One of the most wonderful and best loved moments of Tchaikovksy’s 5th Symphony, which the orchestra will play on May 20 & 22, is the noble horn tune from the 2nd movement:

It is one of the greatest horn solos in the orchestral repertoire and has inspired a great many adaptations and imitations since it was first composed in 1888. Frank Sinatra performed his version, Moon Love, with the Harry James Orchestra in 1939.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83b7KRQI4G8

The opening of John Denver’s Annie’s Song follows the same progression and rhythm:

Less obvious is the aria Vesti la giubba, from Leoncavallo’s 1892 opera, Pagliacci. The same melody, but a different rhythm creates a very different effect:

That dramatic piece was used by the advertisers of Kellogg’s Rice Bubbles to depict the tragedy of running out of their product. Here’s the American (Rice Crispies) version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvYFxCwojcI

For the advertisers of Winfield cigarettes in the 70’s, Tchaikovsky’s music was the epitome of classys sophistication, with ‘Boris and the band’ setting the scene for a tuxedo clad Paul Hogan to extoll the virtues of the cigarettes with ‘a bit of polish – a touch of class’. Let her rip, Boris!