What piece of music do you want played at your funeral?

[ezodisy]

Not that I believe in such a tradition, but I would choose the opening piece of Bach's G minor sonata for solo violin, Grumiaux recording would be fine. If some witty soul were to switch CDs and put on the finale of Hartmann's sixth symphony I wouldn't mind (obviously).

[Cato]

Not that I believe in such a tradition, but I would choose the opening piece of Bach's G minor sonata for solo violin, Grumiaux recording would be fine. If some witty soul were to switch CDs and put on the finale of Hartmann's sixth symphony I wouldn't mind (obviously).

Dude! The Hartmann Sixth Finale would be rawking awesome at a funeral!   

On the other hand, I will have to admit that I have been thinking quite a bit about Death these days: for various reasons I would like the last 3 or 4 minutes of the slow movement from Bruckner's Sixth Symphony, where the little funeral march is transformed with difficulty into a resigned, hopeful, accepting ascent.    0:)

[Haffner]

Hi Andy,

Maybe I shouldn't have said that.  I highly doubt the church would want a mass broken up and only part of the music played.  I was just saying what I'd like to hear.  Actually, playing Wagner next to Missa Solemnis, on second thought, does not seem to go together very well.  I'd be curious to know what the church's attitude would be toward MS.

For sure in my town, we'll NEVER have to worry about MS being played here.  The talent is just not there.   

I would be VERY interested to hear LvB's Missa... played in the context of a Mass. Or even "just" the Kyrie or Santus/Benedictus (both are like being in heaven anyway).

[Bogey]

Hi Andy,

Maybe I shouldn't have said that.  I highly doubt the church would want a mass broken up and only part of the music played.  I was just saying what I'd like to hear.  Actually, playing Wagner next to Missa Solemnis, on second thought, does not seem to go together very well.  I'd be curious to know what the church's attitude would be toward MS.

For sure in my town, we'll NEVER have to worry about MS being played here.  The talent is just not there.   

I would be VERY interested to hear LvB's Missa... played in the context of a Mass. Or even "just" the Kyrie or Santus/Benedictus (both are like being in heaven anyway).

Here is bit that you both may find interesting my friends:

'Missa Solemnis,' a Divine Bit of Beethoven

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5202103

[vandermolen]

Richard Wagner, Der Ring des Nibelungen

if that takes a bit too long, my personal choice would remain:

Ralph Vaughan Williams, Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis  0:)

Vaughan Williams: Five Variants on Dives and Lazarus.

[ChamberNut]

Carter's string quartets.  I won't care anyways, I'll be dead.   

[karlhenning]

He'll have written Quartet № 6 by then, you know, Ray.

[Christo]

Vaughan Williams: Five Variants on Dives and Lazarus.

Do you identify with Lazarus - or with the rich man?   

[Mark G. Simon]

Carter's string quartets.  I won't care anyways, I'll be dead.   

I read that this actually happened once. Some time in the 1970s a wealthy man in Miami died and he had it in his will that the Juilliard Quartet come down and play the newly composed Carter 3rd Quartet at the memorial service.

As a way of punishing his relatives.

[karlhenning]

(What if his relatives liked it? . . .)

[vandermolen]

Do you identify with Lazarus - or with the rich man?   

No, with Jesus actually  (only joking)

[Anne]

Thanks, Bogey, for that LvB story.  Gives me points to ponder while listening.

[jchen]

lol I am not ready for my funeral  I am too young 

[drogulus]

     Sun Cycle

    [mp3=200,20,0,center]http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/11/2/1559968/02.%20Sun%20Cycle.mp3[/mp3]

[Dancing Divertimentian]

lol I am not ready for my funeral  I am too young 

But you can't hold it off forever.

[greg]

Okay, maybe i'll change my mind. Maybe I'll have the ending of Tristan und Isolde played at my funeral. It would be the saddest experience ever.... the next day, we'd need 3 more funerals..... then it'd multiply (but it turns out i'm actually faking my own death). Aha........ thus begins my plan for world domination. Everyone will be dead and I'll have Disney World to myself at last!!! 

[Christo]

No, with Jesus actually  (only joking)

In that case I woujld advise some resurrection symphony - instead of funeral music.  0:)

[max]

Der Vogelfanger bin ich ja!

[Homo Aestheticus]

The third movement 'Aria' from Handel's Concerto Grosso Opus 6, No. 12.   

(Berlin Philharmonic/Karajan)

Followed by a purely instrumental version of  The Entry Of The Gods Into Valhalla from  Das Rheingold.

[vandermolen]

Dude! The Hartmann Sixth Finale would be rawking awesome at a funeral!   

On the other hand, I will have to admit that I have been thinking quite a bit about Death these days: for various reasons I would like the last 3 or 4 minutes of the slow movement from Bruckner's Sixth Symphony, where the little funeral march is transformed with difficulty into a resigned, hopeful, accepting ascent.    0:)

A wonderful choice I think (Bruckner)