The Germans called it sturm und drang… storm and stress music. You know, music that grabs you and won’t let go. Much of Wagner for example.

There’s the stuff that’s filled with tortured angst and pathos. Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde Prelude and Liebestod for example. See also Mahler; Franck’s Symphony in d minor.

There’s the angry music. It’s music that kicks you in the crotch and keeps driving onward. Verdi’s Dies Irae and Tuba Mirum come to mind, as does Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana sections “O Fortuna”.

Then there’s stuff like Immediate Music… *Snicker* *bunny pain* *snicker*. No idea who does their recordings but holy hell 🙂

So, what does it say that most of my music collection consists of the storm/stress, angst/pathos, and angry spheres of music? That my most preferred renditions of music includes organ transcriptions?