A good song to play during an elven funeral?

[Siegfried Niemand]

Don't Fear the Reaper by Blue Õyster Cult.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

Elven funeral?

Celebrate good times
come on ! - Let's celebrate

Celebrate good times
come on ! - Let's celebrate

There's a party going on right here
a celebration to last troughout the years.
So bring your good times and your laughter too
we're gonna celebrate your party with you !

uh ... or maybe Kool & The Gang wasn't the most senstive choice?

 

[Gez]

Since we're speaking about Rammstein, I think Stein um Stein would also fit, somewhat.

German also, Kalter Glanz (from its namesake album) by Letzte Instanz is appropriate, too: "Willkommen im Paradies: hier herrscht und siegt die Wahrheit, die Klarheit die Reinheit, kein Mitleid" -- the perfect goodbye for a departed...

In French, I think the proper cheery mood about the dead can be found in Joey II, from Noir Désir's album Veuillez rendre l'âme (à qui elle appartient): "On l'a vu dans la poussière,
avec les chats des cimetières, glissant entre les fissures, frôlant les tombes et leurs murs... Dans la chaleur de l'été, les os des hommes pourrissaient. Joey ce soir ne dérange que les démons et les anges."

Or rather than a song, reading excerpt from Boris Vian's book J'irais cracher sur vos tombes could fit.

 

[Wraith Form]

Like the poster said, they wanted non-mainstream stuff.

I know I'm getting old(er), but if Dead Can Dance is considered "mainstream" then why don't 'you kids' request them on Top 40 radio more often? I'm a bit tired of hearing Usher's "Yeah".

You might try a "nicer" Diamanda Galas track.....

 

[D+1]

Any album by Enya will give you several good options. Or go with Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings.

 

[Captain Tagon]

I have to second Mogwai.

 

[DarrenGMiller]

This issue was brought up in wolf70's thread regarding how to handle an elven funeral. It got me thinking about classical music that was appropriate for the occaision and I'm sorry to say that there isn't much to be found there. Brass and percussion seems out of place for a variety of reasons, which leaves woodwinds and strings for the most part. Recently (or perhaps not so recently) elves have been identified with Celtic music and while there is some of that to be found in classical music of the UK and Scotland, very little of it is gracefully elegiac.

In lines with classical music, probably the closest I've come are the works of Vaughan Williams. Portions of his "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis" and "Five Variants of 'Dives and Lazarus'" are appropriately pastoral and gentle, but still seem all too human. Grieg's "Death of Aase" (which I believe wolf70 was considering) seems too heavy and cold now that I've listened to it again. Faure's Requiem (which someone else mentioned) seems passable, but the Latin lyrics of the mass are too familiar and, again, human.

What this leaves us with is either traditional Celtic music or New Age musings. Works by Enya, Clannad, Loreena McKennitt, Dead Can Dance and Altan might appeal to some, but some of it seems far to modern for me to associate with elves (a supposedly ancient race in an age long before sythesizers). In the end, I think a cappella is probably the way to go. We've come to associate the female voice with elven music and it seems to work best, but the real truth is the only music that seems right is the music that's composed specifically for or with elves (as they're known in D&D) in mind.

I agree with a great deal of what you have said here. Also, thanks for the attribution. The reason I avoided "Death of Ase" in the end came down to the heavy, cold feel that permeates the work. Celtic music seems to have warmth even if it is sorrowful. However, I stayed away from anything with words and let the words I was speaking be the only words present for reasons of player conentration on the story I was trying to weave, as well as my idea that the Elves were singing the life of hte deceased.

Here is my suggestion. Short of illiegally downloading music, go to your nearest discount store or full-service music store. Somewhere, there is bound to be a bin of cheap CD's, or a stand with samplers (you know the one, it is wood and has music playing with CD's of hymns, Celtic music, big band, piano, nature sounds, etc.). Pick up some cheap Celtic samplers and play through them (I own 4 of them). There are songs for most gaming occasions on them. Sure, some of it is cheesy, but they are cheap and readily available, with some good tunes for atmosphere. "The Three Graces" is the 2nd track on the CD, "Celtic Legend." It was the first song I listened to when I started searching and the one I came back to.

I would agree that mainstream western classical music doesn't seem right (too familiar, perhaps?). Brass, synths and percussion are not the best fit (except for a bodhran in the background, soft). R. Vaughan Williams even at his most somber, seems too joyful... but, now that I think of it, "Rhosymedre" is a good tune for the occasion. Perhaps Percy Grainger? Maybe too folky.

I am heartily enjoying this discussion, both on my thread and here. The use of music in gaming has always been a subject near to my heart. I don't use it often lately, because my players are familiar with so much of it and I don't want to distract them. I used to always use battle music for tough combats.

DM

 

[Alzrius]

Forever Love - Japanese song from the anime movie X.

Sayonara Solitia - Japanese from the anime Chrono Crusade.

Blue - English song from the anime Cowboy Bebop.

Prelude - instrumental song from the album Final Fantasy: Pray.

Toki no Hourousha (Wanderer of Time) - Japanese song from the album Final Fantasy: Pray.

Hikari no Naka e (Into the Light) - Japanese song from the album Final Fantasy: Pray

Pray - Japanese song from the album Final Fantasy: Pray (this one still makes me cry just remembering it).

The Best is Yet to Come - Gaelic song from the game Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes. I highly recommend this one.

Aeris' Theme - instrumental song from the game Final Fantasy VII.

 

[deltadave]

I recommend 'requiem' from Celtic Requiem. Haunting and gloomy, not exactly your everyday fare.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000000NNZ

 

[Lazybones]

Several people have mentioned Enya tracks, those are good.

"La Serenissima" or "Prologue" by Loreena McKinnett, both from the album "Book of Secrets".

"Orphans of Doom" from the Conan the Barbarian soundtrack, music by Basil Pouledouris.

"O Moon High Up in the Deep Sky" by Antonin Dvorak, from "Russalka". Incredibly mournful female singing with a powerful melody.