Suicide Music

[moi_not_toi]

I saw a thread like this somewhere (here perhaps???) where everyone posted the most depressing music they'd ever heard in their entire lives.

This came to mind after watching ROD (read or die) on youtube, when they were talking about Beethoven's new "Suicide Symphony" which would make the listener commit suicide.

Anyone know some pieces like that? (in the Public Domain, of course, though)

[opus10no2]

Well, even the saddest music affirms life.

Saddest great long work, to me, is the Tchaikovsky trio.

For a more violent suicidal approach, try the end of Alkan's Sonatine.

[hodi]

i just noticed that the end of alkan sonatine is EXTREMLY similar to the 3rd movement of mendelssohn piano concerto no.2 !!

[thalberg]

Suicide music--

Berg Piano Sonata Op. 1

Suicide was a theme of early expressionism and shows up in this piece.  At the end, there are ten descending tetrachords--which are a symbol of death.

[pianowolfi]

Well, even the saddest music affirms life.

This is a very interesting and sorta very comforting statement. Though I would have one certain "but". I mean ...what is music and what is not? Not everything that claims to be music is actually what I (or others) would define as music...Anyway..pretty interesting

[pies]

a

[allchopin]

I think this might be what you're looking for:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,20164.0.html

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,4675.0.html

[dnephi]

Wagner called the first movement of Beethoven's OP. 131 String Quartet the saddest expression in all music.

[phil13]

Chopin Prelude in F minor Op.28 No.18.

Phil

[retrouvailles]

Scharwenka's piano concertos nos. 1 and 3 do it for me. Also, maybe the second movement from Rautavaara's piano concerto no. 3.

[counterpoint]

For a more violent suicidal approach, try the end of Alkan's Sonatine.

My suggestion: don't do it!

[pianistimo]

if dnephi's suggestion doesn't work...try the grosse fugue from no 13 (opus 130).  it's truly mind numbing.  actually pianistic suicide is much different than real suicide.  basically, you just start playing - hoping that you can make some sense of it all.  in reality - the only way to learn this piece is to start from the middle and move back to the beginning.  it's like - instead of taking off in an airplane - you find yourself already in the clouds at the beginning.  then, you occasionally duck under the clouds - but mostly are flying without sight.  basically blind piano playing.  you just pick and choose what you think is important and voila - it's the grosse fugue.

[moi_not_toi]

Yup, it's one gross fugue...

[lisztrachmaninovfan]

Even though this work is not PD  , it's still very sad: Samuel Barber's Adagio for strings. I wish I could implement that kinda of expression and sadness in my music...

[stoudemirestat]

Chopin, prelude in d minor, op 28 no 24. Some of the most dark and violent music in the rep, and the end signifies a dark end like no other piece I can remember.

[pianoplayjl]

Chopin prelude no 20. Well not really sounding suicidal but to me it's like when a man slowly walks towards a bridge and stands on the edge. Then the softer sections like represent him flashing back towards something. The return of the heavy chords like signify him jumping to his death.

Also many funeral march music sound suicidal, at least to me.

[drkilroy]

Definitely Le Gibet from Ravel's Gaspard de la Nuit. It's about a hanged corpse, after all.

Best regards, Dr