The Music Man

Was listening the other day to a recording I have of the famous Carnegie Hall concert by the Benny Goodman Orchestra, and in particular the performance of "Avalon" by the Quartet.  And I was reminded of the fact that the composers of that song were sued by the publishers of Puccini's opera "Tosca" who claimed that the tune had been lifted from "E lucevan le stelle", one of the major arias from that opera.  If you listen to both you would be hard pressed to see too much similarity - different tempo, different mode, different key but they won and were awarded $25,000 damages - a considerable sum at the time (1920s).  There are of course many instances of tunes which sound similar - unavoidable when you consider that there are a relatively small number of combinations of notes which appeal to the ear, but if you want an example of two melodies which are uncannily similar, listen to "I'll never stop loving you" from the movie "Love me or leave me" and the trio tune from the "Dambusters March".  No suggestion that either was copied from the other, but they are seriously alike - melodically. harmonically, the works.  And another - just a snatch but pretty well identical - "O, peaceful England" from the operetta "Merrie England" at the point where she sings "Sword and buckler by thy side..." and the slow movement of the Bruch Violin Concerto.  Spooky!