Examining the Boundaries Between Musical Borrowing, Influence, and Plagiarism

Through two case studies, we will compare excerpts from post-tonal pieces to illustrate the grey area that exists between acceptable musical borrowing and plagiarism. Our first analysis will focus on two excerpts from Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, comparing them to two excerpts from Igor Stravinsky’s Les Noces. Next, the study will turn to a comparison of John Williams’s “Parade of the Ewoks” and Sergei Prokofiev’s “March” from his opera The Love for Three Oranges. It is important to keep in mind that this essay hopes not to condemn a composer or piece of music, but rather to open a philosophical dialogue about where acceptable borrowing ends and plagiarism begins, and how this intangible boundary may affect artistic creation in today’s society.Bachelor of Art