# Music like Siegfried's Funeral March?



## Westland1940 (Feb 15, 2019)

Hello,

I'm not really a "fan" of classical music, but since I have heard a few Wagner songs like "Siegfried's Funeral March" I get more into it. The same with Les préludes by Franz Liszt.

Does anyone know more music like "Siegfried's Funeral March" and "Les préludes"? They really give an amazing vibe of a dramatic battle of some sort.


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## Littlephrase (Nov 28, 2018)

Gustav Mahler- Trauermarsch First Movement from Symphony 5 




Anton Bruckner- Symphony 8 Fourth Movement





Also just listen to Wagner preludes/overtures.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT (Oct 25, 2010)

From a less famous composer, you might like Rued Langgaard's remarkable 1st Symphony, especially the first and last movements:


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Check out the album George Szell & Cleveland Orchestra - Wagner Without Words. It's like 8 or 9 tracks including Siegfried's Funeral Music, but they're all so good. I burned this CD from my uncle when I was like 13 and it was some of the first classical music I've ever heard. I have some roadblocks to getting further into Wagner's music but all this stuff is amazing.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Westland1940 said:


> Hello,
> 
> I'm not really a "fan" of classical music, but since I have heard a few Wagner songs like "Siegfried's Funeral March" I get more into it. The same with Les préludes by Franz Liszt.
> 
> Does anyone know more music like "Siegfried's Funeral March" and "Les préludes"? They really give an amazing vibe of a dramatic battle of some sort.


I'd try Beethoven's third symphony, it's sometimes called The Eroica.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Westland1940 said:


> Hello,
> 
> I'm not really a "fan" of classical music, but since I have heard a few Wagner songs like "Siegfried's Funeral March" I get more into it. The same with Les préludes by Franz Liszt.
> 
> Does anyone know more music like "Siegfried's Funeral March" and "Les préludes"? They really give an amazing vibe of a dramatic battle of some sort.


I'd try Beethoven's third symphony, it's sometimes called The Eroica. And Wagner's Tanhauser overture.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

no direct reference to 'funeral', but still has certain emotions associated with it.


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## Westland1940 (Feb 15, 2019)

Thank you all so much for the replies. It will take some time before I haven listen to them all.


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## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

Casella's 2nd Symphony is another example that may fit your tastes. Since you mentioned Liszt, then you should try his _Heroide funebre_ and _Hamlet_. Mahler's 2nd Symphony 1st movement is perfectly akin to the Wagner atmosphere too.


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## Tchaikov6 (Mar 30, 2016)

Well I would try the rest of the Ring Cycle, which the funeral March is a part of.


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## rw181383 (Aug 4, 2017)

An interestingly listen is Kullervo's Funeral March, Op. 3, composed by Robert Kajanus. I can't seem to find it on YouTube, but if you have Amazon Prime or iTunes streaming, it's easily found (conducted by Osmo Vänskä). Here's the cd and cover art: Finnish Rhapsody / Kullervo's Funeral March https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00022XE9K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_BT1DCb1W5J7AR


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## Westland1940 (Feb 15, 2019)

Can anyone tell me the name of the music in this video. Sounds like Wagner? It starts around 32:55 minutes.


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## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

Westland1940 said:


> Can anyone tell me the name of the music in this video. Sounds like Wagner? It starts around 32:55 minutes.


Sounds like Wagner because it's Wagner! That fragment belongs to The Ring, especifically to The Valkyrie, methinks (if my ears don't fail).


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Westland1940 said:


> Can anyone tell me the name of the music in this video. Sounds like Wagner? It starts around 32:55 minutes.


It's from the first act of _Gotterdammerung,_ the section known as "Hagen's watch on the Rhine."


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## Westland1940 (Feb 15, 2019)

Instead of creating a new topic for my question, I drop it here if thats ok.

I'm editing a documentary about World War II and I need to find some calm, 'darkish', not dominant and distracting background music. I'm not really into classical music, although I like a few of them such as Wagner, so I don't really know where to look. Who knows some music that matches my "demands"?

An example for what I'm looking for, the music starts around 8:10






Thank you!


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Westland1940 said:


> Instead of creating a new topic for my question, I drop it here if thats ok.
> 
> I'm editing a documentary about World War II and I need to find some calm, 'darkish', not dominant and distracting background music. I'm not really into classical music, although I like a few of them such as Wagner, so I don't really know where to look. Who knows some music that matches my "demands"?


Metamorphosen by Richard Strauss should fill the need.


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## annaw (May 4, 2019)

Littlephrase1913 said:


> Gustav Mahler- Trauermarsch First Movement from Symphony 5
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Also, you can try Bruckner's 7th symphony 3rd Movement. In addition to Wagner's preludes/overtures (and don't forget Rienzi's!), there is Verwandlungsmusik (Transformation music) from Wagner's Parsifal, Siegfrieds Rheinfahrt from Götterdämmerung and Feuerzauber from Die Walküre.


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## Bigbang (Jun 2, 2019)

Bulldog said:


> Metamorphosen by Richard Strauss should fill the need.


I was listening to Herbert Von Karajan version. I would second that as it seems to be what you are looking for--calm, darkish, and not distracting...


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## Westland1940 (Feb 15, 2019)

@Bulldog YES! That is perfect, will definitely use that one, thank you.


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## Fabulin (Jun 10, 2019)




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## Westland1940 (Feb 15, 2019)

Fabulin said:


>


Fantastic music, but I'm not sure if I will use this. It's a bit 'too much'. Funny, I have heard it many times, among other things in the TV series John Adams, but never knew the name of it.


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## Fabulin (Jun 10, 2019)

Westland1940 said:


> Does anyone know more music like "Siegfried's Funeral March" and "Les préludes"? They really give an amazing *vibe of a dramatic battle of some sort*.





Westland1940 said:


> Fantastic music, but I'm not sure if I will use this. *It's a bit 'too much'.*


? ..............


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## Westland1940 (Feb 15, 2019)

Fabulin said:


> ? ..............


Hoo, I asked another question yesterday.

"Instead of creating a new topic for my question, I drop it here if thats ok.

I'm editing a documentary about World War II and I need to find some calm, 'darkish', not dominant and distracting background music. I'm not really into classical music, although I like a few of them such as Wagner, so I don't really know where to look. Who knows some music that matches my "demands"?"

Thanks anyway for your suggestion.


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

Westland1940 said:


> Hoo, I asked another question yesterday.
> 
> "Instead of creating a new topic for my question, I drop it here if thats ok.
> 
> ...


my first thought is of Penderecki. He composed a lot of dark music, though I have no experience with making documentaries and do not know how well it would fit or which piece




check the adagio at 14:01


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

*Erkki Melartin, Traumgesicht, Op 70*





I advise to give it a full listen, as it's such an amazing piece, but the part you are probably looking for starts at about 11:00


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## Reichstag aus LICHT (Oct 25, 2010)

Westland1940 said:


> I'm editing a documentary about World War II and I need to find some calm, 'darkish', not dominant and distracting background music. I'm not really into classical music, although I like a few of them such as Wagner, so I don't really know where to look


You might consider Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night) by Schoenberg:


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

also, some of the Schnittke music is harrowing and could fit to a WW2 docu


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

and something less aggressive, but still dark. Vaughan-Williams symphony 3. I think he composed it as a war symphony to commemorate the destruction of WW1 (if I am not mistaken)


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## Bigbang (Jun 2, 2019)

Bigbang said:


> I was listening to Herbert Von Karajan version. I would second that as it seems to be what you are looking for--calm, darkish, and not distracting...


I think Metamorphosen fits the description. If you are still listening to samples I would give Mahler 5 Adagietto a listen as it would be reasonable to insert depending on the length.


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

Regarding editing your war documentary, start this one at about 54:20. The Hitler 50th birthday celebration is played over the coda-finale of Anton Bruckner's 5th symphony, some of the most triumphant and powerful music the composer penned...


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## Westland1940 (Feb 15, 2019)

Jacck said:


> my first thought is of Penderecki. He composed a lot of dark music, though I have no experience with making documentaries and do not know how well it would fit or which piece
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for your suggestion, it sounds very atmospheric, dark. "*do not know how well it would fit or which piece*" At this stage of editing I can't know for certain if all these suggestions fit my documentary. The first things I do is creating the story with archival footage and photos, combined with the stories of several WWII veterans. Later on I will put several of these songs in the background and then I can tell if it fits or not. Right now I'm favorite or download the songs for later.

If you watch this part of Ken Burn's "The War" docu you will see that the music is just as important as the footage and images.


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

Westland1940 said:


> Thanks for your suggestion, it sounds very atmospheric, dark. "*do not know how well it would fit or which piece*" At this stage of editing I can't know for certain if all these suggestions fit my documentary. The first things I do is creating the story with archival footage and photos, combined with the stories of several WWII veterans. Later on I will put several of these songs in the background and then I can tell if it fits or not. Right now I'm favorite or download the songs for later.


another dark composer is Pettersson





I think it depends on what types of scenes in the movie. Both dark and melancholic might fit a ww2 docu. For more painfully melancholic music, you might check the adagios from the symphonies of Mahler, Bruckner. For example here is a Bruckner adagio (this is not from symphony, but from string quintet), that might also fit well with WW2 images


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## Biwa (Aug 3, 2015)

Purcell's music for the Funeral of Queen Mary doesn't have a large 19th century orchestra, but it's still a powerful piece of music.


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

and another option might be to show images of WW2 carnage and playing something spiritual such as Arvo Part


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Although it's probably more forward than you want, another arrow to have in your quiver as you edit is Mahler's sixth symphony.


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## Westland1940 (Feb 15, 2019)

Thanks all, I have now more than enough of "atmospheric, dark" background music. 

But I can use some of your help once again, please. Instead of darkish background music, I'm looking for some neutral, not distracting background music that I can use basically anyware on my edit project. I don't have really any examples now for what I'm looking for, so I hope you people understand what Im looking for.


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## MaxKellerman (Jun 4, 2017)

Perhaps Wagner's Prelude to Lohengrin? Soft, shimmering, gorgeous --






Or the Siegfried Idyll for something with a lovely chamber music fell --


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## Westland1940 (Feb 15, 2019)

MaxKellerman said:


> Perhaps Wagner's Prelude to Lohengrin? Soft, shimmering, gorgeous --
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks. Especially your second video could be useful for me.

I have also found an example, this video is in Dutch so you probably won't understand it, but this docu has almost 44 minutes long, non stop, classical background music (a bit too much in my opinion)


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## Westland1940 (Feb 15, 2019)

If anyone has more suggestions, please let me know. I tried to search myself on Youtube with terms like "classical calm music", but I'm not getting any good results.

Maybe something like this, pretty calm, but NOT only with a violin.


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

hard to know what you are looking for
The Lark Ascending





Mendelssohn: Calm Sea & Prosperous Voyage





Antonín Dvořák - Serenade for strings in E major


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## MaxKellerman (Jun 4, 2017)

Perhaps some Waltz music by Johann Strauss II?






Mozart has a lot of lovely divertimenti and seranade music.











Otherwise there should be quite a lot of chamber music that fits your needs?


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## Westland1940 (Feb 15, 2019)

Thanks guys, I really appreciate your seaching help. I'm really not into classical music, although I like some, so it's pretty hard to search if you don't know what your looking for, haha. Obvious not any of your fault but I still haven't found really what Im looking for.

Maybe a few examples, hear the music at 10:25,16:07, 20:08


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

Westland1940 said:


> Thanks guys, I really appreciate your seaching help. I'm really not into classical music, although I like some, so it's pretty hard to search if you don't know what your looking for, haha. Obvious not any of your fault but I still haven't found really what Im looking for.
> 
> Maybe a few examples, hear the music at 10:25,16:07, 20:08


Feldman can sound similar to the moments from the video


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## MaxKellerman (Jun 4, 2017)

Hmmm. Difficult to say. Arvo Pärt might fit the bill. Try some of his music.


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## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

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## Westland1940 (Feb 15, 2019)

MaxKellerman said:


> Hmmm. Difficult to say. Arvo Pärt might fit the bill. Try some of his music.


Those are fantastic, no way that I could have find those with my knowledge. Thank you. And many thanks to everyone else, definitely some that I could use in my project!


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## Westland1940 (Feb 15, 2019)

I need some help once more, if thats ok. I got a pretty nice collection of music I want to use for my project, but I could use some more for specific scenes.

Something like the music which starts at 42:52





47:58





Several war documentaries use music like that but I never could find any source names, and I barely know classical artist names besides Beethoven and Wagner

Any advice please!:tiphat:


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## Westland1940 (Feb 15, 2019)

Please, any names for the the right direction are also welcome, I really dont know where to look for.


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## Wilhelm Theophilus (Aug 8, 2020)

hammeredklavier said:


> no direct reference to 'funeral', but still has certain emotions associated with it.


I don't think hes asking for music related to funerals.


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## Aries (Nov 29, 2012)

The music in these documentaries seems to be rather new. I would not be surprised if it is not older than 30 years.

On the other hand it reminds me a bit of the style of some composers during the second world war:

Bernard Herrmann: For the fallen:





Samuel Barber: Symphony No. 2:





But the style how plucked string instrument and choir is used seems to be newer and reminds me more of the style of Jeremy Soule.


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## Westland1940 (Feb 15, 2019)

Aries said:


> The music in these documentaries seems to be rather new. I would not be surprised if it is not older than 30 years.
> 
> On the other hand it reminds me a bit of the style of some composers during the second world war:
> 
> ...


YES! Thanks for sharing these two great suggestions. Really war-ish and dramatic at some moments. 

I know Jeremy Soule from videogames, including Skyrim. I found some other soundtracks I could use from movies, including this one, from Max Richter.


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