The composer Modest Altschuler was a cousin of Leonard Slatkin’s grandfather. Although the origins of his Russian Soldier’s Song remain unknown, it became a hotbed of controversy when Altschuler tried to sue Walt Disney for copyright infringement, claiming the song Whistle While You Work was stolen from the little march. This piece was among the very first recordings made by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, where Leonard Slatkin would become music director 80 years later. The album Slatkin Conducts Slatkin is available on Naxos 8.574352.