One of the more interesting threads on Twitter bore the hashtag #apocalypsemusic. It was a series of suggestions for music appropriate to the event. For a while, the thread was hijacked by classical music folks, and several suggestions -- both obvious and subtle -- made their way into the conversation. (Some blogs also took up the task and made some good suggestions - see Miss Music Nerd's column for example).
So what would be appropriate classical music for the Rapture and the coming Apocalypse? Here are some of the best suggestions from the postings. What would you add?
Richard Wagner - Götterdämmerung(of course)
Hector Berlioz - "Dies Irae" from the "Symphonie Fantastique" ("Dies Irae" means "Day of Wrath, and is part of the Latin funeral mass that references the Judgement Day. Most any Dies Irae from any Requiem would probably work, too.)
Olivier Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time
Franz Schmidt: Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln (The Book of the Seven Seals) (an oratorio based on a key part of Revelation)
Ludwig van Beethoven - "Les Adieux"
And I had a few suggestions myself:
Franz Schubert: Abschied from Schwanengesang (The Swan Song)
Leos Janacek: The Diary of One Who Disappeared
Edward Elgar: Dream of Gerontius (tracks the journey of the soul after death)
Franz Joseph Haydn's "Farewell" Symphony (Symphony No. 45) (If you prefer to leave quietly rather than with a bang)
Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Toward the Unknown Region" (Everyone was ready to leave Saturday, but to go where?)
Charles Hubert Parry: Symphony No. 1 "From Death to Life" (Which is how Christians view death)
I understand the event's been rescheduled for October 21. So there's plenty of time to send in your suggestions. Maybe we'll have a special show that day...
Thanks for the post. I'm a 41y/o spirit within a 45y/o male body (born again at 4). I've recently discovered the healing power of classical music for the stressed soul. I've just begun my search for rapturous classical music and this blog is what my first search uncovered. As to the ones who get sidetracked by the notion that God will reveal the exact date of the Lord' s return; they've been misled, either by some poor misguided soul or if they happen to be the one making the prediction, by Satan himself. The Bible clearly conveys Jesus' own words stating that man will not know the date and time of His return.
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