"Angry" Classical Music?

A lot of people have said Mars is angry, but I disagree. The piece is very martial sounding, and to me it is too disciplined to sound angry. The 5/4 time makes it even more military, for some reason.

However, I might cast my vote for Uranus in the same suite. It is perhaps more violent than angry, but the lask of the discipline in it is palpable to me. It’s like a wizard run amok.

Infrenbal Dance in Firebird might count too, but again I hear violence more than anger. Hmmm… this is a tougher question than I supposed!

I always thought emotions of violence and war were somewhat accompanied or connected to anger. I must say I agree with you in saying that Uranus is another big firestarter concerning angry emotions (don’t even start thinking about it in that way :p). I’m quite ashamed to forgot mentioning “Night on Bald Mountain”. Now that, my friends, is anger! If you’ve ever watched Fantasia, that should give you some big ideas.

Someone already mentioned Shostakovich’s String Quartet #8 but I just want to mention it again. It’s dedicated to the victims of facism and war and the bitterness that Shostakovich really burns through. The quartet opens with slow brooding music that repeats the same basic line until BAM! some crazy clown bashes down the door and comes rushing at you with a knife. Or whatever other scary nightmare you have. That is some crazy angry stuff, especially after having played it.

how about Dvorak’s ninth symphony?

I always thought the Allegretto from Beethoven’s 7th symphony was fairly angry