A co-worker was humming a random tune and it reminded me of the “Smurf theme” (Tra-LA-lalalala…). But then it also kind of reminded me of “Peter’s Theme” from “Peter and the Wolf” by Prokofiev.
Are they one and the same? Or am I misremembering one of these tunes?
Somehow I remember both of them, and I can say with 100% confidence that they are similar but definitely not the same.
Similar sound, but ultimately quite different. Peter’s Theme is syncopated differently, and the melody’s last few notes are minor sounding.
(Need to consult music teacher hubby DeathLlama for a more academic explanation…)
The theme I think you’re thinking of is the “Tuilieries” sequence from Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.
I made a quick youtube video of me humming the two themes. It’s currently processing.
And… it doesn’t have sound. Thus my first Youtube video ever is a stunning failure. /sigh
I should amend my last post in saying that I’m not referring to the main Smurfs theme, but to a musical motif that was used all the time in the show.
Let’s try this again.
Are these the themes you were thinking of?
[QUOTE=Autolycus]
And… it doesn’t have sound. Thus my first Youtube video ever is a stunning failure. /sigh
[/QUOTE]
You could retitle it “Seth Rogan’s younger brother wants to kiss you”. A couple of those keywords should be good for a few hits…
[QUOTE=Autolycus]
Let’s try this again.
Are these the themes you were thinking of?
[/QUOTE]
STEEEERIKE TWO!
Aha, that “danger Smurf” theme? It, too, is similar but different. My kids love Peter and the Wolf, I can still hum the Smurf themes, take my word for it. 
This is the Peter & the Wolf theme. This is the main Smurf Theme. Definitely not the same (although I’m sure the show did incorporate Prokofiev into the show at other times).
I think I can see the similarity the OP is describing, but it seems to me more to do with rhythm than tune - the beat of the melody notes is very similar, for a little while.
In fact, in the Smurf Theme I previously posted, you can hear the first notes of Liszt’s 1st Piano Concerto. Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata was also commonly used, as was Schubert’s 8th Symphony.
The Smurfs used a lot of classical music, but their theme song isn’t Peter’s theme- the first six notes are similar, but Peter goes a little higher than the Smurfs.
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy]
…as was Schubert’s 8th Symphony.
[/QUOTE]
That’s the piece I most remember from The Smurfs whenever I think back on it.
I think that a lot of the style of The Smurfs show, and especially the era it was set in, was based on the story of “Peter and the Wolf”, though, and therefore the theme music having some similarity is not a coincidence.
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy]
STEEEERIKE TWO!
[/QUOTE]
Really? I hear sound when I load it.
[QUOTE=Autolycus]
Really? I hear sound when I load it.
[/QUOTE]
Works for me, too.
[QUOTE=Autolycus]
Really? I hear sound when I load it.
[/QUOTE]
When I first tried the link, it didn’t even bring up the clip, but defaulted to the “YouTube not available” Red Banner notice at the top.
Obviously, it works now (though Randy says, “Yo, you’re a bit pitchy, dawg!” 
)
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy]
This is the Peter & the Wolf theme. This is the main Smurf Theme.
[/QUOTE]
In the Smurf theme, the first 7 notes (in the horns) are the same as the theme of the section of the “William Tell” overture just after the storm.
