Does anyone know a dark peice?

[valor]

Hi, does anyone know any "dark" peices? I'd give an example if i knew any. Thanks.

[Nightscape]

I don't know ANY dark pieces.  I only listen to the minuet in G.

[soliloquy]

I've heard a lot but I forget all of their names.


OH wait I remember!  Schubert Sonata D. 894!



Oh wait nvm.

[ilikepie]

I think Fur Elise is a dark piece; whenever I try to play it, people leave the room and turn out the lights..

[valor]

Yea but fur elise has its nice side too, i want a peice thats completely dark. I was thinking something like that famous halloween scary song, the organ one, but thats like... cliched? not sure if thats the right word....

Schuberts D. 894 has a nice dark part, but its mostly pretty.

[Ruro]

I'm partially only saying this because I have been acquainted with it only a semi-short time, but it does seem quite dark, I suppose, except the middle section is a very light/beautiful aftermath, and the finalé being a bit furious - the Popular Chaconne that Busoni so beautifully transcribed.

I have been foolishly learning it recently, opening chords are quite straight forward I suppose, but I already know I can't play the end, and probably several other parts XD One of those pieces I attempt for fun, heh.

Btw, I realise that's even if I wasn't a newbie Pianist, this is still probably an exceptionally difficult piece XD So it may be pointless suggesting it at all, hehe.

AH! I know, maybe something like the First Movement to Prokofiev's Eighth Piano Sonata? I believe it's that one, and maybe the third movement too, I think that's also a bit "Wah" ^_^;;

[schubertiad]

I'm not sure of your current level/repertoire/taste but i've always thought Chopin's fsharp minor prelude (the one with all the little notes) was a very dark piece (as are some of the other preludes). The whole piece is very restless, and has a very nice unresolved last chord which adds to the dark mood.

[retrouvailles]

Lots of stuff by Medtner would do the trick. Fairy tales, sonatas, perhaps concertos, you name it. I could get into the contemporary/modern repertoire, but I won't.

[pianowolfi]

Chopin prelude op. 28, 24. I love it. And the last mvt. of his second sonata. Scary .

[pianowolfi]

I could get into the contemporary/modern repertoire, but I won't.

Why not? Would be interesting

[clhiospzitn]

Yea but fur elise has its nice side too, i want a peice thats completely dark. I was thinking something like that famous halloween scary song, the organ one, but thats like... cliched? not sure if thats the right word....

Are you talking about Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor?  If so then the toccata part would be an excellent dark piece, especially on the organ, but yes, it is a little cliched.

I also agree on the 4th movement of Chopin's 2nd piano sonata being pretty frightening. Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C-sharp minor (op. 3 no.2) has always struck me as being a very dark, angry piece, even though it's overplayed and does have some brief "happy" moments.

[retrouvailles]

Ok, sure, but there are just so many facets to the word 'dark' in modern composition. There are many more ways of conveying that feeling to the listener than in the past eras of music. I guess I could start here:

(all 12 pieces possibly)

[pianowolfi]

Ok, sure, but there are just so many facets to the word 'dark' in modern composition. There are many more ways of conveying that feeling to the listener than in the past eras of music. I guess I could start here:

(all 12 pieces possibly)

*Starts watching*

[valor]

Im somewhere around the intermediate level (been playing for 3 years if that helps), im playing simlpe peices now but I want to learn a good dark peice eventually. I'd play a peice from any style, as long as its dark.

[pianowolfi]

Im somewhere around the intermediate level (been playing for 3 years if that helps), im playing simlpe peices now but I want to learn a good dark peice eventually. I'd play a peice from any style, as long as its dark.

Perhaps Chopin prelude op. 28,2 ?

[bob3.1415926]

Sorabji's pastiche on Habenera (from Bizet's Carmen) is wonderfully creepy, and kinda scary. The way everyone knows the original, and it's highly recognisable but clearly different gives a very eerie effect. I've not seen the sheet music, but I don't imagine it's playable by most humans.

[retrouvailles]

You would be right. However, the pastiches are very playable compared to the rest of Sorabji's output. The Sadko pastiche is a very dark piece as well. Actually, a lot of Sorabji's output is dark, especially the nocturnes like Gulistan and Djâmi.

[menancyandsam]

Doesn't get much darker than Alkan's op. 63 no. 8 titled "Chanson de la Folle au bord de la mer" which translates into something like "Mad women at the edge of the sea".

Its well within you difficulty level & sounds great.

I've attached the sheets & an mp3.

[slobone]

The Appassionata? Except the second mov't I guess.

[valor]

Wow, really nice peices.. i really liked Sorabji's Pastiche. Heres the list of the peices i chose:

• Sorabjis Pastiche on Habener (and any other Sorabji peices if they're really as dark and as good as this one
  
  Alkan op. 36 no.8
  
  Chopin op. 28 no.2
  
  Rachmaninoff op.3 no.2
  

I have't had the chance to listen to the other suggestions, but these are the ones i really liked, so this is pretty much what im asking for. Does anyone else know anymore dark peices?

Btw, is Sorabji the person who composed that melody? And does anyone have the sheet music to that peice or know where I can find it?

[sheena]

I know one! Leo Ornstein's "Poems of 1917". It's really scary. And probably very difficult... Go here for lots of Ornstein recordings: www.poonhill.com

[dan101]

Try Chopin's Funeral March (Bbm) of his Prelude in Bm. Good luck in your dark quest.

[redbaron]

Rachmaninov's C#m Prelude. Always reminds me of the theme music from the film Hellraiser.

[frigo]

I think the fifth movement from the Fantastic Symphony Op. 14 -  "Dream of a Witches' Sabbath" - composed by Hector Berlioz, is very dark. Those ringing bells are very creapy.
The movement represents the sadness of an artist, so it has some joyfull and crazy parts either (specially when the artist sees his beloved girlfriend dancing in the sabbath).

[frigo]

Its not piano, I know, but is creapy...

[clhiospzitn]

Prokofiev's Toccata in D minor (op. 11) is pretty diabolical.

[soliloquy]

I nominate this for worst thread of the year.

[valor]

I like "poems of 1917", i'll try that out too. Alright guys, well i found what i was looking for, thanks for posting your dark peices, i'll learn them as soon as i get a chance. Oh, and if anyone knows where i can get Sorabjis music please post a link, i'd like to check out his music even if i can't play them.

[retrouvailles]

I can't post a link to his music. Alistair Hinton wouldn't appreciate that.

[soliloquy]

I like "poems of 1917", i'll try that out too. Alright guys, well i found what i was looking for, thanks for posting your dark peices, i'll learn them as soon as i get a chance. Oh, and if anyone knows where i can get Sorabjis music please post a link, i'd like to check out his music even if i can't play them.

You're an intermediate pianist and you're going to try to play some massive, intellectually incomprehensible futurist piece that spills onto six staves?

[ahinton]

I can't post a link to his music. Alistair Hinton wouldn't appreciate that.

Yes, you can - or could have - and Alistair Hinton would have appreciated it if you had, even though the said "link" is what some might term indirect - so I'll do it myself; it's www.sorabji-archive.co.uk.

Best,

Alistair

[ganymed]

the e flat minor prelude from chopin has a really dark and sinister  athmosphere
and other pieces are  rachmaninov op 23 no 7 Cm


and the movie theme from halloween

[retrouvailles]

Yes, you can - or could have - and Alistair Hinton would have appreciated it if you had, even though the said "link" is what some might term indirect - so I'll do it myself; it's www.sorabji-archive.co.uk.

Best,

Alistair

Oh, well, I misunderstood him. I thought he wanted the actual music (pdf or mp3 or what have you) to be linked to.

[ahinton]

Oh, well, I misunderstood him. I thought he wanted the actual music (pdf or mp3 or what have you) to be linked to.

Maybe he did - and maybe therefore you did not misunderstand him after all - but, since it was not clear one way or the other, I responded as appropriately as I felt possible.

Best,

Alistair

[valor]

You're an intermediate pianist and you're going to try to play some massive, intellectually incomprehensible futurist piece that spills onto six staves?

Are you talking about Sorabjis peice? I just want to look at the music, not try to learn it.

[pies]

a

[quantum]

Scriabin Op 74 preludes if you want short stuff.  There is also the 6th and 9th sonatas - you may wish to take a listen to these sonatas even if you don't intend to play them just yet, it is excellent stuff.

[soliloquy]

Are you talking about Sorabjis peice? I just want to look at the music, not try to learn it.

No, Ornstein's Poems of 1917.

[valor]

Its that difficult? it sounded playable when i heard it, im going to listen to it again... i could only listen to part of it because of the type of file it was


Ok i listened to it. It sounds difficult but it doesn't sound impossible.. I wouldn't attempt it now but i would in the future.

[pies]

a

[retrouvailles]

Scelsi's Suites 8, 9, or 10.

Um, those pieces aren't dark. At least nowhere near as dark as most of the aforementioned pieces.

[pies]

a

[nanabush]

Umm I've said this about 3 years ago when a thread like this came up, and I still stand by it... don't even know if anyone said it; 'Le Gibet' from Gaspard de la Nuit by Ravel... seriously it sounds amazing, and isn't superhumanly difficult like half of the things ppl were posting.  Chances are you've heard it, or heard of it if you've been around this forum... check it out, youtube's got tons of videos of ppl playing it, and the sheet music is not hard to find.

[dmc]

I'm not sure of your current level/repertoire/taste but i've always thought Chopin's fsharp minor prelude (the one with all the little notes) was a very dark piece (as are some of the other preludes). The whole piece is very restless, and has a very nice unresolved last chord which adds to the dark mood.

Another perfect example would be the Raindrop Prelude which starts off somewhat pleasant but turns very sinister to my ears.  Even after it returns to the original theme, the B section is so powerful that it leaves a lasting impression.  Actually I think Chopin's preludes taken as a whole have a melancholy or brooding quality to them.  I have a Martha Argerich CD of these and I noticed after about 15 minutes or so that the mood seemed very dark. 

[ahinton]

Sorabji's pastiche on Habenera (from Bizet's Carmen) is wonderfully creepy, and kinda scary. The way everyone knows the original, and it's highly recognisable but clearly different gives a very eerie effect. I've not seen the sheet music, but I don't imagine it's playable by most humans.

It's hard, but far from impossible and is capable of performance by far more pianists than have actually played it so far. I well recall a rather neat summation of this pastiche as having transported the cigarette factory of the original into the marijuana field...

Best,

Alistair

[bob3.1415926]

Thanks for the info. I might try and give it a go in a few years then. Don't worry though, I'll come to you for the music, I'm not one of these people who is happy to learn from a computer print out.

I well recall a rather neat summation of this pastiche as having transported the cigarette factory of the original into the marijuana field...

Brilliant!  Can you remember who said that?

[ahinton]

Thanks for the info. I might try and give it a go in a few years then. Don't worry though, I'll come to you for the music, I'm not one of these people who is happy to learn from a computer print out.Brilliant!  Can you remember who said that?

I think that it may have been credited to Donald Garvelmann although, even if it were, I'm not absolutely sure that it was his idea - it may have been, of course...

Best,

Alistair

[dmc]

I can't believe I didn't think of this one sooner.

Check out "The Little Hut on Chickens' Legs" from Mussogorsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition".   Only about 3 minutes but very cool in a sinister way.

[bob3.1415926]

It depends what you mean by dark, but the second movement from Bartok's Suite Op.14 is v dark and aggressive, and I think it is also a thoroughly excellent piece.

[soliloquy]

Scelsi's Suites 8, 9, or 10.

Yeah.  Know what else?  Xenakis Synaphai.  And Finnissy Solo Concerto No. 6.  And let's not forget Sciarrino Sonata No. 4.