Most Hauntingly Beautiful Music

[Infrazael]

What bands, artists, or songs do you find to be absolutely beautiful??? It can be any genre you feel like.

Personally for me, it is the dark, dark lyrics and melodic tunes that touch my heart.

Bands like A Perfect Circle, Nightwish, and Epica. Or classical composers such as Tsaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, and Debussy. . . . . . . . .

[David]

I like pre-classical music for a proper hauntastic experience. The first thing I think of is the 12th Century Abbess, Hildegard von Bingen who was an awesome character.

http://www.uni-mainz.de/~horst/hildegard/music/music.html

[GojuKJoe]

nine inch nails

[iamraisen]

some miles davis trumpeting on bitches brew or maybe stravinsky's rites of spring.

[Sever]

Nine Inch Nails' "The Fragile" fits the description, as does the "...Still" bonus disc from the "And All That Could have Been" live album. Also, Gridlock's "Further", "5.25", "Trace" and "Formless" albums and pretty much anything by My Dying Bride, particularly "The Angel and the Dark River" - heavier than a lead lined box of elephants, but still beautiful

[Andy Cap]

Cool - I like some of these choices a lot, and now I have some new ones to look into. I love Perfect Circle for their sound.

Let me add Apocolyptica to the mix then. They are a string band 4 pieces. They do a lot of covers. Hall of the Mountain King is one of my favorites.

[MarioBro]

I love almost all genres, except country...

I love 'Time to Say Goodbye' by Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli for the chill up the spine. Any Norah Jones is good from the Come Away With Me album. Bob Marleys 'Redemption Song' may not be beautiful, but I love it (and all of his music actually). Most songs from Compay Segundo.

[Infrazael]

Nine Inch Nails' "The Fragile" fits the description, as does the "...Still" bonus disc from the "And All That Could have Been" live album. Also, Gridlock's "Further", "5.25", "Trace" and "Formless" albums and pretty much anything by My Dying Bride, particularly "The Angel and the Dark River" - heavier than a lead lined box of elephants, but still beautiful

Another fan of My Dying Bride??? Wow. Yeah, Epic Doom Metal is amazing. . . . . . .

[Togakure]

What bands, artists, or songs do you find to be absolutely beautiful??? It can be any genre you feel like.

Personally for me, it is the dark, dark lyrics and melodic tunes that touch my heart.

Bands like A Perfect Circle, Nightwish, and Epica. Or classical composers such as Tsaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, and Debussy. . . . . . . . .


Yo Yo Ma, and Enigma & Deep forrest.

[doors]

I like the doors alot they definatley have that dark side to them
definatley radiohead i dont find them depressing like a lot of people do
i really like OK computer and Hail to The Theif Sail to the moon (brush cobwebs off the sky) is really good

[Ular Sawa]

For hauntingly beautiful I'd recommend Bach's "Goldberg Variations" by Glenn Gould. I've been quite taken with several songs on "A Rush Of Blood To The Head" by Coldplay.

I would also second Togakure's recommendation on Yo Yo Ma, particulary the Bach solo cello.

[Omicron]

I like pre-classical music for a proper hauntastic experience. The first thing I think of is the 12th Century Abbess, Hildegard von Bingen who was an awesome character.

http://www.uni-mainz.de/~horst/hildegard/music/music.html
I've never really been able to get into her music too much. It all sounds like exercises in counterpoint. She was more of a theorist than a composer, if you ask me. Have you ever read any of her treatises? They are a very dry read, but kind of interesting.

For haunting beauty, I have to vote for a lot of romantic and post-romantic music, like Chopin and Debussy. More recently speaking, I find Phillip Glass to be a very haunting composer.

[Kwajman]

For some very haunting music, look for some work by the Japanese Master, Kitaro. All instrumental, look for something from his Silk Road CD.

[Infrazael]

OMG, I completely forgot these guys (or girls)

Rasputina.

You MUST listen to them. 3 people, all out Cello, Goth music at its purest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Melanie]

The Lion King...The lady that sang Elton Johns song "Can you feel the love tonight" - lovely :)

[Infrazael]

that's calm. . . not haunting.

[Melanie]

OK..."When your strange" then from The Lost Boys?

Its as much context, as wording :D

[iamraisen]

OK..."When your strange" then from The Lost Boys?

Its as much context, as wording :D

someones already mentioned the doors! try harder i say, try harder ;)

[La Mancha]

Rachmaninov symphony No2, third movement, adagio.

David

[David]

I've never really been able to get into her music too much. It all sounds like exercises in counterpoint.If I ever find out what counterpoint is, I'll be sure to have an opinion. It's partly the age of the music which does it for me, I like a lot of baroque and renaissance, too

She was more of a theorist than a composer, if you ask me. Have you ever read any of her treatises? They are a very dry read, but kind of interesting.
I have dipped into a couple of things about God's "greening" and suchlike. tbh, I'm more interested in her bio than what she actually said :).

Rgds,
David

[Sever]

Another fan of My Dying Bride??? Wow. Yeah, Epic Doom Metal is amazing. . . . . . .
Yeah, I love My Dying Bride. I've seen them three times and they've been amazing each time

[Dr NinjaBellydance]

'Symphony #3' - Henryk Gorecki
'Meditation' - Massenet
'Gorecki' and 'Lullaby' - Lamb
'Adagio for Strings' - Barbour (also William Orbit version)
'Hurt' - NIN (also Johnny Cash version)
'Unfinished Sympathy' - Massive Attack
'Fade to black' - Metallica

[Infrazael]

Rachmaninov symphony No2, third movement, adagio.

A fan of Rachmaninov as well? I was just performing one of his etudes the other day. . . . . . :rolleyes:

BTW, if you don't know Nightwish, listen to "Forever Yours"

Absolutely beautiful.

[Cougar_v203]

Nightwish- End of all hope
Static-x- Get to the Gone
Nocturnal Rights- End of Days

[Infrazael]

Who are Nocturnal Rights? What genre are they?

Rasputina - Sign of the Zodiac

[Omicron]

If I ever find out what counterpoint is, I'll be sure to have an opinion. It's partly the age of the music which does it for me, I like a lot of baroque and renaissance, too
The simplest definition of counterpoint is two musical lines being played at the same time. Writers of early church music and music of the renaissance were very contrapuntal in their approaches, and it is this that gives those styles their definitive sound. Palestrina and Josquin Depres are usually held up as the masters of renaissance counterpoint.

[Cougar_v203]

i think nocturnal rites is death metal or just heavy metal.

[choconutjoe]

Dvorak - String quartet no.12 Mvt.2 (Lento)

Pretty much any of J.S Bach's chorals

Gil Evans Orchestra - Little wing (live, Umbria 1987)

The simplest definition of counterpoint is two musical lines being played at the same time. What do you call two guitarists playing in unison?


Counterpoint! AHAHhahaha.... :D

[Furikuchan]

The most disturbing but beautiful thing I heard recently was the band A Perfect Circle doing a cover of John Lennon's "Imagine." The song was transformed from a Yoko Ono-inspired hippie ballad into a depressing cry for help that was devoid of all hope. It was just too pretty.
A band that slipped under the radar of many radio stations a few years back, Stereomud, put out a song called "Perfect Self" that had much the same reaction. Not hardcore, but haunting and sad.
Some of my dear Angel Tori Amos' work also falls into this category. Icicle, in particular, has always been a very haunting work to me.
Also, a lot of Nobuo Uematsa's work for the Final Fantasies has been on these same lines. One Winged Angel *shudder* and Kuja's Theme spring to mind.
For dark classical, I have always leaned more towards Bach and Tchaikovsky (I know I mis-spelled that, I haven't slept, cut me some slack) than anyone else. I probably should look into some more Rachmaninov, though.

[Athleng Nordic]

I really find classical winds to be a beautiful source of music. Open flutes are haunting, and the pipes for being hauntingly beautiful.

[Thorstein]

I like all kind of music, except country and techno/trance...

Some of my favourites are:
Eminem - for the rap part
Nightwish- for the rock/metal-part
and
many, many more... :cool:

[dashao]

yay go nightwish wohoo *cough* i mean yes good stuff that, some of lacuna coil's stuff is interesting daylight dancer is a particularly good one.

[YODA]

Pink Floyd: Shine on you crazy diamond :D

[Omicron]

What do you call two guitarists playing in unison?


Counterpoint! AHAHhahaha.... :D
Hahahaha!

What's the only way to get a guitar player to turn his amp volume down?



Give him something to sight-read!

[Kinjiro Tsukasa]

Two albums of music for the alto flute: The Yearning, and The Dreamer, volume 2.

[Omicron]

Two albums of music for the alto flute: The Yearning, and The Dreamer, volume 2.
I LOVE alto flute! I need to save up and buy myself one...they are seriously cool instruments.

[Kinjiro Tsukasa]

I LOVE alto flute! I need to save up and buy myself one...they are seriously cool instruments.
I'd love to get one, too! I love the alto voice in general, though -- I'm biased, as I sing alto! But those alto flute albums really sound great; I hope they come out with a third one.

[Omicron]

Have you ever heard alto flute played in a jazz context? It's one of the most memorable musical sounds I've heard. I should go out and pick up some alto flute albums. I think I'll see if I can't find the ones you've suggested.

[Kinjiro Tsukasa]

Have you ever heard alto flute played in a jazz context? It's one of the most memorable musical sounds I've heard. I should go out and pick up some alto flute albums. I think I'll see if I can't find the ones you've suggested.
Here are the two albums, one featured, and the second one shown next to it just below.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000000S9K/qid=1098329352/sr=2-1/ref=pd_ka_b_2_1/104-7876320-9841536

I've never heard jazz alto flute, but I imagine it would sound very cool.

{{ETA: Hey, they do have other albums out!}}

[johndoch]

Bono & Clannad "In a Lifetime".

Just jumped into my head there.

[Weasel]

"I Wanna Be Naked" by Screeching Weasel. Brings a tear to my eye right now just thinking about it... "I don't need no hangers... I'm gonna be naaaaaked!" So relevant in the fast-paced dog eat dog world of corporate America.

:D :D :D

[KickChick]

What bands, artists, or songs do you find to be absolutely beautiful??? It can be any genre you feel like.


I love 'Time to Say Goodbye' by Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli for the chill up the spine.

Mario .. I make my spaghetti sauce to that tune! ;) Love it!!!!


For me "hauntingly beautiful" has always been the instrumentals from Carlos Santana. Sampa Pa ti, Europa, Moonflower....

I also love Jon Barry's collection of soundtrack scores (Royal Philharmonic) ... "Somewhere in Time" "Out odf Africa", "Midnight Cowboy"

Also Genesis and definitely Pink Floyd (Us & Them ... and entire darkside of moon)

[Dr NinjaBellydance]

For me "hauntingly beautiful" has always been the instrumentals from Carlos Santana.

Ooooh, yes, definately! :D
For soundtracks I like 'Braveheart' (cheesy movie, great music!)
Now that I think about it, a lot of Afro Celt sound System is pretty evocative as well.

[Infrazael]

Try an Icelandic band called "Sigur Ros".

[La Mancha]

Where to stop there are so many.

Sarah brightman.
Madame Butterfly.
Nella Fantasia (the Mission).
O Mio Babbino Caro.

Sarah With Charlotte Church.
Pie Jesu. Lloyd Webber "Requiem"

Amici. Lux Aeterna (Elgar, Enigma variations, "Nimrod").

Enya. Dances with wolves

Clannad. Harrys theme.

Karl Jenkins, The armed man. Agnus dei.
Benedictus.

Adiemus 1 Amate Adea

Adiemus 4 The Eternal knot.

David

[Posiview]

Sisters of Mercy - classic track = Emily.

We were together since we were five
She was so pretty
Emma was a star in everyone's eyes.
And when she said she'd be a movie queen
nobody laughed
Her face like an angel
She could be anything.

Emily Emma Emily
I'm gonna write your name high on that silver screen
Emily Emma Emily
I'm gonna make you the biggest star this world has ever seen

At seventeen we were wed
And I worked day and night to earn our daily bread.
And every day
Emma would go out searching for that play
That never ever came her way.

You know
Sometimes she'd come home so depressed
I'd hear her crying in the back room
Feel so distressed
And I'd remember back
When she was five
To the words that used to make Emily come alive

Emily Emma Emily
I'm gonna write your name high on that silver screen
Emily Emma Emily
I'm gonna make you the biggest star this world has ever seen

It was a cold and dark December night
When I opened up the bedroom door
To find her lying still and cold upon the bed
A love letter lying on the bedroom floor

It read:
Darling, I love you
But I just can't keep on living on dreams no more
I tried so very hard not to leave you alone
I just can't keep on tryin' no more

Oh Emily - Emma - oh Emily

[gerard]

There is so much good music out there.

I'd probably would have to list around 1,000 songs minimum. Obviously I'm not that crazy to list all of them but the styles I like range from:

1. Classic music and Opera: Mozart and Verdi, for example. But there are heaps I like apart from these two composers.

2. Heavy Metal, mainly Scorpions, Black Sabbath, Def Leppard, Iron Maiden, Metallica (some stuff), Paradise Lost, Iced Earth, AC/DC (some songs), KISS (some songs)...

3. Classic Rock: Elvis, Stones, Beatles (some songs), Mama's and the Papa's, Doors, Hendrix, Led Zep, P. Floyd...

4. 80's Techno/New Wave & Gothic music (i.e. Systers of Mercy)/Experimental: Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, Clan of Xymox, Kraftwerk, Depeche, Cure, Ultravox, Echo and the Bunnymen (nothing to do with the rabbit of this forum :)), Simple Minds, Tears for Fears, New Order, Visage, Tangerine Dream...

5. Punk. I only like The Clash, Joy Division, and Ramones. No Sex Pistols, don't like them sorry.

6. 80's -90's rock: mainly U2, Springsteen (some songs)...

5. New Age: Vangelis, Kitaro, John Serrie (Stargazer's Journey is awesome), Steve Roach...



Sorry but I am not keen of Jazz. Blues so-and-so, just a few songs of certain artists.


:)

[Twimyo Jirugi]

'nother My Dying Bride fan here^^

Dimmu Borgir: Loads of, haunting, atmospherics can be found in black metal. For DB, in particular is the bit in Progenies of the Great Apocalypse where Galder cuts in with vocals.

Insomnium: Most of their stuff has some somewhat beautfiul riffs, depending on your opinion, class band.

Arcturus: Got some fantasticly haunting atmospherics, personal fave would be the start of Whence Whither the Wind Goest.

Emperor: The kings of black metal, they did it all and did it perfectly, Opus A Satana has to get a mention here. Check out their album Prometheus if you've never heard them.

Dream Theater: Excellent prog band who definiately have some "beautiful" bits.

I could go on for ages naming bands, these are just a few that popped into my head.

[choconutjoe]

Emperor: The kings of black metal, they did it all and did it perfectly, Opus A Satana has to get a mention here. Check out their album Prometheus if you've never heard them. I love that album :)

[woodrow]

The Cure - Disintegration

A masterpiece. Listened to that album for a year straight.

Pink Floyd - The Wall

Listened to that one for a year or so. I was lucky enough to see the live show. Simply amazing. The stage show and the music meshed perfectly.

[aikiMac]

What bands, artists, or songs do you find to be absolutely beautiful??? It can be any genre you feel like.
Singer: Karen Carpenter. Hands down the most beautiful singing voice I have ever heard. She has no equal. As a bonus I actually like her songs.

Next most beautiful singing: Julie Andrews, Barbara Streisand, and Madonna (for her ballads). The lead singer of The Cranberries gets honorable mention.

But my favorite-sounding song is easily "Dust in the Wind" by Kansas. I can't even think of a #2 right now because I like that one so much.

[awakened nature]

You want hauntingly beautiful? listen to:

Aphex Twin:Ambient Works 1 or 2
" " : Druqks

Prepare to be a lil scared but strangley compelled to keep listening. :yeleyes:

[Hiroji]

For me its gotta be kylie: locomotion is my fave :o

[Sever]

"Necrose Evangalicum" by Brighter Death Now certainly fits the "haunting" part and I think it's quite beautiful too, but I'm probably the only one.
I can't believe no one's mentioned Godspeed You Black Emperor yet (I can't believe I left them out of my first post, either!) I think the "Slow Riot for New Zero Kanada" EP is one of the single greatest recordings ever; and it's certainly hauntingly beautiful

[dori_kin_86]

If you have ever heared Okinawan music, I would say it is truly haunting in a peaceful way. It sounds like traditional Japanese music, and even includes the same instruments as the Japanese most of the time. The way it is written is different. Its absolutely beautiful, and haunts you forever. Listening to it takes you back to a bigone era of old Okinawa and Japan.

[aikiMac]

If you have ever heared Okinawan music, I would say it is truly haunting in a peaceful way.
Is it anything like Yo-yo Ma's cello playing on CTHD? I don't know if I've heard Okinawan music, but Yo-yo's cello pieces in that movie are definitely on my list of "hautingly beautiful music."

Oh, and Cait Agus Sean (celtic music) has an angel's voice. Forgot her yesterday.

[MerKaBa]

A Perfect Circle, Tool, Apocalyptica, Rasputina, and there a few other real goods ones in my book.

[kabba kick]

cradle of filth ,anything by them is sure to make the skin crawl

[Twimyo Jirugi]

cradle of filth ,anything by them is sure to make the skin crawl

Cradle of Filth are way too tongue-in-cheek to do that.