Talk:John O'Dreams
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2014 comment
[edit]How is this song part of the Ireland project? It was written by an Englishman, using a tune he borrowed from a Russian, who in turn had borrowed it from, possibly, the Italians. [1] Sure, it was sung by Christy Moore, but he credits Bill Caddick [2], [3], and it remains an English song. If no-one objects (by, say, the end of this year) I'm going to remove the Ireland tag. Alec 12:31, 30 November 2014 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Alec.brady (talk • contribs)
References
Please verify the origin of the tune
[edit]I removed an unsourced claim that the tune of "John O'Dreams" is swiped from a theme in Tchaikovsky's "Pathetique" Symphony (Symphony No. 6 (Tchaikovsky)). The article about the symphony claims that "the second theme of the first movement" has been used in at least four 20th-century popular songs, including this one. (See here.) If true, this should be stated prominently, but how does one verify it other than by listening and deciding "yup, sounds the same to me." — ℜob C. alias ALAROB 16:31, 7 June 2023 (UTC)
To whom it may concern: While one cannot necessarily prove that a melody in one place, i.e., the second theme of the first movement of Tchaikovsky's Pathetique, is the source of another, one can easily verify if the two melodies are related. Even if they are in different keys, one can easily compare two melodic themes to see if the intervals between the notes are parallel, if the times between one note and another are the same, and if there is a similar division between the first and second part of the tune. All of these characteristics are, in fact similar as one might easily see for themselves, for example, by comparing a notation of the folk song, here: https://www.irish-folk-songs.com/john-odreams-tin-whistle-sheet-music.html with notation of the Tchaikovsky theme, here, for example: https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/en-US/se/ID_No/899014/Product.aspx?currency=USD which features a "play" button so those who do not read music may hear for themselves the similarity.