Classical Music That Quotes Other Music

rojo

(Ret)
I just finished listening to Luciano Berio`s Sinfonia (1968), and I noticed many direct quotations from other composers` works. Mahler`s Resurrection Symphony, Ravel`s La Valse, Debussy`s La Mer. Which led me to start this thread. Although I can appreciate the quotation of such fine works, I`m as yet undecided about how I feel about this practice...

Anyway, what other classical works can you name that quote other music? (preferably directly, but not necessarily so)
 

rojo

(Ret)
There`s the minor version of Frère Jacques in Mahler`s Symphony No.1, third movement...
 

Ouled Nails

New member
The French song "Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman?" is quoted by both Mozart and Ernst von Dohnanyi. A couple of French revolutionary songs -- la Carmagnole and Ca ira -- are also quoted in N. Myaskovsky's sixth symphony.

I also think of Charles Ives as one who relied extensively on musical quotes, particularly in his symphonies.
 

Art Rock

Sr. Regulator
Staff member
Sr. Regulator
Tippett quoted Beethoven's ninth in one of his symphonies.

Corigliano quoted Albeniz' tango in his first symphony.

Let's not list the countless Variations on ..... here....
 

rojo

(Ret)
Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Christopher Rouse quotes works by Bruckner and Shostakovich in his Symphony #1, composed in 1986. I haven`t heard it, but I have heard his Phantasmata.
 

Manuel

New member
The French song "Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman?" is quoted by both Mozart and Ernst von Dohnanyi.


Hi Ouled Nails. I would dare to say that more than quotings they both are sets of variations on that song.

On strict quoting... it's well known the last mov in Brahms' first resembles Beethoven's ninth.
Other is the quasi-chorale section in Berg's violin concerto (by the second half of the work) that's taken from Bach's "Es ist genug".
 
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