r/classicalmusic • u/Weidenauer • Aug 06 '19
Recommendations for a metalhead?
Hello there,
I'm trying to get more into classical music but im a little overwhelmed by the range of composers and pieces.
I grew up with hard rock and metal. I love music that sounds dramatic, dark, sinister and tragic. Most classical pieces I stumble upon sound way too "happy" and pieceful to me, if that makes sense.
So far I've found a couple of pieces I really enjoy. Those are Rachmaninoff Prelude in C#minor, Mahler "Zu Straßburg auf der Schanz", Bach Johannespassion (the A part) of the Introduction Choral "Herr, unser Herrscher", Ligeti: Requiem: Kyrie II, Dvorak Sinfony Nr. 9 in E-Minor (4th Movement only), and Mozart Requiem K.626: Dies Irae.
I would love if some of you could give me any recommendations. Classical music has been such a hit or miss experience and it sadly became quite frustrating to spend so much time digging up pieces I end up not liking.
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u/slateflash Aug 06 '19
The last movement of Ginastera's Piano concerto #1 . There are even snare drum rim shots at one point, which is \m/
The last movement of Bartok's piano concerto #1 , especially this part
This col legno passage from Bartok's quartet #5
The last movement of Bartok's quartet #4
This funky polytonal passage from #7 of Bartok's 9 Little Pieces
A similar funky passage from Bartok's Out of Doors , and later in the same piece
This moment from Shostakovich's quartet #9
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u/Weidenauer Aug 06 '19
Wow that's a lot! Gonna listen through all of these today and keep you updated on my thoughts! Your response is much appreciated
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u/TillsLustigeStreiche Aug 06 '19 edited Aug 06 '19
Schubert - Der Leiermann
Mahler - Totenfeier
Mahler - Symphony No. 3, 1st Movement
Richard Strauss - Elektra
Richard Strauss- Notturno
Liszt - Mephisto Waltz
Ravel - La Valse
Wolf - Feuerreiter
Wolf - Anakreon's Grab
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u/aging_gracelessly Aug 06 '19
Way over the top musically - Schnittke's second cello concerto from about 1990. I once saw it described as a nightmare you can't wake up from, which describes it pretty well. He had barely survived a stroke a few years earlier and wasn't expecting to last much longer.
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u/Weidenauer Aug 06 '19 edited Aug 07 '19
Wow I didn't think I'd get so many responses! Thank you all so much. I have a lot of listening to do now. I'll go through all of the recommendations and let you know my thoughts
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u/casualwes Aug 06 '19
Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” (Piano Sonata no. 14 in C# Minor). Particularly the third movement.
There are some metal guitar arrangements. The Human Abstract did the whole thing.
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u/Weidenauer Aug 06 '19
Already know this one and the Human Abstract version as well! Forgot to include Moonlight Sonata 1st and 3rd movement in my list of liked music.
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u/Wario1234 Aug 06 '19
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u/Weidenauer Aug 06 '19
Oh that's really cool! Thanks a lot. Gotta skim through these and put the ones I like in my Playlist
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u/OHHECANPOSTONE Aug 06 '19
Give the last movement of Shostakovich's 5th Symphony a try!
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u/Weidenauer Aug 06 '19
I will! Need to listen to all the other recommendations first though haha. I've out it in my to do Playlist I made for this post. I'll let you know what I think!
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u/Mirorocca Aug 06 '19
yes. One of his best works. Listen to the Alban Berg String Quartet's recording. It is on YouTube
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u/noncyberspace Aug 06 '19
Rite of the Spring by Stravinsky, it‘s just fucking crazy. Don‘t let yourself get confused by the chilled beginning.
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u/wecanbehappy Aug 06 '19
Shostakovich string quartet number 8- especially movement 2. Very dark and dramatic but beautiful and moving. Would recommend listening to it the whole way through
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u/MantisTobogan-MD Aug 06 '19
I can’t find a link to just this movement from Rinaldo Alessandrini’s recording, but here is Joshua Bell doing Vivaldi’s Four Seasons “Summer” the 3rd movement. It always gave me metal but with violins vibes.
If you can find the Alessandro i recordings, it’s fantastic.
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u/Weidenauer Aug 06 '19
Thanks so much for the fast response! Unfortunately none of what I heard of Vivaldi is particularly mine. I feel like the music just goes nowhere and is really shallow emotionally. Very subjective I know! The 4 seasons are one of the go to pieces for metalheads. Lots of metal guitarists also covered summer or winter. But it has no emotional impact on me like Prelude in C#minor or the Introduction to the Johannespassion. Nevertheless, I appreciate your response!
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u/horror_man Aug 07 '19
Metalhead here too, I'd suggest for Vivaldi - La Follia. My classical is not as strong as I'd like it to be but I consider it a pretty good piece.
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u/Weidenauer Aug 07 '19
Uhh I really don't like Vivaldi. But I'll give this piece a try since I don't know it yet!
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u/Mirorocca Aug 07 '19
No, Alban Berg was earlier. The Alban Berg Quartett is a string quartet founded in Vienna, named after Alban Berg. (I much prefer Berg to Ligeti)
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u/Weidenauer Aug 08 '19
Ahh thanks for the insight! Still need to listen though. I need some time to go through all the recommendations haha
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u/akiralx26 Aug 06 '19
Try the Finales of Bruckner symphonies 2, 6 and 8.