Scary pieces

[severius]

None of it that I've heard so is exactly "over your shoulder" scary - altho the sheer psychotic mania of the opening scherzo movement of his Grand Sonata comes close - but it's all so sinister, so unnerving, so downright strange - both overtly and covertly - that it all leaves you feeling as if you've just traversed an insane asylum.

The fact that it's all contained within the musical language of mid-19th century Romanticism makes it even more subversive and disturbing. Depending on how musically sensitive you are [in the case of music, sensitivity is good - it's talent - or a portion of talent], you'll find yourself shifted subliminally to the extent that other music you face after hearing Alkan may also seem to diabolically touched by it.

I avoid Alkan.

[stevensk]

Ok, this is extremely scary:

Bartok Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta 

[visitor]

 

[severius]

'communist'?

'antichrist'??

Really?