# Heaviest riffs in classical music?



## FPwtc (Dec 3, 2014)

I have been listening to The Rite of Spring, Turangalîla-Symphonie and some Bartok and was struck by how many great heavy riffs there were and the influence on Prog Rock such as King Crimson and heavy metal like Black Sabbath.

Can you recommend me some classical pieces that feature massive riffs that may appeal to a rock fan? Do a top 5 if you like!


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

I know a lot of heavy metal fans that love Mahler and Bruckner...


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

As it happens, I'm currently listening to Lutoslawski's Concerto for Orchestra. I think you'd rather enjoy it


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## tortkis (Jul 13, 2013)

Michael Nyman (almost any of his works, for example A Zed And Two Noughts)
John Adams: Lollapalooza
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 & 7
Ravel: Bolero


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

Bruckner 9 Scherzo offers very heavy rhythmic "riffing".


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## FPwtc (Dec 3, 2014)

Good suggestions!


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## FPwtc (Dec 3, 2014)

techniquest said:


> As it happens, I'm currently listening to Lutoslawski's Concerto for Orchestra. I think you'd rather enjoy it


Yeah this is pretty cool stuff! Thanks for the recomendation


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## Dim7 (Apr 24, 2009)

Alexander Mosolov - The Iron Foundry


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

Tchaikovsky's _1812 Overture_, of course.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Berlioz' - Grande symphonie funèbre et triomphale. Especially when the cymbals kick in.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I've posted this one before, I think. While not exactly riffy, *Howard Hanson's Lament for Beowulf* does have power chords in the opening.


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## HaydnBearstheClock (Jul 6, 2013)

F. J. Haydn - The Seasons - Overture (starts off with a thick 'power chord'); Seven Last Words - Introduzione'; Symphony No. 26 in D minor - 1st & 3rd movements; Symphony No. 98 in B-Flat Major - Introduction; Symphony No. 52 in C minor - beginning of the first movement

Beethoven - Symphony No. 2 - first movement; Symphony No. 5 - first movement; Symphony No. 3 - final movement - there's a pretty heavy 'riff' in there. 

W. A. Mozart - Symphony No. 25 in G minor - 1st, 3rd and 4th movements; Symphony No. 40 in G minor; Requiem in D minor - especially the 'Dies Irae'

Brahms - Symphony No. 1 - first movement; Symphony No. 4 - 1st and 4th movements

Dvorak - Symphony No. 5, 4th movement.

Michael Haydn - Requiem in C minor, beginning; Symphony No. 29 in D minor - 1st & 3rd movements


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

Cesar Franck loved a riff.


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## Guest (Jul 6, 2015)

Wagner, Walküre, first act, prelude


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## Torkelburger (Jan 14, 2014)

Mars from Holst's The Planets
Bartok's 3rd and 4th string quartets (especially the Allegro molto from the 4th)
March of the Dwarves from Grieg's Lyric Suite


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## KirbyH (Jun 30, 2015)

Enesco's Romanian Rhapsody No.1 in A major has some very nice heavy bass parts.

Also try Shostakovich 11 and Wagner's Entrance of The Gods Into Valhalla from Das Rheingold.


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## Cosmos (Jun 28, 2013)

I'll recommend some of Prokofiev's concertos:

Piano Concerto no. 2: Hardcore. 1st movement has an epic cadenza, 2nd and 4th have intense shredding moments, and 3rd is heart racing
Piano Concerto no. 3: Just as intense, 2nd movement is VERY riff heavy being a set of variations
Symphony Concerto: for cello and orchestra...just listen to it you won't regret


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## FPwtc (Dec 3, 2014)

Cosmos said:


> I'll recommend some of Prokofiev's concertos:
> 
> Piano Concerto no. 2: Hardcore. 1st movement has an epic cadenza, 2nd and 4th have intense shredding moments, and 3rd is heart racing
> Piano Concerto no. 3: Just as intense, 2nd movement is VERY riff heavy being a set of variations
> Symphony Concerto: for cello and orchestra...just listen to it you won't regret


I am going to download these immediately after your vivid descriptions!


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## Dr Johnson (Jun 26, 2015)

The first movement of Janáček's Sinfonietta (as used by ELP for Knife Edge on their first album, the first track of which was a re-working of Bartok's Allegro Barbaro)


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

The last four minutes of Varèse's _Amériques_ is about as heavy as it gets for me (from 21:57):


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