John Williams lifted that melody from Richard Strauss’ ‘Death and Transfiguration’.
I don’t doubt that one bit! LOL!
Just like Andrew Lloyd Webber stole the melody from Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E for “I don’t know how to love him”! hahaha
And remember...IF you MUST steal...
Steal from the BEST!
hahahaha
Whenever I hear Tchaikovsky’s 4th Symphony, my mind sings the Russian Folk Song Lyrics from “V’polye beryoza stayala”, the tune from which he lifted the main theme of the last movement. LOL.