Name that classical melody.

June 4, 2009 3:54 AM

Name that classical melody. I have a classical tune running through my head and it sounds like this. (short home-made WAV version) - any idea what it is?

Clues:

- I think I've heard a classical guitar version of it but it could be originally played on piano or organ or maybe a string quartet.

- The timing on my WAV version is approximate, and the tuning is almost certainly wrong.

- I'm pretty sure there's a second melody that plays simultaneously (or the melody is made up of chords) - what I've rendered is what I believe to be the highest melody line. I have a vague idea what the lower melody is but I didn't include it here.

- I think it ends up repeating variations of the melody in an overlapping fashion, like a Bach fugue.

- I'm 90% certain it's classical but it could be Jazz... Or maybe I've heard a jazz version of it at some point. Heck, it could be Jethro Tull for all I know.

Thanks for your help!

posted by mmoncur to media & arts (6 comments total)

It's a Tull piece called "Bourée" and it's based on a piece by Bach. Good guess, mmoncur.
posted by cgc373 at 4:07 AM on June 4

Thanks!

And apparently my subconscious was trying to tell me the answer. I must have heard the Jethro Tull version the most because I was remembering the timing from that version...
posted by mmoncur at 4:21 AM on June 4

Jethro Tull did do a version of this. I think I've still got the vinyl sitting around...
posted by jon1270 at 6:04 AM on June 4

That is Bach, and it rocks; it's a rock block of Bach that he learned in the school called the School of Hard Knocks.
posted by mbd1mbd1 at 6:45 AM on June 4 [2 favorites]

The e minor Bourrée is from J.S. Bach's Lute Suite BWV 996. "Bourree in e minor" should get you a ton of hits on youtube; all the guitar players play it. There's a wikipedia article about this piece too.
For the nitpick appreciation club, a Bourrée is a French dance, it was one of the possible movements of Baroque dance suites in the French style. Pre-classical, in other words; first half 18th century (or earlier)
posted by Namlit at 9:51 AM on June 4

That is Bach, and it rocks; it's a rock block of Bach that he learned in the school called the School of Hard Knocks.

Lovely, mbd1mbd1. I came in because I am a HUGE Tullhead, but I'm listening to Tenacious D right now!
posted by Jezebella at 6:08 PM on June 7