# I'd like recommendations for dramatic, dark choral music



## Free Man

Hi there. I've recently become obsessed with the few tracks of this stuff I have, and I'd love to hear more in the same vein as the following:

"O Fortuna"
"Duel of the Fates" (Star Wars: Episode I)
"Arthur's Farewell" (First Knight)

Any recommendations would be much appreciated by this newcomer!


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## Keemun

Free Man said:


> Hi there. I've recently become obsessed with the few tracks of this stuff I have, and I'd love to hear more in the same vein as the following:
> 
> "O Fortuna"
> "Duel of the Fates" (Star Wars: Episode I)
> "Arthur's Farewell" (First Knight)
> 
> Any recommendations would be much appreciated by this newcomer!


Here are some choral works you might like:

Bach - Mass in B Minor
Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem (German Requiem)
Mozart - Requiem


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## Edward Elgar

Have you heard Verdi's Requiem? The Dies-Irae and Tuba Mirum are both powerful and almost scary!


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## Rondo

First of all, if you're interested in the Star Wars music, check out _The Planets_ Suite by Holst. Williams borrowed a lot from that when he composed that particular score, and you can tell (i.e. Mars => Duel of the Fates).

If you're interested in film music (as you may have indicated), check out:

* "Descent into Mystery" from the original Batman (1989) score-- Danny Elfman

* The Lord of the Rings soundtrack (any of them, particularly the first)-- Howard Shore

* "Transylvania 1887" and "Journey to Transylvania" from the Van Helsing soundtrack-- Alan Silvestri

* Sleepy Hollow soundtrack-- Danny Elfman

As far as more traditional classical, try out Bruckner's _Te Deum_ (not what I would really call "scary," but may be close to what you're looking for), and the choral version of "In the Hall of the Mountain King," from Grieg's _Peer Gynt._. Anyhow, that should keep you busy for a while.

Also, keep in mind that the dark, creepy music isn't all that's out there. Explore.


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## Oneiros

Dark choral music? Try Pärt or Górecki, or your fellow countryman Sir Tavener.


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## Manuel

Run a google search for "The trout quintet"


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## Free Man

Thanks for these, and thanks in advance for any others you recommend me. I'll check these out, and let you know what I think!


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## Rondo

Oh yeah...

This also just came to mind. If you like _O Fortuna_, you may want to check into a piece called _The Ring_, by...Wagner (I believe, someone please correct me if I'm wrong). It's not a choral piece, but is definitely something to check out if you're looking for some "dark" music. Just as a hint, it was played as one of the main themes (along with O Fortuna) on the film Excalibur, if you've seen it.

And also, perhaps Liszt's _Faust Symphony_.


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## Lute Lover

This vocal work is gorgeous... Moving and Powerful too.

http://www.dorian.com/store/scripts/prodList.asp

Victoria: tenebrae Responsories (DOR-93256)


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## Lute Lover

Sorry , forgot to say that it is by the Ensemble Corund!


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## Matthew

My suggestion is Eric Whitacre's Water Night. Nuff' said


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## World Violist

Sibelius' _Kullervo_.


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## Rachovsky

Go to:





These 3 passages are particularly loud and dramatic:
Tuba Mirum
Rex Tremendae
Lacrymosa

I encourage you to listen to all of it


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## viennashade

*Did you find any more you liked?*

I don't know if it's "dark," but Craig Armstrong's O Verona from Romeo + Juliet reminds me of O Fortuna.

If you're still watching this thread, let us know what you found!


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## Dedrater

Some of Gesualdo's motets are rather dark. Even though I've only heard a handful, I already like them more than the madrigals. Anyone know of anything else in the vein of the "Tribulationem et dolorem"?

Monteverdi's vocal works might also make for good listening if you want something full, rich, and emotive.


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## Guest

Try Janacek's "Glagolitic Mass"


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## bassClef

You could try some exerpts from Richard Strauss's Salome or Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of Mtensk - pretty dark stuff. Or Prokofiev's cantata Seven They are Seven - good luck getting hold of that.


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## Guest

Another one would be Prokofiev's cantata "Alexander Nevsky"


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## Luke34

I assume you know that "O Fortuna" is part of a larger work, _Carmina Burana_? If not, well, I assume someone's mentioned it. If not, then, it is!

Suggestions that haven't been taken already: Penderecki's _St. Luke Passion_ and _Polish Requiem_, parts of Berlioz's _Requiem_ (AKA _Grande messe de morts_), the "Dies Irae" from Britten's _War Requiem_, and even (forgive me, arbiters of taste!) Andrew Lloyd Webber's _Requiem_.


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## Marco01

I posted this is another thread not long ago. Perhaps not dark, but certainly 'eerie' in parts, especially the crescendo towards the end:

*Daphnis et Chloé: Partie I (X: Derriere la scene, on entend des voix)*


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## Sorin Eushayson

I do believe a late Romantic or early Modernist composer has a massive "Gothic Symphony" which I heard described as "the pit of darkness" at one point. If I'm not mistaken it is for a massive amount of instruments and is therefore rarely performed... Might be right down your alley. I'm sure the fine folks here will know who I'm talking about!

Personally, I like the older composers. Mozart's Requiem has some suitably dark moments.

*EDIT*
Found the name of the piece and the composer:

Havergal Brian
Symphony No. 1 in D Minor
"The Gothic"


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## Lukecash12

Monteverdi - Arianna - Lasciatemi morire - Kathleen Ferrier






Monteverdi was definitely amazing.


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## emiellucifuge

Dvoraks Stabat mater, very dark and dramatic..!


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## danae

Schnittke - Concerto for choir


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## Tapkaara

Try any of the Haydn String Quartets.


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## emiellucifuge

Sorry, didnt know Haydns String Quartets used a choir Tapkaara?!


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## Tapkaara

emiellucifuge said:


> Sorry, didnt know Haydns String Quartets used a choir Tapkaara?!


Of course they use a choir...otherwise they wouldn't be string quartets!!


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## emiellucifuge

Sorry my mistake


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## destrucreate

Marco D'Ambrosio





Scelsi has a lot of dark work.


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## daviddwillson

Lute Lover said:


> Sorry , forgot to say that it is by the Ensemble Corund!


My suggestion is Eric Whitacre's Water Night. Nuff' said
__________________
watch movies online


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## tahnak

*Dark and Dramatic Choral Music*

Berlioz's Requiem
Mozart's Requiem
Verdi's Requiem
Ligeti's Lux Aeterna


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## rafaela

One winged Angel, Dark and choral

This one too


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## Aquinas

I especially recommend the first movement of Mondonville's motet _Dominus Regnavit_. It is a setting of the first verse of Psalm 93 (92 Latin). The entire piece is very beautiful, but the first movement fits your wish for an ominous mood.


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## TxllxT

The darkest stuff I know is Shostakovich's 13th Symphony, full of ringing death bells and deep deep basses. Grieg's Sigurd Jorsalfar and the male choirs in Wagner's Götterdämmerung have a war mood that brings forward the worst in mankind (very much to get a kick from, though).


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## LordBlackudder




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## Comus

Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms.


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## the_emptier

Penderecki's st john passion and a polish requiem...weird stuff


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## LordBlackudder

I was going through my music collection and found this monster:






the perfect windows start-up sound. ideal for libraries and conferences.


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## Syberius

Choral ending - Craig Armstrong
Escape - Craig Armstrong 

----this is a bit differnet but i guess you could deem it Sci Fi Choral---
Hallelujah usa - Booker Shade


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## poedan

Try Graham Plowman:


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## charles curran

*Dark Choral music*

Bach
St Johns Passion opening chorus
Herr, unser Herrscher, dessen Ruhm in allen Landen herrlich ist!

Cantata BWV 131 "Aus der Tiefe"
(so far I like the Harnoncourt/Leonhardt best)

Love this thread


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## charles curran

you said Choral music
orchestra is ok..
but if "dark" includes "menacing" 
then the OPENING Prelude to Walkurie 
with Barenboim
(not the super famous Rid of the W)

nobody has mentioned Wolfies Requiem the Kyrie can be almost
terrifying...


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## charles curran

appropos Bach
St John Passion first part
that churning (almost minimalist) theme reminds me of
Wagners Ring Rhine Prelude
(parts of Petrouschka)
Ligeti


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## Bettina

Walton--Belshazzar's Feast.


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## LesCyclopes

Kyrie Eleison chorus from Bach's B Minor Mass


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## LesCyclopes

Herr, unser Herrscher from Bach's St John's Passion


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## Joe B

the_emptier said:


> Penderecki's st john passion and a polish requiem...weird stuff


I agree, and I'd also have to add Penderecki's "St Luke Passion." The first time I heard it I was utterly on edge.


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