Classical Pieces Similar to The Emperor's Theme

Greetings, I was wondering if anybody knew of any classical pieces that were similar to the Emperor's theme? I love the slow moving and dark male chorals; it's all so beautiful.

For anyone that wants a listen:

 

The only piece that I can think of, regarding hauting dark mal chorals, is the one heard at the end of Kubrick's 2001, a Space Odyssey (Requiem for Soprano, Mezzo Soprano, Two Mixed Choirs).

Though it's more high pitched, less dark, and less beautiful.

 

Have you tried Holst's suite The Planets? Especially Neptune, Saturn, and a little of Mars.

 

Try the Ligeti as Ord-Mantell suggested.

Shostakovich too. Not much chorale in it but there are some deep, slow moving parts in his fifth symphony. IIRC.

 

Those are some interesting selections!


Though, they just don't have the appeal or menace of the Emperor's theme. I know that score is incredibly specific, but I feel an era of this style of music is out there. Has anyone got more suggestions?

 

The problem is that the music, melodically speaking, appears to have been inspired more by sci-fi and horror film music from the '40s and '50s, rather than direct from classical.

Notable examples would be Bernard Herrmann's music in The Day The Earth Stood Still and Spellbound. But you may also find the root of that kind of atmosphere even in his score for Citizen Kane.

Williams has taken that idiom and put a chorus in place of the eerie theremin and organ sounds.

Check out also some of Miklos Rozsa for that kind of atmosphere.

 

Some of the lesser-known parts of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana are kind of dark.

 

Just remembered that it's Herrmann's three not phrase from Psycho, which is not disimilar in tempo and harmony to the Emperor music, was used in the temp track for A New Hope and was quoted by Williams note for note when he came to score the film.