the Oslo Philarmonic website:

https://ofo.no/en/concerts/2020-10-14/classical-hour-sibelius


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Why are you calling me Phil? That's my cat who loves Classical! Just kidding. Interesting. Thought it was just luck.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

I thought this thread was about listening to Sibelius while eating a Godfather pizza.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Did Rota acknowledge this similarity? I'd love to know this. 

There's another near Sibelius quote from his violin concerto. In the first movement there's a short theme first in the clarinets which sounds like "There's a bright golden haze on the meadow" from the song, O what a Beautiful Morning from the Rodgers/Hammerstein musical Oklahoma!


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## davicaxias (Aug 10, 2020)

Phil loves classical said:


> Why are you calling me Phil? That's my cat who loves Classical! Just kidding. Interesting. Thought it was just luck.


:lol:
In this case, how should I call you, sir? Well, regarding music I am not a believer in luck. But this is very interesting.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Sometimes it is. Some guy composed a theme very similar to a theme by Toto in the film Dune, and in fact had more correlations than the Rota / Sibelius. He never watched the movie or heard the music before. I told him about it, and he felt so annoyed that he changed or abandoned it. You can call me Sir Phil.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Strangely, I'm reminded of this whenever I listen to "Der abschied" from Mahler's Das lied von der erde


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## Tallisman (May 7, 2017)

hammeredklavier said:


> Strangely, I'm reminded of this whenever I listen to "Der abschied" from Mahler's Das lied von der erde


A wonderful score by Morricone (RIP)


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