Piano Forum
Piano Board => Repertoire => Topic started by: jbmajor on June 25, 2005, 06:22:10 AM
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in my opinion goes to Scriabin's Op. 8 no. 12, performed by Knut-Erik Jensen. It's short and to the point; even romantic if you listen closely. One of those pieces that would give me chills hearing it played on good Bosendorfer or Steinway concert grand.
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I think this has been discussed before. My vote goes to Erlkonig by Schubert. Whenever the devil is speaking the music is all happy- very twisted. And when the boy speaks he is a half step out of key from the piano part. It is really intense. Another really spooky piece is the Diabolic Suggestion by Prokofiev.
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I think Iraida Yusapova's "The Birth of Venus" takes the cake here. It's a composition filled with dissonant, writhing brass, wicked, chaotic pizzicatos, and a computer-generated noise that sounds like the voice of Satan himself. Seriously, this piece has freaked me out!! Also her composition, "The Birds" is pretty frightening.
If you want to hear her music, she's a featured composer over at ClassicalArchives.com.
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"Survivor from Warsaw" by Schoenberg, Ligeti's "Requiem," and for piano, there's a good, very underrated fantasy by Liszt on a theme from Meyerbeer's "Robert le Diable" which is perfectly Mephistophelean!
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A couple of schuman's symphonic etudes sound sinister to me. I can't remember exactly which ones
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birth of venus IS wicked. my friend (who obviously does not know anything about music) said it should be entitled "noise" :)
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The Erkling, or maybe Mars from "The Planets" by Holst. That piece creeps me out a little.
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The Banshee by Henry Cowell. It's played inside the piano on the strings. I want to get the sheetmusic for it but it is hard to find.
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Liszt's Totentanz for piano and orchestra is diabolically demonic in its evil wickedness.
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Liszt's Totentanz for piano and orchestra is diabolically demonic in its evil wickedness.
I concur
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Not that it's the most demonic peice out there, but everytime I think of it the first adj that comes to mind is demonic, added together with the fact that I've been talking about it for a couple of days now, I'll throw in Chopin's 3rd Scherzo in C#min for its opening, octave sections (up to main theme), and Coda.
Demonic isn't the foremost adj but it is certainly there, wicked is much better but still not it. I don't even know if there is a word that can capture all of the characteristics; morbid, demonic, chilling, & the downright state of rotting well enough to describe the impact that the peice which bears the most ironic name borrowed from it's time signature...Vivace - Movement IV from Sonata No 2 in B flat minor by Chopin. "Wind over Graves" just bearly scratches the surface. I would add disorienting to the list of adjvs.
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Dance of Death 8)
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The Banshee by Henry Cowell. It's played inside the piano on the strings. I want to get the sheetmusic for it but it is hard to find.
https://www.gamingforce.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48704
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Penderecki's cappricio is quite wild and demonic sounding.
I think Iraida Yusapova's "The Birth of Venus" takes the cake here.
I'm listening to it right now, that computer generated noise is very disturbing. It's quite an interesting piece, but its so repetitive...
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Penderecki Cello Concerto
Penderecki Partita for Harpsichord
Berg Violin Concerto
and for solo piano music
Corigliano Etude Fantasy
Ginastera Sonata No. 1
Messiaen Visions de l'Amen: Amen of the Stars, of the Ringed Planet
You can be pretty safe in assuming anything by Penderecki will be what you're looking for ^.-
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Penderecki's cappricio is quite wild and demonic sounding.
I'm listening to it right now, that computer generated noise is very disturbing. It's quite an interesting piece, but its so repetitive...
One time, I was asleep and had music playing from my playlist (which includes that piece) but I was only about half-asleep, awake enough to hear the music, but asleep enough to be dreaming. Anyways that piece (Birth of Venus) came on, and I started having the strangest sensations in my dream- I could hear the music playing and it was part of my dream. I don't remember what exactly happened in the dream, but in that half-asleep state, the music became almost magnified and it was like I was hearing it on a subjective level - and it deeply moved me! Anyways I've always been fascinated with it ever since. As far as the repetition goes, I've found that most of her pieces are like that (quite lengthy and repetitive). Some are quite beautiful, totally the opposite of Venus, like Polycordia. But they all have that trance-like, motionless feel to them. I don't necessarily consider this a fault when it comes to this very modern compositional style however. If you were to apply this method of repitition to Chopin or Bach though, the result would be horrendous, because the movement of thier music is based on harmonic and contrapuntal movement. Imagine having to listen to "Jesu Jesu Joy of Man's desiring" repeated without a break for half and hour, or longer! You would simply go mad! It's like that episode from Seinfield.
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Another contender is Pendrecki's Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima. Quite a shocking piece, would love to hear a live performance of it.
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3rd Movement of the Ginastera Sonata #1 - I first heard this as background music for a young lady's dance at the Spotlight Awards, very sinister.
Sorabji - St. Bertrand de Comminges He was laughing in the tower
Ravel - Gaspard de la Nuit
Scriabin - Sonatas #6, #9, Etude Op. 65 #3
Prokofiev - Piano Concerto #2
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not exactly for piano, but Berlioz Symphony Fantastique. Witches! ARGH!
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Oh! I forgot. Add Aaron Copland's "Music for a Great City" to the list.
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I have heard somewhere that PAGANINI was once accused of being "possesed" by evil spirit during his time because of his compositions and his muvh virtuosity in violin playing. And for that, I understand now why La Campanella (Liszt) and Paganini Rhapsody (Rachmaninoff) have diabolic elements (as if "dancing evil spirits") in some of their aspects or parts.
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Well, I believe the Rachmaninoff Paganini Rhapsody includes a second theme - Dies Irae.
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Oh my god, 'The Banshee' is extremely crazy ;D
I wouldn't know how to play this on an upright (or on a digital- ha ha) ;D
I just heard a recording of this piece (can't follow the sheet *lol*)
Very freaky
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carmina burana - o fortuna, it was playing on my stereo while I was sleeping and recording a tape for my music history class...freaked me out in the dark
mephisto waltz
La Valse - Ravel
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I thought of another one ... TOTENTANZ and Danse Macabre (Saint-Saens) both by Liszt!
BTW, what does - Dies Irae mean?
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I have just observe that Liszt's music has more tendency of having this "demonic" nature above anyone during hs time. For sure, he is more "vulgar" than Brahms or Chopin. And he is fond of always embellishing almost all his pieces with cadanzas which adds up to the "transcendental" nature of his pieces. Just a personal view...
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BTW, what does - Dies Irae mean?
Day of Wrath.
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The Banshee by Henry Cowell. It's played inside the piano on the strings. I want to get the sheetmusic for it but it is hard to find.
I just listened to it. It's interesting, but very subdued and subtle sounding. It would sound much better I think if it were used in conjuction on a separate piano along with another piece that used the keyboard; for instance, played after a slow, dark sounding piece with lots of bass and contrasting treble. The Halloween theme is one that comes to mind.
There's a Rachmaninoff etude that is wicked sounding- tableaux op. 39 no 6 in Aminor.
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Night on the Bald Mountain by Mussorgskij
my favorite Jonchaies ( Xenakis)
Plenty of works by Gubaidulina and Stravinski
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Le gibet and Scarbo from Gaspard
Chopin preludes in F minor and E flat minor
Chopin etude in B minor
Liszt Mazeppa (there's only really one section imo but still evil sounding)
-----where do you get a recording of Banshee online or do you have to buy it?
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Go listen to Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 2...it's still wicked awesome
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Go listen to Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 2...it's still wicked awesome
Yep, Proko's PC 2 in g minor is WICKEDLY AWESOME.
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the first movement with it's enchanting melody...and then powerful melody...
the second movement with it's straight 16th notes every single beat for both hands and just awesome sounding
the third movement with it's incredibly difficult counting parts (tons of 5 vs 6) and then the loud chords at the end
the fourth movement with it's just in general awesome soundingness
after the first few times I listened to it, I didn't really like it...then I listened to it some more and loved it
being able to play this is my second top goal (Rach 3 is first lol)
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another one that's actually in song form is Apocalypse Please by Muse. That would've been a great song to have for the new War of the Worlds movie.
Insane, powerful, wicked, and beautiful all at the same time.
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the second movement with it's straight 16th notes every single beat for both hands and just awesome sounding
An amazing movement ...........
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Dimitri Tchesnokov "Requiem"
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Oh Paris...so you like Dmitri's Requiem??
Yeah,it's great,but I only like the first movement--->requiem aeternam.
:) ;)
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St. Bertrand de Comminges He was laughing in the tower, that piece where would I find a recording of it more in the middle of it, I just heard the droning starting, which did sound kinda tormenting. The name makes it sound like the St Bertrand guy is literally a psycho.
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St. Betrand de Comminges is a bit more hypnotic than terrifying. PM me if you want the file, but I'm warning you now, it's massive and you better have something like gmail to recieve it.
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Really? I would've thot it was like a 10 minute work...so it's big? Never mind then my brother flips out when I dl big files.
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Well, I believe the Rachmaninoff Paganini Rhapsody includes a second theme - Dies Irae.
how funny... i never realised that... then i was listening to it again recently and I HEARD IT!!!!! wow... :D
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I read a summary somewhere of Rachmaninov's Paganini Rhapsody in which it is implied that the variations in which 'Dies irae' appears (particularly Variations 7 and 10, its first two appearances) are supposed to depict Paganini and his alleged conversations with the devil people believed to have possessed him. Not sure if I buy that, but it does make an interesting story. I read somewhere else that 'Dies irae' appears in quite a number of Rachmaninov's works (for example, the Prelude in E minor Op.32 No.4), but I must admit I can only hear it clearly in the Paganini Rhapsody. (The 'church bells' motif, on the other hand, I can hear easily in the first movement of the B-flat minor sonata, the finale of the E minor symphony, and Variation 22 of the Paganini Rhapsody, but those pieces sort of stop to focus on said motif rather than weaving it into the fabric of the other voices.)
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I was playing mazeppa for someone and they said it sounded like an evil carnival. It doesn't sound evil to me at all, maybe it's just my playing
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"The Banshee" is pretty creepy
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Since no one has mentioned it I'll add to the list my continual obsession...Alkan's Quasi-Faust, which has not only a nothing-if-not-demonic first seven minutes but also an overt "Le Diable" march theme at one minute in.
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Alkan's marcia funebre sulla morte d' un pappagallo
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ligeti - etude no 6, book 1 - autumn a varsovie
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Aagh...The Birth of Venus is pure evil! So creepy, especially that computer-generated noise...
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Can anyone give me a mp3 of 'The Birth of venus'
And a mp3 of 'The Banshee' by Henry Cowell and the sheet music?
Thanks
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I was playing mazeppa for someone and they said it sounded like an evil carnival. It doesn't sound evil to me at all, maybe it's just my playing
Actually, it DOES sound sorta like an evil carnival, at least for me. Anyone else?
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Tausig - The Ghostship
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Can anyone give me a mp3 of 'The Birth of venus'
And a mp3 of 'The Banshee' by Henry Cowell and the sheet music?
Thanks
The Birth of Venus can be found at Classicalarchives.com (https://Classicalarchives.com).
Not sure about The Banshee though, Etude posted a Gamingforce link earlier in this thread for the sheet music but it doesn't work for me. Probably too old seeing as this thread was created a year ago...
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Charlie Rutledge by Charles Ives
This isn't the most wicked, but it certainly sounds sinister to me. It's mocking this poor cowboy that dies. The lady on the recording I have sings with a girly, sick-sweet voice. I like it though. I keep listening to it. Maybe i'm sick. haha.
Another good cow-puncher has gone to meet his fate,
I hope he'll find a resting place within the golden gate
Another place is vacant on the ranch of the X I T
'Twill be hard to find another that's liked as well as he.
The first that died was Kid White, a man both tough and brave
While Charlie Rutledge makes the third to be sent to his grave
Caused by a cow-horse falling while running after stock;
'Twas on the spring round-up-a place where death men mock.
He went forward one morning on a circle through the hills,
He was gay and full of glee, and free from earthly ills,
But when it came to finish up the work on which he went,
Nothing came back from him; for his time on earth was spent
T'was as he rode the round-up, an X I T turned back to the herd
Poor Charlie shoved him in again, his cutting horse he spurred
Another turned; at that moment his horse the creature spied
And turned and fell with him, and, beneath, poor Charlie died.
His relations in Texas his face nevermore will see,
But I hope he will meet his loved ones beyond in eternity.
I hope he will meet his parents, will meet them face to face
And that they will grasp him by the right hand at the shining
throne of grace.
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Another contender is Pendrecki's Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima. Quite a shocking piece, would love to hear a live performance of it.
I totally agree, though I personally think it is very painful to listen to
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Sonata #9 and Sonata #6, Scriabin. Scary stuff...
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Sonata #9 and Sonata #6, Scriabin. Scary stuff...
most late scriabin is pretty trippy. i love it all.
i wanna add villa-lobos's rudepoêma. this piece is a real acid trip. the ending is pretty wicked and demonic.
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Scriabin's 8th Sonata. It's amazing.
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I totally agree, though I personally think it is very painful to listen to
It is supposed to be painfull. Imagine yourself being in a radio active explosion. I assure you that it is painfull.
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'Neurosis' by Kresimir Seletkovic, Croatian piano piece, played by maksim. Quite strange..
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I think that Schoenberg's music is pretty nasty. His 'Five pieces for Orchestra' scares the pants out of me! Also, Penderecki's Cello Concerto's are scary (along with pretty much all of his atonal stuff).
SJ
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Id vote for Totentanz (piano and orchestra) by Liszt or Danse Macabre by Saint Saens (orchestra)
Second last movement of Moussorgky's pictures at an exhibition is pretty demonic (hut on chicken's legs/ hut of the baba-yaga)
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'Scarbo' from Gaspard de la Nuit, especially Martha Argerich's live recording
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'Scarbo' from Gaspard de la Nuit, especially Martha Argerich's live recording.
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I thought "Bald Mountain" had retired the title
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Sadly nothing sounds wicked or demonic to me anymore, however a gess Liszt must have written a number of demonic sounding pieces.
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Ryoji Ikeda's "Per se"
For piano, "Ornament" from Corigliano's Etude Fantasy
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Arthur Vincent Lourie's Gigue on "Kaleidoscope" too.
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Since no one has mentioned it I'll add to the list my continual obsession...Alkan's Quasi-Faust, which has not only a nothing-if-not-demonic first seven minutes but also an overt "Le Diable" march theme at one minute in.
haha, chris you are complete obsessed. :) Personally I find Liszt's Totentanz, Chopin's Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35, Scriabin Etude 42/5 in C sharp minor (Rachmaninoff said this was the hardest piece he learned, and it took him half an hour). Also some demonic pieces are Beethoven Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111 first movement, and some short works. Although brief, some Chopin etudes convey demonic imagery better than anything. Preludes (Op. 28) in B flat minor, E flat minor, F minor, D minor, and F sharp minor are all frightening and demonic.
Quasi Faust is still kickass. Gogo powerful minor keys (like E flat/D sharp, D, F, C, B flat)!
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George Crumb - Black Angels