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Topic: Apocalyptic music?  (Read 5616 times)

Offline kelly_kelly

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Apocalyptic music?
on: November 08, 2010, 06:26:11 PM
I know this seems like an odd question, but would any of you happen to be familiar with musical works (any instrumentation) which are intended to depict anything apocalypse-related? (This is for a writing seminar on apocalyptic thought.)
It all happens on Discworld, where greed and ignorance influence human behavior... and perfectly ordinary people occasionally act like raving idiots.

A world, in short, totally unlike our own.

Offline pianowolfi

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Re: Apocalyptic music?
Reply #1 on: November 08, 2010, 07:36:49 PM
What comes first to mind: Messiaen's Quartet for the end of time.
Sofia Gubaidulina has used parts of the revelation as a counterpoint in her works "St. John Easter"
and "St. John Passion"

https://media.sikorski.de/media/files/1/12/190/236/300/4700/gubaidulina_werkverzeichnis.pdf

I have actually myself a project on Apocalypse, but that's not even in the phase of scetches and drafts. But I am sure it will happen :)

Offline goldentone

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Re: Apocalyptic music?
Reply #2 on: November 09, 2010, 07:25:14 AM
Symphony No. 9, Beethoven.  Deep waters.  It's more than a symphony.
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come

Offline djealnla

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Re: Apocalyptic music?
Reply #3 on: November 09, 2010, 06:15:13 PM
Scriabin's Vers la Flamme is another (at least according to Horowitz).

*Checks computer music library*

Penderecki's Threnody

Scriabin's Mysterium (sadly, it is unfinished)

Dies Irae  ;D

Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time is another apocalyptic work.

Any of the famous requiems will do just fine (be it Mozart's, Verdi's or Berlioz's).

Ligeti's 13th Piano Etude is yet another work you might want to look at.

The ending of Wagner's Ring cycle is a "mini apocalypse", if that is enough for you.  ;)

And last but not least, the ending of Sorabji's Opus Clavicembalisticum  ;D (in light of its dedication  :P).

That's all I can think of find on my computer.  :P

Offline richard black

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Re: Apocalyptic music?
Reply #4 on: November 09, 2010, 11:11:53 PM
Franz Schmidt's oratorio, 'Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln' is quite literally apocalytpic.
Instrumentalists are all wannabe singers. Discuss.

Offline kelly_kelly

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Re: Apocalyptic music?
Reply #5 on: November 10, 2010, 05:19:43 PM
Thank you for all the suggestions! What do you guys think of a sort of "history" of Dies Irae and its use in (western classical) music? It can't actually be very "technical" paper, since this isn't for a music class.
It all happens on Discworld, where greed and ignorance influence human behavior... and perfectly ordinary people occasionally act like raving idiots.

A world, in short, totally unlike our own.
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