I think someone mentioned this on QZ already, but I couldn't find the thread when I searched for it. Please don't give me crap if this has already been discussed.
I've heard that at least some part(s) of Bo Rhap are inspired by or taken directly from a symphony or some other classical piece. It seems logical to me that the opera section is the affected part, but, again, I don't know. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? If you know the piece that inspired a Bo Rhap section, please let me know or post a link to it via YouTube.
Loads of things could've been inspired by loads of things. Even if you found a classical (or popular) piece with 2-3 bars in common with Bo Rhap, it doesn't necessarily mean it inspired it, let alone that FM borrowed those measures. More than taking parts from classical pieces, Fred employed certain 'tricks' common for the genre, for instance:
* Bitonality ('Galileo' bit), used by a number of composers, including Mozart, whom Fred was quite influenced by.
* Mozart also used a section with four 'no' in a similar setting. The arrangement's very different though.
* The way certain motifs are recycled, transposed and varied.
* The triumphal I>V ending ('for me').
* The way the bass-voice counterpoints the other ones.
Sebastian wrote:
Loads of things could've been inspired by loads of things. Even if you found a classical (or popular) piece with 2-3 bars in common with Bo Rhap, it doesn't necessarily mean it inspired it, let alone that FM borrowed those measures. More than taking parts from classical pieces, Fred employed certain 'tricks' common for the genre, for instance:
* Bitonality ('Galileo' bit), used by a number of composers, including Mozart, whom Fred was quite influenced by.
* Mozart also used a section with four 'no' in a similar setting. The arrangement's very different though.
* The way certain motifs are recycled, transposed and varied.
* The triumphal I>V ending ('for me').
* The way the bass-voice counterpoints the other ones.
I know that certain techniques were used by Freddie and the other members for this and other songs, but I'm pretty sure I heard someone on QZ specifically mention a song (symphony, concerto, or something else classical or baroque) that Bo Rhap directly took much of the opera section from. I'm not crapping on or negating what you said - it's all very informed and I love your website - I'm just almost certain that someone on here said the opera section was largely taken from a classical song (maybe Beethoven or Bach - I felt like it was a fairly unknown or "unfinished" symphony or something).
Well... ever since 1975 loads of people have claimed having been 'ripped off' or 'borrowed from' by Freddie, or have claimed a previous source for the operatic bit. From Beethoven to Sweet, from 10cc to Rachmaninov, etc.
Now, the music history's got a lot of plagiarism (e.g. All By Myself, Hips Don't Lie), but AFAIK Bo Rhap's not part of it per se.
BTW, I've always found the opening melody a bit similar to Only Women Bleed. But of course Alice's and Freddie's phrasing couldn't be more different. But if Alice ever sang Bo Rhap, he probably would sing the intro with almost the same melody as OWB. But I suppose we'll never know.