“Qoutes”. Charming. I’ve never heard that. I believe your referring to what we called “phrased” when condensing to motif or phrase. Although no one would do it unless it was particularly witty or ironic. And you didn’t pull out a variation unless you had your game on.
Lifting a melody without credit is plagiarism and it makes you something I can’t type at FR.
And Shostakovich? Of course he did. Lol. I’d sooner sit through Bartok.
Which isn’t fair to Bartok, now that I think about it. I found his scores very structured. I just had to stop myself from hearing what I was seeing or I’d get annoyed.
“Lifting a melody without credit is plagiarism”
Mozart and Beethoven did this any number of times.
In case you’re wondering, I consider myself only a fan of classical and film music. In no way do I consider myself an expert, not even in my most drunken state.
I used the term “quotes” because it popped into my mind as being appropriate.
Also, I like some of the music of both Bartok and Shostakovich.
BTW, Borges knows what he’s talking about.