Danse Macabre
In 1875 #OnThisDay (24th of January), Camille Saint-Saens' 'Danse Macabre' premiered.
The name roughly translates as 'Dance of Death', and I love the piece because it vividly tells the tale of Death arriving at midnight on Halloween.
This old superstition is apparently French in origin, and the piece opens with a single note played twelve times, to represent the twelve strikes of the clock at midnight. Skeletons then rise from their graves and join Death, dancing to the music of the violin (played by Death, or sometimes interpreted as representing Death). The music builds in volume and suspense, as the skeletons dance all night until dawn. If you close your eyes you can imagine the scene, Death dancing through the graveyard inviting the skeletons to join him. The music reaches a furious climax, and is then broken off by a cock crowing, signalling the break of dawn. The skeletons are compelled to return to their graves until the following year, and the piece ends with Death alone playing a lonely lament on his violin.
It's beautiful and evocative, and I think even more incredible when you know the story behind it. It's also the theme tune for Jonathan Creek...so what's not to love?
I'll leave you with a quote from Stephen King's 'Danse Macabre', which is equally eloquent and thought provoking: "This book is only my ramble through that world, through all the worlds of fantasy and horror that have delighted and terrified me...It’s a dance. And sometimes they turn off the lights in this ballroom. But we’ll dance anyway, you and I. Even in the dark. Especially in the dark. May I have the pleasure?"
The name roughly translates as 'Dance of Death', and I love the piece because it vividly tells the tale of Death arriving at midnight on Halloween.
This old superstition is apparently French in origin, and the piece opens with a single note played twelve times, to represent the twelve strikes of the clock at midnight. Skeletons then rise from their graves and join Death, dancing to the music of the violin (played by Death, or sometimes interpreted as representing Death). The music builds in volume and suspense, as the skeletons dance all night until dawn. If you close your eyes you can imagine the scene, Death dancing through the graveyard inviting the skeletons to join him. The music reaches a furious climax, and is then broken off by a cock crowing, signalling the break of dawn. The skeletons are compelled to return to their graves until the following year, and the piece ends with Death alone playing a lonely lament on his violin.
It's beautiful and evocative, and I think even more incredible when you know the story behind it. It's also the theme tune for Jonathan Creek...so what's not to love?
I'll leave you with a quote from Stephen King's 'Danse Macabre', which is equally eloquent and thought provoking: "This book is only my ramble through that world, through all the worlds of fantasy and horror that have delighted and terrified me...It’s a dance. And sometimes they turn off the lights in this ballroom. But we’ll dance anyway, you and I. Even in the dark. Especially in the dark. May I have the pleasure?"
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