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

[max]

That's good fun! Zeeleute, Zeeleute! at a funeral says something.

They would at least know how to properly toast the departed!

[greg]

no, this is the score to 4'33":

[Bulldog]

Why should I care? I don't plan on coming to my funeral 

If you're not there, I'm not going either.

[Brian]

If you're not there, I'm not going either.

[Daverz]

The only reason I could think of to come to my funeral would be to see for myself whose tears are real and whose are not. But as I am often fooled by my wife's crocodile stuff, why risk being fooled by my girl-friend as well? 

And then there are the folks who came just to make sure you're really dead.

[mahler10th]

When I die I will posthumously arrange for Goecki's "Amen" to be played as I burn in the chamber.  If it isn't played, I will rise from the dead and sing it myself.

[donaldopato]

A complete performance of Mahler's 10th would be nice, but I would settle for Messiaen's "Dieu Parmi Nous".

Will probably get neither, but I won't mind. 

[Kullervo]

I don't think so highly of my person as to have some great, heartrending masterpiece played at my funeral.

The feedback of a microphone on karaoke night at an Applebee's, or the sound of a dog barking in the distance would be more appropriate. 

[Dundonnell]

I don't think so highly of my person as to have some great, heartrending masterpiece played at my funeral.

The feedback of a microphone on karaoke night at an Applebee's, or the sound of a dog barking in the distance would be more appropriate. 

Oh, Corey...that's kind of sad

I would like the Finale of Mahler's 2nd at mine.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Across The Universe by The Beatles.

[karlhenning]

Shostakovich's Festive Overture, Opus 96

[Dundonnell]

Shostakovich's Festive Overture, Opus 96

With or Without Fireworks, Karl?

[greg]

Shostakovich's Festive Overture, Opus 96

Hm...... mine is slightly similar.

The opening movement of Shostakovich's 9th would be cool to me......

(with pirate costumes, of course)



As Mahler said, f*ck tradition. 

[Kullervo]

Oh, Corey...that's kind of sad

Hehe. If I had to have something played for the benefit of my friends and family it would be the slow movement of Sibelius's 5th.

[Haffner]

Beethoven opus 132, Heiliger Dankesang (Borodin String Quartet)
"Catch the Rainbow" (off of Rainbow Live in Germany)

[Christo]

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:)

[Norbeone]

The unfinished fugue from Bach's Art of the Fugue. Either played live (string quartet or organ) or Glenn Gould's recording.

[Anne]

"Mille Cherbini in coro" an Italian cradle song, sung by Pavarotti on his Christmas album.

For later in life at the wedding Schubert's "Ave Maria."

I haven't figured out the next piece - something to do with children.

For the death and funeral I'd like Siegfried's death and funeral march.  The very last thoughts would be Mahler's 9th because it beautifully is full of the acceptance of death and the passing into the next life so peacefully.

We had music similar to the above when my father passed away (we did omit Wagner as it was not a religious work).  Many people stopped and said it was a beautiful service.  For my husband's funeral I do not remember even one piece of music played.  The children chose the music.  That's not quite right as Schubert's "Ave Maria" was played.

[Wanderer]

no, this is the score to 4'33":

"Copyrighted Material"

One can almost smell the irony.

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

I already have it written in my Will that it will be...

Prelude to Act .1. Lohengrin   BP/HvK

Good choice. Are there any penalties for not following the instructions? Imagine the looks on the faces of the disinherited ones once they discover they erroneously played the prelude to act 3...


As for me, the usual Orthodox service (chanted appropriately) will suffice. They can play whatever they like later at the reception.

[Anne]

Hey I didn't know that Beethoven's Missa Solemnis was actually used in Catholic services! Thanks for that information, Anne!

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.