Pendereski's Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima

[npelletier89]

Awesome, great 37 second piece haha...

[Lufttygger306]

@npelletier89 The original is 8 minutes and 37 seconds

[npelletier89]

@Lufttygger306 haha yah I know :P was being a bit sarcastic

[Duffers999]

Although obviously named after it being written, this music still terrfies me everytime, and one can only imagne the living hell the victims went through.

In the best way possible, a truly depressing piece of music that reminds us of how horrific mankind can be.

[FunKCX]

Sounds chaotic, confusing, scary, intense....Is There even a rhythm?

plus this isnt really a song where you could dance on it Imagine a guy who's pop&locking on this one :P

[mikemayea]

This really does make me envision horror like it should.

[bloodangel270]

i disagree with you kelseym you can relate images to this cut out of penderecki's piece, the first time i heard it i imagined screaming citizens in panick in a great city, the title well fits imo...

[xxTestTubeBabyxx]

Im my music history class, we learned that the title of this piece was an afterthought. Penderecki did not write it with the victims of Hiroshima in mind, the title was applied a few years after the song was composed.

[xxxteamo]

O.O

[anisometropie]

these are hundred thousand souls yelling out as the bomb exploded

[DaVibeTv]

This piece of music makes me feel sad. But I love it.

[austinatyahoo]

i heard peoples clothes with burnt to there skin ouch

[AbsoluteChaos758]

O_O

[Tomchick09]

This piece makes me feel sick. I cant believe what happened to these people

[cbyram93]

This would work so well in resident evil/silent hill

[Americangirl787]

That music was powerful because it just scared the heck out of me.

[bsaxagent]

Such a raw piece of music. This truly depicts the numbness and horror felt. (yes, I'm aware he named it after he wrote it)

The feeling of total numbness; and helplesness.

Truly, a great work of art.

[CtHuIHuSpAwN]

This music scared the shiz out of me

[Thermalburn]

Pretty creepy. But not a song i would want to listen to on its own because its just not appealing. This piece would suite a horror movie or other horror themed medium.

[suzypigwumples]

Um it's meant to be portraying a message - telling a story, if you like, about the Hiroshima bombing. No it is not an appealing song, but the A-bomb was horrific. Saying it sounds like a horror theme is a little insensitive... Perhaps do your reading next time!

[Thermalburn]

how is that insensitive? I didnt say the song was bad, i just said that it would go well in a movie or another medium that is trying to portray the atmosphere as scary or unsettling; so im not too sure why you flipped out. And what exactly should i do my reading on? Hiroshima and Nagasaki? I already know plenty about that, you smug motherfucker...

[suzypigwumples]

Not flipping out, just explaining something that I thought you may not have known when you said the thing about the horror movie....

[Thermalburn]

ehh im sorry. u just caught me in a bad mood, i can see where your coming from...i apologize if i offended u in some way.

[suzypigwumples]

oh don't worry it's all g :) I know the feeling lol

[Thermalburn]

lol thanks :]

[Thermalburn]

I also just noticed that you're from New Zealand, thats pretty cool. I have a friend studying abroad at the University of Auckland. She says its really nice there.

[alfredo5421]

inverbato inculto

[MorganMortimerGraff]

Penderecki, not Pendereski.

[Tuvadog]

Yes purpleshoes, I have been fascinated by Pendereckis music ever since I saw ths Shining. Half of the movie I will dedicate to this composer. His music contributes to the scary feelings I got and still get when I see the movie.

I also think it is interesting music !!!!!

[purpleshoes]

does nobody else actually like this piece of music?

I find it so interesting.

[glottis5]

xenakis ripoff

[panzram31614]

Hey, Skippy -- you do realise this piece is from the early 1960s, don't you? This was also around the time of Xenakis' "Metastasis". Rip-off? Hardly. This was the avant-garde zeitgeist. Both Penderecki and Xenakis are/were (Iannis, R.I.P.) very adept composers that created horrific soundscapes. Before you go pointing fingers and leveling accusations about something of which you seem to know nothing about, remember this: Penderecki will still be a legend when you have been long forgotten.

[zenrarity]

Without Penderecki;s genius, the modern day horror film score would not be nearly as terrifying.

[utahcimbalom]

As long as sound vividly express something, it becomes music. The degree of expression in this composition is very high. That why it is affecting so many people. I want to remind to all that the beauty in art consists not only from pleasant combination of elements, but any tools that are able to reach the goal of the creator.

[jonathanadgers]

Terrible composition. There are so many classical buffs out there who try soooo hard to see the beauty in a composition like this when really it is just plain terrible. Just because its older and has an orchestra doesn't mean it has to be good. I understand the steps involved to create this piece and I respect the time put in, I know the message behind it and hat he was trying to do... but it still doesn't make it good. Terrible actually....

[capnpayne]

hahah keep babbling you ignorant jackass

[bsaxagent]

Well, modern music has a particular point-pushing the limits of music.

Tonality, this piece is awful. But it isn't based off of actual notes for the most part, rather it is based off of time. The effect of this piece is what I like about it. It creates a sense of terror, and when it's over you are devestated. It creates a sense of numbness, like 'there is nothing I can do' sort of deal.

I understand yous thoughts. It has a revolting toanilty. But the effect is immense.

[jamespianomanh]

What do you mean by "revolting tonality"? It uses total serialism and hypertonality, so it's not completely random!

[punkorganist]

It's not serialism. It's a compositional technique called "sound mass". fyi

[jamespianomanh]

@punkorganist

sorry, I'm thinking of Miserere mei deus for some bizarre reason. And yes this is one of the key pieces using the sound mass technique :P

[beeftothetaco]

reminds me of bioshock

[PatrickDunnevant]

The piece when you're fighting Dr. Steinman heavily borrows from this work, actually.

[decodedmonkey]

the sound of life. at least where im living. nice

[Mijatovicbog]

you live in hell?wtf

[decodedmonkey]

no, i live in LA ,

[Chemie89]

.....where the hell is the rest of it. This is a fantasic work that is a musical representation of a nuclear blast and the fallout as a result. As the work continues it conveys the sheer devastation and panic. Musically this piece has interest, as when reading the score, it is not notation, rather graphical, therefore the conductor brings in parts when he sees fit. Ive seen it played live and it truly is terrifying.

[tomaccogoats]

It was only dedicated to the victims of hiroshima after it was written, not for them, at least according to wiki XD

[cox1356]

did they make a similar song for the victims @ Nanjing at the order of the Japs? 12-20+ million Chinese died up through WWII.

[Altiair08]

well if a face appeared at the end you would have sh*t yourself!!

[Gihaal]

Beautiful.

[machine1451]

i hate this song it is so scary!

[DontHoldYourChops]

yeah it's scary, but there's so much going on in it. The piece has a lot to take in and especially after learning what was done to create such a masterpiece, I have much more respect for it

[animeaff]

OMG! It feels like those Asian horrors when the ghosts are appearing

[DraconPyrothayan]

This is only the first 3 measures of a multi-page piece. Why not upload the rest of it?

[Idaho59JTDR]

tro nul ya rien é sa dure que 36 seconde... En plus D que mon chat il a entendu sa, il a sursauterb é il C agriper a moi sa cr1!!!!!!!

[OttoGrainer27]

Now that has emotion. Horrifying.

[nottombennett]

"There is no image that can match the emotion that is portrayed in this piece." how about like images/footage of the aftermath? or am i reading too much from the title?

[HOLldaysz]

dude where can u download this lol?

[racketofdeath]

I have the whole thing as an m4a if you'd like me to send it.

[thesantabros45]

could you send it to me

[ginopepino3000]

me too, my dear friend

[R00ki30n3]

Well that sure was 36 seconds of screeching strings.

[ccraig1995]

yes, it sure was

[Doomination]

Sounds promising this piece...Might see it peformed tomorrow at the proms in london...

[bsartist]

Why not the whole thing? :(

[cssa12]

I mean, I really appreciate this country and all it has done for people but I wish that Americans could open up their eyes and admit that we've have done wrong also. We as a country, are quick to point out everyone elses mistakes but, we have failed to look in the mirror and try to "fix" ourselves....

[gsmakin]

"There is no image that can match the emotion that is portrayed in this piece"

Kelsym. Get a ticket, travel to France, go to the Musee D'Orsay and negotiate your way upstairs to the impressionist rooms. After you have walked through the masters of light and wind you will come to the room of Van Gough. On the right hand wall is a self portrait painted in 1889. Stand in front of it and look him in the eye.

[hardhittn63]

what? its not bad at all

[pantymilah]

this wz in my music exam, scared me loads

[thom6672]

Krzystof Penerecki had to invent his own notation to get the sounds he wanted. He used 52 stringed instruments.

[fuzzmogler123]

you will never find the whole score of this because the people who listen to it feel uncomfortable after about a minute and stop listening, they don't feel that other people should hear the whole score because its such a powerful piece of music

[thalionrin]

Our music teacher gave us the 10 minute one. I have to skip past every time it comes up in my playlist.

[cssa12]

To fuzzmogler123- Thats the problem with society today. They dont wont to face reality and the reality of what has actually happened.You say that "they" dont wont peolpe to hear and you are correct. America has become a place that wants to cover up everything wrong it has done and try to make everything seem so perfect. America went to Europe and played the hero during Hiter but how soon we forget that when the Japs hit Pearl Harbor every Asian America was sent to the west to concentration camps

[ssjblind]

yeah thats usually what happens when somebody attacks your country and kills thousands. and especially if your country happens to be thenumber one super power of the world.

[ryanjasonsteele]

You are an Idiot. The beauty of this music is lost on fool like you. It's meant to be frightening, uhhh HIROSHIMA.

If you want to learn something about music, get this score, it's genius.

Actually, don't bother. you wont get it.

[ROCK5LIN]

it's actualy over 10 muinutes long

[jc259905]

I'm with Docrocks, DNS #2 is sweet, it too was used in The Shining

[daisychainy12]

omg. that was scary as.

[ismaelflorit]

I'm not saying it's wrong, I just have a problem accepting the real intention of doing so. (to my last comment) Anyway, thanks for such a quick reply! Have you listened to the "De natura Sonoris" ?

[DocRocks1]

De Natura Sonaris no. 2 is my all-time favorite piece by Penderecki. The OP should post that!

[ismaelflorit]

It is amazing, it's incredible, but I can never help to wonder, is it amazing because it's completely new to us, and we've associated this music with that of horror films? I mean, for example just off the top of my head, both the exorcist and the shining use excerpts of the cello concerto in their movies. Sometimes I have a big problem with people taking a picture of a poor peruvian girl in a poncho and selling it as a card. Or making a poem about a homeless bum.

[ismaelflorit]

Actually, you're associating darkness with this kind of music because it has a title that leads you to thinking, omg, I can see the burnt people. But Penderecki didn't even think about that when he wrote this music. It's purely abstract and structured. Why should it be dark? Anyway, just some thoughts.