# In need of "Hollow" Funeral Type Music



## FutureBean (Sep 27, 2012)

I am looking for a piece of music that has a hollow funeral sound. We are already using something from Mozart's Requiem and would like to explore some other options. 

Think something that would be played at a funeral. Something with a very somber feel, slow and minor. 

I would like choral but any ideas would be welcome. This is for a ballet piece that takes place in the 'wastelands' between life and death. 

I appreciate any and all suggestions you may have.
Thanks.


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

Couple of obvious ones:


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## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

Mozart Massonic Funeral Music



Bach Come, Sweet Death 



Purcell, Funeral Music for Queen Mary



Grieg, Ase's Death 



Rachmaninov, Isle of the Dead 



Shostakovich Symphony 14


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## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

Hymn, Evening Shade


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## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

Sibelius, Swan of Tuonela


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## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

Tchaikowsky, Symphony #6 Especially the 4th movement.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Mozart's 'Ave verum corpus' (William Byrd also did a wonderful setting of this)
Palestrina's 'Sicut Cervus'
Thomas Tallis has many, eg. 'O Sacrum Convivium'

All of these are used in funerals, still. There is a piece by Arvo Part that I know is very popular at funeral services, but sorry I've forgotten what it is. But I'll get back to you if I remember/find it.

Traditional Gregorian chant (male voices only) 'Missa Pro Defunctis' is another option, maybe.

I don't know if these are in major or minor keys, but give them a go.


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## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

Berlioz, Symphonie Funebre et 



Triomphale


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## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

Holst, The Planets, Saturn 



Holst, The Planets, Neptune


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## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

Ralph Vaughn Williams, Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis


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## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

Gorecki, Symphony #3 Especially mvt 1


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## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

Shostakovich Symphony #5 mvmt 3


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## Ramako (Apr 28, 2012)

Handel Israel in Egypt - darkness

You have plenty above.


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## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

you seem to have touched a nerve here.


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## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

Grieg, The Last Spring


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## gridweb (Jun 19, 2011)

I would suggest: Ravel - Pavane pour une infante défunte (orchestral version).


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## Dimboukas (Oct 12, 2011)

The best.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

*Ligeti's* Requiem. Not really "hollow" but still it is amazing music. Definitely worth a look into.


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## FutureBean (Sep 27, 2012)

I love them all. Thank you everyone for your fantastic suggestions. Some of these I may store and use for some different projects. Thank you again. I will still check back if anyone has any other ideas. Also to let you know which one we end up using. It will be going between "Fraturnity Suite" from the Wanted soundtrack and possibly "My December" by Linkin Park (although that song is still up for discussion).

Thanks again.
-Jen


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## SuperTonic (Jun 3, 2010)

When I saw the word "hollow" the first thing I thought of was the last movement of Vaughan Williams 6th Symphony. It is a very dark work and I don't think the dynamic level ever gets any higher than mezzo-piano.
The symphony was written in the aftermath of WW2. Vaughan Williams disavowed any programatic element to the work, but it is hard not to hear it has a reaction to the horrors of war in general and the use of nuclear weapons in particular.


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## LordBlackudder (Nov 13, 2010)




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