A Story Of Beautiful Music Sampling — Sergei Rachmaninoff Versus Eric Carmen
I’m having a bit of a nostalgic moment right now. It is exactly seven years to the day (June 26th) that I decided to get on a train and travel to a place I’d always wanted to go to: Carnforth in Lancashire, North-West England, UK.
I was drowning my sorrows. It was 2016, and the UK referendum to leave the European Union had just happened. Britain had voted to leave the EU. As a passionate “Remainer” (a supporter of the movement to stay in the European Union), I was devastated.
What better then than to seek solace in the past and go visit the location of one of my favorite films of all time — BRIEF ENCOUNTER. Carnforth, Lancashire was chosen as a good location for wartime filming, due to its distance from London. It now houses a museum that celebrates the film and everything is still beautifully intact.
I was dreaming of simpler times; when people drank tea at 4 O’Clock, and husbands ‘renewed the lease on the house’, and a weekly shopping trip to your local town involved only a basket on your arm, for things like toothpaste and soap, and library books from Boots. (Watch the film and you’ll get these references).
I’ve always loved every single little thing about this 1945 film; the characters, the cinematography, the dialogue, the era, the location, the attention to detail, the drama, the ordinariness of the settings but the one thing that gets me every time is THE MUSIC. It’s a ‘heart-in-your-throat’ film; every second of it grips you and the ending will leave you crying your eyes out — every single time you see it.
So let’s talk about the music. The music for the film was composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff, a Russian composer, who lived and worked in the late 19th century and early 20th century. He was pianist known for his expressive and romantic style. Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto №2 in C minor plays a prominent role in “Brief Encounter” and is featured in several key moments. The concerto’s poignant melodies and lush harmonies beautifully capture the emotional depth and longing depicted in the story. The music serves to intensify the romantic atmosphere and heighten the emotional impact of the characters’ experiences.
The main theme from Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto №2 in C minor, with its sweeping melodies and melancholic undertones, has become synonymous with “Brief Encounter” and has helped to establish the film’s enduring legacy. The music adds a layer of nostalgia and yearning, enhancing the portrayal of forbidden love and the complexities of human emotions.
David Lean’s use of Rachmaninoff’s music in “Brief Encounter” is widely regarded as a masterful example of how film and music can intertwine to create a deeply emotional and resonant cinematic experience. The combination of Lean’s storytelling and Rachmaninoff’s evocative compositions contributes to the film’s enduring impact and its reputation as a classic of British cinema. “Brief Encounter” was released in 1945.
Listen to this slice of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto №2 in C minor below, then come back to me, and we’ll talk about US musician ERIC CARMEN, where we will need to fast-forward 30 years to 1975.
In 1975, Eric Carmen took Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto №2 in C minor and sampled bits of it for his MEGA-HIT “All by Myself”. He did so without crediting Rachmaninoff, using samples of his Piano Concerto №2 without permission. But let’s park that piece of information for the moment and talk about what happened when Eric Carmen incorporated Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto №2 into his song.
Well, his song “All By Myself” which was released in 1975 as a single from his self-titled debut solo album, went viral (not a word that was used at the time). “All By Myself” reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States, making it Carmen’s highest-charting solo single. It also reached number 12 on the UK Singles Chart as the song resonated with listeners and received widespread airplay, contributing to its commercial success. The emotional intensity and heartfelt lyrics of “All By Myself” struck a chord with audiences, and the song’s success helped establish Eric Carmen as a prominent solo artist. It remains a notable highlight in his musical career.
It took around 15 years for the Rachmaninoff Estate to come calling, nailing Eric Carmen down for what he had done; illegally sampling Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto №2 in C minor.
The lawsuit against Eric Carmen was brought forth by the Rachmaninoff estate, alleging copyright infringement. The lawsuit claimed that Carmen’s use of the Rachmaninoff melody in “All By Myself” without proper permission constituted copyright infringement.
Eventually, a settlement was reached between the parties involved, and as part of the settlement, Carmen agreed to share songwriting credits with the Rachmaninoff Estate and provide appropriate royalties for the use of the melody.
This case serves as an example of the legal complexities surrounding the use of copyrighted material in music and the importance of obtaining proper permissions and licenses to avoid copyright infringement claims.
So why is this “A Story Of Beautiful Music Sampling”?
Well, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto №2 in C minor is alive and well, and living and breathing in our hearts in 2023. If Eric Carmen hadn’t sampled it — well maybe this piece of haunting music would have been relegated to the tombs of history.
Just like Eric Carmen’s ‘All by Myself”, the film “Brief Encounter” received critical acclaim upon its release and has since gained a reputation as one of the greatest British films ever made. It is celebrated for its sensitive portrayal of forbidden love, its exploration of complex human emotions, and its timeless themes that continue to resonate with audiences today.
The only issue EVER with music sampling IS the illegal use of another person’s artistic creations. That’s it. End of Story. And with our ever-changing music business environment, whole new legal parameters are opening up for copyright lawyers, surveying and analysing the ever-changing digital content landscapes and now generative AI. Copyright lawyers are going to be very busy in the 20s, 30s and onwards.
Finally, in the early 1990s Eric Carmen righted his wrong, and that’s grand. He wasn’t alone in loving this music. The poignant and recognizable melodies from Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto №2 in C minor have found their way into different musical genres, demonstrating the enduring influence of the film’s music.
And onwards with sampling
Rachmaninoff’s music from “Brief Encounter” has been sampled and incorporated into various soundtracks, commercials, and other musical compositions over the years. The emotional depth and evocative nature of the music make it a popular choice for adding dramatic impact and nostalgic undertones to different artistic works.
It’s worth noting that the use of samples in music is subject to copyright and licensing agreements, so artists typically obtain the necessary permissions and rights to use excerpts from other compositions legally.
Overall, the enduring appeal of the music from “Brief Encounter” has led to its incorporation into diverse musical contexts, showcasing its timeless quality and its ability to resonate with audiences across different genres.
And that’s the STORY OF BEAUTIFUL MUSIC SAMPLING. When done legally and properly, it’s a beautiful partnership between creative minds.
‘In Conversation’ is the RADIOSPARX magazine on MEDIUM. Check out the RADIOSPARX — About Us Video here — Change Your Music, Change Your Life with RADIOSPARX.
