# What are some good, scary works of choral music for a classical-music noob? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 17, 2009, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-scary-works-of-choral-music-for-a-classical-music-noob/503321 "2009-07-17T09:09:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Seventh\_Deadly\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6bbea6/32.png) [@The\_Seventh\_Deadly\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Seventh_Deadly_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-scary-works-of-choral-music-for-a-classical-music-noob/503321/1 "2009-07-17T09:09:13Z")
I mostly listen to “intellectual” rock music by the likes of Brian Eno and PJ Harvey, but I like the _Carmina Burana_ and the heavier parts of Mozart’s _Requiem_. I’m not a fan of solo operatic-style vocals as much as works with multiple voices; regular opera doesn’t grab me, at least not yet. Basically, I like scary choral music that sounds like it’s from the score of a movie about children possessed by Satan. Can anyone here recommend some works I might like? ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-scary-works-of-choral-music-for-a-classical-music-noob/503321/2 "2009-07-17T12:03:13Z")
The obvious ones are _Symphonie Fantastique_ by Hector Berlioz, _Night on Bald Mountain_ by Mussorgsky, and _Toccata and Fugue in D Minor_ by Bach. You’ve probably heard the latter; it’s played a lot at Halloween. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-scary-works-of-choral-music-for-a-classical-music-noob/503321/3 "2009-07-17T13:39:44Z")
The OP wants choral music. Alas, I cannot help with the scary angle without going into opera, but since you like _Carmina Burana_ have you tried Baroque oratorios? Handel’s _Messiah_ and _Samson_ may suit. Actually, pretty much all of his oratorios. Bach’s _Christmas Cantatas_ may also suit. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-scary-works-of-choral-music-for-a-classical-music-noob/503321/4 "2009-07-17T13:49:26Z")
Several choral tracks from Howard Shore’s score to _The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring_, evoking the Nazgul, are pretty spooky. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-scary-works-of-choral-music-for-a-classical-music-noob/503321/5 "2009-07-17T14:12:52Z")
My husband is a fan of modern classical music, so I asked him for recommendations. He recommends a composer named [György Ligeti](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gy%C3%B6rgy_Ligeti). He was an Austrian-Hungarian composer whose music was used in several Kubrick films, including _2001_ and _The Shining_. Go to iTunes and check out a piece called “Lux aeterna.” Some of the creepiest choral music around. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-scary-works-of-choral-music-for-a-classical-music-noob/503321/6 "2009-07-17T14:23:47Z")
Missed the edit window, but here’s a YouTube link for “[Lux Aeterna](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgRZnsAgKng).” ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-scary-works-of-choral-music-for-a-classical-music-noob/503321/7 "2009-07-17T14:39:37Z")
How is \*\*Verdi’s Requiem \*\*not yet mentioned? The _Dies Irae_ is the benchmark for cinematic satanic choral music. Or you could just go get the soundtrack to _The Omen_. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-scary-works-of-choral-music-for-a-classical-music-noob/503321/8 "2009-07-17T15:11:50Z")
There’s a really sweet piece entitled “Kristallnacht”, but I’m having a hard time finding it on Google. This isn’t that surprising, as there is a more popular set of pieces created from the the writings of Jews who went through it. This was more of an experimental piece that played with a lot of dissonance to create the feel of broken glass and the horror of that night. For those of you who know music (not really a spoiler, just don’t want to overwhelm those that don’t know the terminology): it featured an alto and soprano part that often “resolved” in minor seconds, and a section that was E-Eb-D-C in eighth notes repeated across a nonharmonic repeated bass quarter notes (that I can’t remember) ending with a Bb in the bass and A-C#-E in the treble, which is followed by repeating the theme at the beginning, where the words are just repeating Kristallnacht with aforementioned minor seconds ending it. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-scary-works-of-choral-music-for-a-classical-music-noob/503321/9 "2009-07-17T15:43:20Z")
> [@thetruewheel](#): > > Basically, I like scary choral music that sounds like it’s from the score of a movie about children possessed by Satan. Can anyone here recommend some works I might like? How about the Oscar-winning score for _ **The Omen** _, a movie about a child who actually was Satan? Even the song “Ava Satani” was nominated for an Oscar (man, I wish I could’ve seen _that_ performed at the ceremony!). ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-scary-works-of-choral-music-for-a-classical-music-noob/503321/10 "2009-07-17T16:10:04Z")
> [@SaharaTea](#): > > My husband is a fan of modern classical music, so I asked him for recommendations. He recommends a composer named [György Ligeti](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gy%C3%B6rgy_Ligeti). He was an Austrian-Hungarian composer whose music was used in several Kubrick films, including _2001_ and _The Shining_. > > Go to iTunes and check out a piece called “Lux aeterna.” Some of the creepiest choral music around. oooooo [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl5McGN2L-E](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl5McGN2L-E) orchestral version … ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-scary-works-of-choral-music-for-a-classical-music-noob/503321/11 "2009-07-17T16:11:56Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > There’s a really sweet piece entitled “Kristallnacht”, but I’m having a hard time finding it on Google. This isn’t that surprising, as there is a more popular set of pieces created from the the writings of Jews who went through it. This was more of an experimental piece that played with a lot of dissonance to create the feel of broken glass and the horror of that night. > > For those of you who know music (not really a spoiler, just don’t want to overwhelm those that don’t know the terminology): it featured an alto and soprano part that often “resolved” in minor seconds, and a section that was E-Eb-D-C in eighth notes repeated across a nonharmonic repeated bass quarter notes (that I can’t remember) ending with a Bb in the bass and A-C#-E in the treble, which is followed by repeating the theme at the beginning, where the words are just repeating Kristallnacht with aforementioned minor seconds ending it. [is this it?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK5O1rL0NwE) ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-scary-works-of-choral-music-for-a-classical-music-noob/503321/12 "2009-07-17T17:29:40Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > oooooo [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl5McGN2L-E](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl5McGN2L-E) orchestral version … Creepy, but not the same composer as the guy I mentioned. See post #6 ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-scary-works-of-choral-music-for-a-classical-music-noob/503321/13 "2009-07-17T18:54:12Z")
Might try E Nomine–not quite exactly choral, but definitely sinister-sounding and very cool, with choral elements. Check out [Mitternacht](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHahMGj657Q) and [Vater Unser](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHahMGj657Q) [Midnight Syndicate](http://www.midnightsyndicate.com/welcome.htm)also has a lot of good scary music–can’t remember if any of it is choral, though. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-scary-works-of-choral-music-for-a-classical-music-noob/503321/14 "2009-07-17T22:16:44Z")
I was going to mention the Verdi _Dies Irae_, too. You might also try the _Dies Irae_ from Berlioz’s _Grande Messe des Morts_. I’ve never really heard the whole work, but it’s posted on YouTube. It starts about 5 minutes into this segment. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSCS3j1YdnY](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSCS3j1YdnY) The “Tuba mirum” section starts about 1 minute into this segment. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpyQE82m8sg](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpyQE82m8sg) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-scary-works-of-choral-music-for-a-classical-music-noob/503321/15 "2009-07-17T22:48:28Z")
Is [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MXc1J9cYj0) the kind of thing you’re looking for? It’s from Prokofiev’s _Alexander Nevsky_. Or how about Rachmaninoff’s symphony _The Bells_ (based on the poem by Edgar Allan Poe)? The Russians seem to be pretty good at “scary” choral stuff. ---
**Author:** ![RhapsodyInBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RhapsodyInBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RhapsodyInBlue)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-scary-works-of-choral-music-for-a-classical-music-noob/503321/16 "2009-07-18T00:17:55Z")
[“On Earth as it is in Heaven”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixby9BzJfEo&NR=1) from the soundtrack of “The Mission” by Ennio Morricone. Or [“Itaipu”](http://www.amazon.com/Itaipu-Philip-Glass/dp/B00000277F) by Philip Glass. Both of these remind me of “Carmina Burana” and, oddly, both are written in the Giuranni language. ---
**Author:** ![Rosie\_is\_Tired](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Rosie\_is\_Tired](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rosie_is_Tired)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-scary-works-of-choral-music-for-a-classical-music-noob/503321/17 "2009-07-18T01:09:22Z")
I came here to suggest the Dies Irae from Verdi’s Requiem. I was lucky enough to be in a choir that did it and hot damn, I nearly had an orgasm from it. If you’ve ever seen the Japanese film “Battle Royale,” its used in the opening. The first three or so minutes of the Dies Irae is really the best part, but the entire work can be pretty powerful, but it drags on with too many operatic solos IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-scary-works-of-choral-music-for-a-classical-music-noob/503321/18 "2009-07-18T02:42:23Z")
Another vote for Verdi’s Requiem, especially the \*Dies Irae. \*Many composers have written Requiems, and by their very nature lots of them are kind of scary. ---
**Author:** ![Eatmyface25](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Eatmyface25](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eatmyface25)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-scary-works-of-choral-music-for-a-classical-music-noob/503321/19 "2012-12-21T20:46:56Z")
I would try “Submission” from the soundtrack of 300. It definitely has a sinister tone to it. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-scary-works-of-choral-music-for-a-classical-music-noob/503321/20 "2012-12-21T21:20:03Z")
How about Prokofiev’s _Battle Across the Ice_? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-oRbStmxvm4/maxresdefault.jpg "Prokofiev - Alexander Nevsky 5 The Battle on Ice") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oRbStmxvm4) Nothing like being charged by freaking _Teutonic Knights_ comming to exterminate you … and singing nonsense in Latin as they come. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-scary-works-of-choral-music-for-a-classical-music-noob/503321.md?page=2)