DANSE MACABRE - SAINT-SAËNS - ORGAN & PIANO - SCOTT BROTHERS DUO - ROQUEVAIRE, FRANCE

Scott Brothers Duo (Tom & Jonathan Scott) perform Danse Macabre in an arrangement by Jonathan for Piano & Organ Duo. The Score of this arrangement is available here: Whilst performing at the Roquevaire International Organ Festival, we had time to film this spooky musical masterpiece! The piece is the third of Saint-Saëns’ Symphonic Poems (Poème Symphonique Op. 40), and based on a verse by Henri Cazalis, it is set in a churchyard on Halloween. It opens with the twelve strokes of midnight, after which Death appears and tunes his violin. He begins playing a macabre waltz using a haunting melody based on the Dies Irae, the ancient chant for the dead. Skeletons are lured out of their tombs and dance frenziedly until morning, when a cockerel is heard and death plays a sad lament - before they all disappear until next year!!! The video features the spectacular pipe organ of Église Saint-Vincent (full specification below)! W
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