Here's something you might be interested in.
One of my favorite musical movies is Kismet. There isn't much of a plot but I enjoy the music, Howard Keel, and Vic Damone.
Imagine my surprise, nay--outrage--when I discovered that most of the melodies were sampled from Russian composer Anton Borodin.
The most famous song from Kismet is Stranger in Paradise. I grew up thinking this was one of the most charming songs in the world. Then I listened to Borodin's Polovotsian Dances from his unfinished opera Prince Igor.
There it was. The second dance is what I thought to be Stranger in Paradise.
Initially I considered it to be a one off. Then I listened to Borodin's String Quartet and there was the theme from Babbles, Bangles, and Beads.
Okay, so Kismet borrowed twice. Then I listened to Borodin's Symphony No. 1. WTF? The last movement was lifted for the song Gesticulate.
The only song I can find that was original in Kismet is Not Since Nineveh.
I guess it's not that big a deal but borrowing almost every single tune and then slapping some English lyrics on them is--I don't know what it is but I was shocked.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFrUsa5SUv0&ob=av2e
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugONFS338is
One of my favorite musical movies is Kismet. There isn't much of a plot but I enjoy the music, Howard Keel, and Vic Damone.
Imagine my surprise, nay--outrage--when I discovered that most of the melodies were sampled from Russian composer Anton Borodin.
The most famous song from Kismet is Stranger in Paradise. I grew up thinking this was one of the most charming songs in the world. Then I listened to Borodin's Polovotsian Dances from his unfinished opera Prince Igor.
There it was. The second dance is what I thought to be Stranger in Paradise.
Initially I considered it to be a one off. Then I listened to Borodin's String Quartet and there was the theme from Babbles, Bangles, and Beads.
Okay, so Kismet borrowed twice. Then I listened to Borodin's Symphony No. 1. WTF? The last movement was lifted for the song Gesticulate.
The only song I can find that was original in Kismet is Not Since Nineveh.
I guess it's not that big a deal but borrowing almost every single tune and then slapping some English lyrics on them is--I don't know what it is but I was shocked.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFrUsa5SUv0&ob=av2e
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugONFS338is