When Beethoven met Travolta: A pop culture guide to the symphony 

Editor’s note: Classical music of any kind often feels boring and inaccessible. That’s why we asked Harini Calamur to do her series on Hindustani music. Many of you asked for a similar pop culture guide to Western classical music—which has shaped movie soundtracks and top 40 hits alike. From your lips to our ears—here’s the first instalment penned by veteran music writer Narendra Kusnur. As always, we’ve put all the music referenced in the article in a YouTube playlist for you to enjoy.

Written by: Narendra Kusnur has been a music journalist for over 40 years—including a decade-long stint covering the beat at the Mid-Day newspaper. He currently writes for The Hindu, Free Press Journal, Hindustan Times and Rolling Stone India, besides the in-house magazines of prestigious institutions such as NCPA and Shanmukhananda Hall.

Over to Naren…

In 1977, the John Travolta film ‘Saturday Night Fever’ was released—making the Bee Gees famous overnight. Discotheques played ‘Stayin’ Alive’ and ‘Night Fever’—while lovers hummed ‘How Deep Is Your Love’. Then there was ‘A Fifth Of Beethoven’—a disco adaptation of the opening movement of Ludwig Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony that served as the background for one of Travolta’s iconic entry scenes (see below):

The original symphony also begins with the famous four-note motif ‘da-da-da-dum’—described by musicologists as the sound of “fate knocking on one’s door”. 

However this wasn’t the first time the symphony was used in popular music. In 1973, Electric Light Orchestra adapted the same tune to open its cover version of the Chuck Berry song ‘Roll over Beethoven’. Cut to 2024—you can hear the symphony in the upcoming Hindi film ‘Lord Curzon Ki Haveli’ as well. Below is a live version of Electric Light Orchestra’s jaunty take on the symphony:

Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony is one of the most widely recognised pieces in western classical music—but some of the German composer’s other symphonies—No. 3 (Eroica), No. 6 (Pastoral) and No. 9 (Choral)—have been reinterpreted just as often.

The Eroica’s second movement was played during the funerals of composer Felix Mendelssohn, US Presidents Franklin D Roosevelt and John F Kennedy, German field marshal ‘Desert Fox’ Erwin Rommel, conductor Arturo Toscanini and the 11 Israeli athletes killed in the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany. Here’s a rendition of the symphony by the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra:

A step back to basics: What is a symphony? 

It’s a piece composed for a large orchestra, where all musicians have specific roles. It is different from a concerto, where one or maybe two instruments have longer, dedicated parts—in a piano concerto, for instance, the pianist has specific portions. A symphony is often divided into four movements—fast, slow, fast, extra-fast—though some famous works extend to five movements too.

Etiquette demands that audiences applaud only after the entire symphony is completed, and not between movements. Those new to classical concerts may also do well to observe the positions of the musicians. The conductor has his back to the audience. In the standard formation, looking towards the stage, the violin section is on the left and cellos and double bass on the right. The violas are on the front side of the conductor. The harp and piano are at one side. Woodwind and brass instruments are behind the violas—and the percussion instruments at the back. Such positioning ensures the best acoustic result in the auditorium.

Rock me Amadeus?

The symphony first appeared in music programmes in the early 18th century. The four-movement form was established around 1770 and the first major composer in this style was Joseph Haydn—who wrote 104 symphonies. Austrian virtuoso Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote 41 symphonies—which have endured in popularity. For instance, the opening of his 40th Symphony was adapted by Salil Chowdhury in the recognisable song ‘Itna Na Mujhse Tu Pyar Badha’ in the 1961 Hindi film ‘Chhaya’. Sung by Talat Mahmood and Lata Mangeshkar—the film version begins with strings in a manner similar to Mozart’s original—but Chowdhury adds the flute and tweaks the tune of the vocals. You can listen to Chowdhury’s adaptation here. Below is the original 40th Symphony. 

The symphonic movement was also adapted by American jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi on his 1964 song ‘Choro’ and by Lebanese singer Fairuz on her lively and fun 1972 hit ‘Ya Ana Ya Ana’:

The other Mozart symphony that has endured thanks to pop culture is No. 25. A film on the composer’s life ‘Amadeus’ uses the composition in its opening credits. 

A fun bit of trivia: The tune was also adopted as a jingle for an iconic ad for the Titan watch in the ‘90s:

The sound of movie soundtracks

Later composers of the 19th century wrote some fantastic symphonies that have become staple motifs in pop culture. Franz Schubert’s Eighth (Unfinished) Symphony was used in the 1979 Peter Sellers film ‘Being There’ and also as a leitmotif—or a recurring theme—in Steven Spielberg’s 2002 movie ‘Minority Report’ starring Tom Cruise. 

American singer John Denver’s iconic ‘Annie’s Song’ is inspired by Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, Movement 2, though the singer didn’t recognise the similarity until a friend pointed it out to him. As for more contemporary rock, the wonderful White Stripes song ‘Seven Nation Army’ (below) is inspired by the opening movement of Anton Bruckner’s Fifth Symphony.

Above are instances of the use of symphonies trickling their way down to popular music and cinema—yet the best way of appreciating a symphony is to listen to the entire composition closely—yes, even the ones that are 45 minutes or an hour long. 

If you’re looking for just one movement to make your day, check out Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, Movement 4 ‘Adagietto’, parts of which were used in the 2022 Cate Blanchett starrer—‘Tár’—in a scene evoking joy, focus, despair and determination. The movement is sure to transport you to another world. 

Here is the legendary American composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein conducting Mahler’s ‘Adagietto’:

Have a look at this powerful clip from the film ‘Tár’ where Cate Blanchett plays the world-renowned conductor Lydia Tár in practice of Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 Movement 1 (Trauermarsch):

Most symphonies grow on you after a few listens—and once you get a hang of them—it’s a magical ride that takes you on a shapeshifting emotive journey using sheer melodies and sweeping arrangements.

We have created a handy playlist with all the tracks mentioned on splainer’s Youtube channel.

PS: If you need a list of all the amazing music shared by Naren:

• ‘A Fifth Of Beethoven’ From Saturday Night Fever
• ‘Symphony No. 5’ by Beethoven 
• ‘Roll Over Beethoven’ by Electric Light Orchestra
• ‘Symphony No. 3 (Eroica)’ by Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra
•  ‘Symphony No. 40 Movement 1’ by Mozart
•  ‘Itna Na Mujhse Tu Pyar Badha’ from ‘Chhaya’
• ‘Ya Ana Ya Ana’ by Fairuz
• ‘Symphony No. 25’ by Mozart from ‘Amadeus’ 
• ‘Symphony No. 25’ by Mozart in Titan ad.
• Franz Schubert’s Eighth (Unfinished) Symphony from ‘Minority Report’ 
• ‘Annie’s Song’ by John Denver
• ‘Symphony No 5’ by Anton Bruckner
• ‘Seven Nation Army’ by The White Stripes
• ‘Symphony No. 5, Movement 4 - Adagietto’ by Gustav Mahler
•  Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 Movement 1 (Trauermarsch) from ‘Tár’