Most depressing piece(s)

[retrouvailles]

Someone (no names mentioned) nominated the opening section of the finale of my own string quintet; I ain't sayin' nuttin (except that it is known to a certain Richard Black!)...

I have heard it too. It is pretty depressing, I would say. If the whole 65 minutes of that movement were like that, I would nominate it.

[houseofblackleaves]

Corigliano's first symphony.

[pianochick93]

It's not a strictly classical piece, but "like you" by Evanescence is pretty depressing.

"I long to be like you, lie cold in the ground like you"

[ahinton]

I have heard it too. It is pretty depressing, I would say. If the whole 65 minutes of that movement were like that, I would nominate it.

But the whole 65 minutes of that movement isn't like that - for at least one important reason, which is that the movement is about an hour longer than that, as it occupies the whole of the third CD as well as most of the second one in the set...

Anyway, thanks for listening!...

Best,

Alistair

[Nightscape]

Shostakovitch's 15th string quartet is very depressing to listen to.  The opening fugue is probably the bleakest thing I've ever heard.  It reminds me of his 8th quartet only without the youthful energy (it has more of a sage-like cynicism to it).

[richard black]

Just thought of another REALLY depressing piece, by a composer who I gather was (possibly still is, I can't remember whether I ever heard of him dying) a bit depressive: the Symphony No 7 by Allan Pettersson. I mean, this one is BLEAK. I'd have to say, Alistair, that it's a lot more depressing than anything in your 5tet.

And I remember a friend once describing some of Frank Bridge's piano music as 'music to slit your wrists by'.

[mattgreenecomposer]

I would say pretty much anything on the radio is depressing these days...

[retrouvailles]

Just thought of another REALLY depressing piece, by a composer who I gather was (possibly still is, I can't remember whether I ever heard of him dying) a bit depressive: the Symphony No 7 by Allan Pettersson. I mean, this one is BLEAK. I'd have to say, Alistair, that it's a lot more depressing than anything in your 5tet.

And I remember a friend once describing some of Frank Bridge's piano music as 'music to slit your wrists by'.

The poor guy has been dead for 27 years! But yes, that symphony is pretty depressing. Still not sure if I would call it a wrist slitter, but it's up there.

And which Bridge pieces are you talking about? I don't remember much of his music to be that depressing.

[wotgoplunk]

Main theme of the Forrest Gump movie. Somehow this piece can make me forget any problem, and the other time i play it i get like really sad  . I dont get it either :p

 

That is really true, we did this in concert band today!

[wotgoplunk]

Now...I would have to say, for reason unbeknownst to me, Barber's Adagio makes me very emotional. Even though it's overplayed, it has that innate quality that just makes me feel depressed.

There are more...just can't think of them at the moment.

[clhiospzitn]

Now...I would have to say, for reason unbeknownst to me, Barber's Adagio makes me very emotional. Even though it's overplayed, it has that innate quality that just makes me feel depressed.

Same here ... I love that piece; I was going to post it on this topic since it always makes me want to cry when I hear it - or at least to sit and think sad thoughts. 

[gerry]

Last movement of Tchaikovsky's 6th (Pathetique) - opening descending violin pattern always reminds me of the gut-wrenching wailing of mourners.

[ahinton]

Just thought of another REALLY depressing piece, by a composer who I gather was (possibly still is, I can't remember whether I ever heard of him dying) a bit depressive: the Symphony No 7 by Allan Pettersson. I mean, this one is BLEAK. I'd have to say, Alistair, that it's a lot more depressing than anything in your 5tet.

Yes, Pettersson 7 is rather like that - but then so are quite a few of his symphonies, although I've never been especially aware that this is all there is to him, or even that it's his most salient characteristic. I don't know all of his symphonies by any means, but I am familiar with the middle ones and I would say that the most depressing of all is the monumental 9th. No. 10 is perhaps the real foil here, in that, although its music is also predominantly dark-hued, most of it is replete with hard-driven and energetic agitation that lets up only momentarily in its almost half-hour journey before it flings itself at a brick wall with a defiant final chord of C# major. I think that this and the 8th are probably the best introduction to Pettersson for those unfamiliar with his work.

Best,

Alistair

[mikey6]

I heard ECO do Strauss' Metamorphosen  the otehr night and it left me in the wierdest mood.  They managed to keep the audience slient for about 10 secs after the end of the performance untill some moron started clapping - I just didn't feel like clapping, I don't think the piece needs such a boistrous noise after it.  Sure the performance was great and I guess one should applaud it, but twas sort of a catch 22.

[lohshuhan]

mozart's adagio in b minor was quite an experience to me. 

and the 2nd movement of beethoven's opus 81a... 

[ballade_1]

Last movement of Tchaikovsky's 6th (Pathetique) - opening descending violin pattern always reminds me of the gut-wrenching wailing of mourners.

Yup, I saw this performed yesterday and was just about to mention it. It's very sad, but I really love it.

[slobone]

The older I get, the less interested I am in slow movements in minor keys, especially when they involve note-for-note repeats. Beethoven's 3rd. Beethoven's 7th. The second mov't of Brahms's German Requiem. The 2nd mov't of Schubert's string quintet. Last mov't of the Pathetique. etc.

Life is too short to listen to any of these ever again -- play them at my funeral if you must.

[gerry]

The older I get, the less interested I am in slow movements in minor keys, especially when they involve note-for-note repeats. Beethoven's 3rd. Beethoven's 7th. The second mov't of Brahms's German Requiem. The 2nd mov't of Schubert's string quintet. Last mov't of the Pathetique. etc.

Life is too short to listen to any of these ever again -- play them at my funeral if you must.

 

[stringoverstrung]

elegie - rachmaninov from opus 3

especially if played by andrei gavrilov ... depressing i'm not kidding!

[dan101]

Okay, I'll play. Chopin's A minor prelude is quite gloomy... but I love it.