Classical piece

[cyanide]

Looking for a piece of music,it "sounds" Russian,quite heavy,depressing,funeral march type thingy.I thought it was by Shostakovich but i`m not so sure now.
Any suggestions?

[dundurn]

There's the "Dead March" from "Saul" by Handel, that's usually the piece people think of when they talk about funeral marches. There's also "The March of the Capulets" from "Romeo and Juliet" by Prokofiev - that's Russian all right but may be a bit upbeat and dramatic for what you describe.

[cyanide]

Hmm,thanks Handel was the first one i checked before i asked on here and its not from Romeo and Juliet(i listen to that regularly).It sounds like the imperial march from Star Wars.LOL

[firetracie]

Hi there

How long is the piece you are talking about? What I'm thinking is could it be a passage from another longer piece or is it complete.

[cyanide]

I think its a complete piece form what i can remember.Its often heard accompanying old film of Russian troops,my mum knew what it was because i asked EVERY time i heard it,but bless her she can`t answer from beyond the grave!

[firetracie]

What's the lead? Is it piano, strings, wind?

[cyanide]

Strings,dark heavy strings like double bass and cello.I`m being a pain now aren`t` i??

[Filbert]

Finlandia by Sibelius?

[Filbert]

slavonic march by tchaikovsky?

[cyanide]

No,sorry none of those although i really like the Sebelius piece.

[saxy_jag]

A long shot, but could it be the Mars movement from Holst's Planet Suite?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyZjYT8ov9A
Be aware, it's very quite to start with.

[cyanide]

Thanks but thats not it,the piece i`m after doesn`t have any brass....as far as i can remember!LOL

[sherlockian]

Is it perhaps an orchestrated version of Chopin's Marche Funebre, originally for piano from his Sonata No.2?

When orchestrated (often for brass band) it can sound very Russian and it is traditionally played at Soviet leaders state funerals! It's the traditional funeral march that everyone recognises but very few people realise it was originally a beautiful piece for piano by Chopin!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?vDDJxQUqMmxY

Chopins Marche Funebre

[cyanide]

Thank you so much!!A million stars to you!***************

http://www.youtube.com/watch?vfew3c3t9DpU

String Version!!!!

[cyanide]

I should have said in the first place that it was played at state funerals because that`s how i described it to my son......you are a legend in your own living room.:))

[saxy_jag]

Aww jeez! You know, we're playing a snippet from this at band rehearsals at the moment. I didn't say it because it sounded so obvious.

Only thing is, whenever I hear it these days, I want to break into the Alfred Hitchcock theme:

http://listeninglab.stantons.com/item.php?stno =209695

[cyanide]

Haha!Thanks to everyone that took the time to answer :)