This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
As per the thread title. I've been tasked with choosing some piano music for a funeral next week, something "classical", not challenging, about 10 minutes or so. A recording, not a piece for someone to play. They weren't a big music fan, so there isn't a favourite piece that I can use.
Please let me have your recommendations.
In reply to Hooo:
George Winston's recording of Pachelbel's Canon is beautiful and could fit the bill very well.
3
In reply to Hooo:
Keith Jarrett Cologne Concert.
2
In reply to Hooo:
Flight of bumblebee song.
1
In reply to Hooo:
For my Dad's funeral, more than a quarter of a century ago, I asked for the first movement of Schubert's sonata D894, played by Radu Lupu. That's because we both loved it (I still do) and we had been to see Lupu play. It was one of the last things we did together.
You might think it a bit doom laden in tone. I don't, I think it is sombre, serious and magnificent, but that's by the by. I think the same of Chopin's Nocturnes. They are lovely and would fit a funeral well.
It's hard to make suggestions since we don't know who will be there, but for something lighter you can't go wrong with Schubert's Impromptus or Moments Musicaux, or Mozart's Sonata No. 11, Theme and Variations.
4
In reply to Hooo:
A friend of mine wants Clair de Lune at hers.
2
In reply to Hooo:
Depends on the mood. Vladimir's Blues by Max Richter could be a good fit.
But then I had Souza's Philadelphia March played at my Grandfather's funeral.
1
In reply to Hooo:
Some not too heavy suggestions for popular classics
Liszt: youtube.com/watch?v=KpOtuoHL45Y&
Or Mozart's famous andante youtube.com/watch?v=df-eLzao63I&
Janacek; youtube.com/watch?v=_lFekGwREs4&
Schubert: youtube.com/watch?v=L4B1IJmjsyo&
Something contemporary: youtube.com/watch?v=CFAuTqIzJzI&
Does it have to be piano?
Rodriguez Guitar concerto: youtube.com/watch?v=x4QrJc3VQDo&
Dvorak Serenade for strings: youtube.com/watch?v=CRcbDMg56yg&
You could also go pseudo-classical new agey things like:
Secret Garden; youtube.com/watch?v=OFZhhw3QuuA&
Dave
5
In reply to Hooo:
Not piano, but a hammered dulcimer. Northern Lights / Carolan's Ramble To Cashel.
youtube.com/watch?v=GFUrT0ildug&
It's a piece of music that always fills me with emotion, especially if I'm listening to it in a remote, high mountain situation. It could well my choice for that final send-off.
Have a listen, even if you don't find it suitable, you'll enjoy it !
PS
The hammered dulcimer was used to great effect by Rachel Portman for the end-titles of 'Still Life'
1
In reply to Hooo:
It's much shorter than what you asked for, but this is something like what I'd want: the Allemande from J. S. Bach's French Suite No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 813
Neither happy nor sad, certainly not energetic, just reflective and outside time itself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYca9zEdldc&list=PLfdMKJMGPPtx7cHJDsW8y...
In reply to Hooo:
youtube.com/watch?v=ZR2JlDnT2l8&
The Lark Ascending - Vaughn Williams
This isn’t on the keys but it’s a beautiful piece of music, it’s the English countryside bottled in to song format.
1
In reply to Hooo:
Einaudi - le onde
5
In reply to Hooo:
I think fur Elise is lovely
In reply to Hooo:
One of the slow movements from Mozart' piano concertos: eg no 20 D minor, no 11 my favorite, the A major no 23, and of course the rightly ever favorite C major. If you want piano solo Liszt Etude in D flat ( un sospiro) might be suitable.
In reply to Hooo:
In all seriousness, have you heard 'lick my love pump' by spinal tap? I've always wondered if it was a genuine piece of music or just a nice bit of music with an awful title...
1
In reply to ThunderCat:
> In all seriousness, have you heard 'lick my love pump' by spinal tap? I've always wondered if it was a genuine piece of music or just a nice bit of music with an awful title...
It's in D minor. "The saddest of all keys."
3
In reply to All:
Thanks for all the suggestions. Most of them I don't know, so I'll get listening.
In reply to ThunderCat:
I know it well. I'm almost tempted, but for the trouble I'd be in if one of the family asked what the music was called.
Maybe put it on the list for my funeral...
1
3
In reply to Hooo:
Third movement of Chopin's Piano Sonata No 2?
In reply to Hooo:
Something neutral, neither sad nor upbeat , might be found in Philip Glass
eg Dance 8, or Metamorphosis. 5 and 7 minutes long respectively. And Annie’s Athens from Candyman 2 is a tiny bit funereal in tone ( a bit short though and has some choir as well)
1
In reply to Hooo:
Myra Hess arrangement of Bach - Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring youtube.com/watch?v=vGsPdEm3FfI&
Bach/Marcello adagio youtube.com/watch?v=moI0_rZ_a7o&
Chopin Nocturne in Db major op27 no2 youtube.com/watch?v=nPErSyk5iHs&
In reply to Blue Straggler:
> Something neutral, neither sad nor upbeat , might be found in Philip Glass
> eg Dance 8, or Metamorphosis. 5 and 7 minutes long respectively. And Annie’s Athens from Candyman 2 is a tiny bit funereal in tone ( a bit short though and has some choir as well)
Annie's Theme. Autocorrect has been going crazy these past 8 months!
In reply to Hooo:
Adagio Cantabile. Beethoven Pathetique 2nd Movement
1
In reply to birdie num num:
Apart from being an obviously very good choice, it's very long for the purpose (5 1/2 minutes plus, depending on the pianist) so would probably involve a rather unsatisfactory fade-out at some point. I would have thought that the utterly simple, even more profound, beautiful and moving melody at the end of the last movement of his Op.109 sonata (actually the return of the opening melody) - only 1:20 long - would be absolutely perfect. In this recording of the last few minutes of the sonata, played by Brendel, the melody comes in at 3:10. youtube.com/watch?v=-1nO6JIDRYY&
Or, if one wants it a bit longer it might be even more effective and moving to start at 0:56.
Post edited at 01:08
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
> Apart from being an obviously very good choice, it's very long for the purpose (5 1/2 minutes plus
Do you know something about “the purpose” that the OP does not know, given that the OP writes
”As per the thread title. I've been tasked with choosing some piano music for a funeral next week, something "classical", not challenging, about 10 minutes or so” ?
In reply to Blue Straggler:
The purpose of music at a funeral is that it should be fit for a funeral. It must obviously be respectful of the vast majority of those present who will be grieving to different degrees, some to a huge extent. It will ideally be something rather calm and beautiful and undemonstrative that enables people to remember the person who has died with affection and deep respect. The question of taste looms very large. It's all about respect for the dead and the closest relatives. Nothing else really. I'm just saying the extremely obvious.
Post edited at 02:11
3
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
Sounds like someone's thrown a couple of cats inside a piano
1
In reply to Hooo:
Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.2
OR another vote for Clair De Lune
Failing that some Chas and Dave
In reply to krikoman:
Which part of the Rachmaninov Piano concerto no 2 were you thinking of? The whole thing lasts about 40 minutes. The slow movement lasts for nearly 1/4 hour.
In reply to Blue Straggler:
Looking at what I said again last night at 00:58, and see that my main point was about length. There is a real problem with shortage of time at a funeral. Unless you book a double-length time slot, a typical crematorium allows 40 mins per funeral, with just a five minute gap between each. They absolutely HAVE to keep to their schedule.
So, building in a contingency factor (things have a way of overrunning), one has to aim for not much more than about 35mins overall. The service material, usually conducted by a rector, is likely to take c.15 mins, and then there will be typically at least two addresses, and probably further readings. And then all the bits of music (typically about 4 to 6). 5 minutes of a single piece of music is most likely to be too long (or something else will have to be cut) and will almost certainly feel far too long.
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
> Which part of the Rachmaninov Piano concerto no 2 were you thinking of? The whole thing lasts about 40 minutes. The slow movement lasts for nearly 1/4 hour.
The good bit I suppose you could play anything longer and simply fade it out, when you've had enough.
In reply to krikoman:
'The good bit'? ! It's all bloody good, all the way through. In fact, one of the most perfect and deservedly popular piano concertos in the entire repertoire.
1
In reply to Hooo:
I like this as a piece of funeral music. Sad enough to be appropriate but with a glimmer of 'it's gonna be ok with time'.
Ravel - Mother Goose (The Fairy Garden)
1
In reply to Hooo:
You dont give any info on age or who might be attending. Here area some piano bits and bobs. I'd go with the person above, that it might be better to have a couple of short pieces, rather than a 10 min opus.
youtube.com/watch?v=FZtBwlxL0Aw&
youtube.com/watch?v=w6eDcEVtIK8&
In reply to Hooo:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nlquBS8hBweY5LVfuwb3WOcnwEAt1...
youtube.com/watch?v=Ew7ENggnCpI&
This may well be seen as a plug, but it might be suitable.
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
I had already speculated that the OP was not referring to the actual service. Quite a piece of speculation, granted, but I based that speculation on the 10 minute duration requested. Maybe we are all getting too fixated on that aspect.
In reply to Hooo:
Try Rachmaninov prelude op 23 no 4, not so well known and very beautiful, if anything actually might be a bit too slow and emotional. Liszt Consolation No. 3 is a good one, youtube.com/watch?v=MfDmUk7ie6s&, 4 and a half minutes, that and some shorter Chopin or Rachmaninov pieces might do it.
In reply to Hooo:
Second piano concerto part2 shostakovitch
In reply to full stottie:
In the end they've gone for Chopin's Nocturne no. 20 in C# minor.
Thanks for all the suggestions, it was playing these on YouTube that got me the Chopin suggestion.
1
In reply to Hooo:
Thanks for the update. Lots of good suggestions made here. UKC forum at its best.
Dave
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...