All about that Bass
Generally speaking, people dislike high-pitches (sirens, alarms, etc.), but really like low pitches (hence, the car that drives down your street at 2am with booming bass speakers.)
Ottorino Respighi wrote a series of pieces based on pine trees around Rome (it sounds strange, but it’s true.) The second movement of this piece depicts pines near a lonely catacomb. The descent into the deep, dark, subterranean grave is musically painted with some deep rumbling bass – provided by the bass instruments, of course, but especially by the lowest pipes of the organ.
Because, you know, I’m all about that bass …
Can you tell me the Gregorian tune at the beginning of this movement? I just can’t dredge it up from my little gray cells.
Kyrie ad libitum 1, Clemens Rector; and the Sanctus from Mass IX, Cum jubilo
… according to Wikipedia. I wouldn’t have recognized it myself 🙂
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