Reminiscence
Unconscious echoes of other works in a composition, as opposed to conscious imitation.
What it means
A reminiscence (from Latin reminiscentia, "recollection") is a sonic echo of another work in a composition that the composer did not consciously intend. A theme, a turn of phrase or a sound recalls familiar music because it was in the composer's memory. In contrast stands the conscious quotation or imitation.
Musical use
Reminiscences are frequent in music history, for composers grow up with the music of their predecessors and absorb it unconsciously. They are not judged as plagiarism but as a sign of a shared tradition. Musicology distinguishes the reminiscence from the quotation, which is made openly recognisable, and from the parody, which deliberately alters a model. In a wider sense the word is also used for the conscious taking up again of earlier themes within a work.
The reminiscence should be distinguished from the leitmotif, which is deliberately assigned to a person or idea, and from the quodlibet, which deliberately combines familiar melodies.
Performance practice
When you hear a reminiscence in a work, consider whether it is intended or unconscious. For interpretation it is decisive whether the composer alludes to the other work: then you can stress the echo, otherwise you play it unobtrusively.