The Dies Irae Thread

[KK 3,313]

Agreed. Its really impressive how Rachmaninoff slowly reveals and hints at the Dies Irae theme throughout the entire piece, and then only at the very end does he allow the whole motif to play out in a full statement. I always loved how he did that!

[indy4 160]

Anybody have a recommendation for the best recording of the Metropolis Symphony?

[KK 3,313]

Its been a long time since I last listened to John Debney's End of Days so I forgot that almost all of the score is based on the Dies Irae motif. The main theme is made up of the first four notes of the motif (even at the menacing choral chanting part).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QESBWBd2i6M

And that consistently shows up in the score, including its more positive renditions in the Redemption cue. Another case where the motif is used appropriately in context.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,387]

IT'S EVERYWHERE!

[crocodile 9,724]

Well, obviously, some of these examples are a bit of a stretch. But the fact is Dies Irae rears its ugly head quite often.

Karol

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,387]

Did Angela Morley compose the Dies Irae?

[crocodile 9,724]

The original version, yes. Then the Gregorians stole it from her somewhere around 14th Century.

Karol

[KK 3,313]

Composed it? Who do you think was behind every Dies Irae appearance in music? You think JW put Dies Irae in his scores?! Morley is the mastermind behind the inception and the continuing existence of Dies Irae!

[indy4 160]

Speaking of John Debney, he uses Dies Irae very subtly in the score to Bruce Almighty. In "The Seventh at Seven." I wish I knew what exactly is happening at that point in the film so I could confirm that it's an intentional usage.

[Maglorfin 219]

It is also all over Friday the 13th Part VI soundtrack, e.g.

at 0:51.

[Marcus 395]

There is a tendency to label mere instances of a minor mode 'cambiata' (a certain melodic shape; half step down, back to starting point, descend a third, or a reversal of this procedure) as overt "Dies Irae" references; many of the cited Williams examples are cases in point.

A Williams example that is very deliberate, albeit a deconstruction of the Dies Irae motif, is in fact "Battle of the Heroes". And very fittingly, as it does indeed depict a "day of wrath".

[indy4 160]

Marcus, I've heard this said before and I've never understood it. I hear how the general shape of line is similar to Dies Irae, but could you explain how it is a specific reference?

[Maglorfin 219]

Anybody have a recommendation for the best recording of the Metropolis Symphony?

Oh, it's here too - I just answered this same question in the Quick Question Thread. But now I also see you've already bought the same version I have (Nashville Symphony), so I hope you'll be as happy with it as I am.

[indy4 160]

Great, thanks! I must have somehow missed your response in the Quick Questions thread.

[Eric_JWFAN 13]

1:23 into this video. Dies Irae, Cab Calloway style.

[indy4 160]

I don't think that's Dies Irae...same structure but the intervals aren't even close to Dies Irae

[MattTheMusician 0]

Michael Giacchino directly quotes the Dies Irae in Lost... in one of Kate's flashbacks during season 1, episode 22, "Born to Run". A lot of the music is very similar to the Dies Irae, but when Tom and Kate are underneath the tree, its a direct quote, if I remember correctly. Well, I knew who was going to be dead by the end of the episode... :-)

[Admiral Holdo 16]

Kate's theme is built out of the Dies Irae, with Bernard Herrmann stylings.

[KK 3,313]

I remember seeing my cousins watching a Smurfs Christmas special, and it featured a lot of the Dies Irae theme.

[indy4 160]

I heard Dies Irae was in "Saturn" from Holst's The Planets...is that true? I don't hear it, although I hear some similar phrases.

[publicist 4,650]

https://www.youtube....WkPaXBSl-U3qsv7

Jerry Goldsmith - GREMLINS 2, one of the more inspired uses.

[Jay 46,244]

Gotta use http, not https if you want it to embed

[crocodile 9,724]

Hard to miss this reference at 3:15, eh? Probably one of the most extreme examples next to Liszt's Totentanz.

I know it has been mentioned before, but I heard it played last night (and Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto no. 3) and it's quite a spectacular piece of music.

Karol

[Rachael Foley 10,162]

Just curious, could 1:39 of Faking the Code be considered a variation of Dies Irae? or is it too different?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0CfjqnREBw