What exactly is 'epic music'?

Question

I have listened to some 'epic' music online and I find I more or less like it. But I'm having trouble understanding what makes it epic. For example, wikipedia mentions that this type of music can be described with 'feeling adjectives' such as powerful and uplifiting or dramatic, but you can have powerful, uplifting, dramatic pieces that aren't epic (Pachelbel's Canon is emotionally powerful and uplifting but it isn't epic).

Does it always have to be played by an orchestra?
What other characteristics (tempo, type of instrument, grave tones, ...) make it epic?

Edit: Any suggestions about improving the question?
I'll add some context if necessary: I'm a teacher and I was discussing music genres with my students. When 'epic music' came up, we were all stuck on 'it sounds epic' and 'it is played by an orchestra'. I'd like to be a bit more articulate next time the topic comes up.

Answer 1

joseem invited me to provide an answer based on my previous answer in I would like to get some fresh epic music.

"Epic" music will be slightly different for everyone, and I think we can separate it into "epic moments" and entire "epic pieces."

In my experience, "epic moments" are pretty easy to explain, as there are some common characteristics:

1. Harmony changes. From a cultural standpoint, there's a grab-bag of particular harmony changes most of us equate with "epic."
2. An instrument (or instrument family, etc.) being highlighted in its upper register.
3. Oftentimes the climax at the moment where most people go "whoa...this is epic..." has an adjusted meter of some kind. Sometimes the music will go into a doubletime feel; in my opinion, this matches the human reaction of relaxation at a moment of climax. (Insert sex analogy here.)
4. There's often a common tone held over in at least one voice, but often it's highlighted and emphasized by the composer.

So, some examples (many taken from the previous thread):

• Listen to Fountains of Rome for about 2 minutes (until around 9:30), and pay attention to what you think the "epic moment" is. Is it around

  8:42?

This example has all three of the above aspects.

• The finale to Bruckner's eight symphony is all about harmony changes. I haven't met anyone who listens to this and doesn't sense the "epic" aspect. It gets even better at the recapitulation. Harmony changes, harmony changes, common tones, and common tones.

Lastly, there's one surefire way to make an epic moment: soaring horns! Famous examples include Alfred Reed's Russian Christmas Music (give it about 30 seconds; this has points 1, 2, and 4 from above); hell, even high school marching bands can be epic (give about 30 seconds; this has all four points from above); so can drum corps (give it about 15 seconds; it helps that you'll recognize the piece!)

Other pieces are just "epic" the whole time. I can't state anything scientifically, but I have a suspicion these pieces are just playing on our evolutionary/cultural history. They will be loud (to get our adrenaline going), the choirs will often emphasize deep male voices or high female voices (to get our battle juices flowing; see Verdi's Dies irae), and often very brassy (to align with our cultural understanding of the hunt, again preparing us for battle; see Shostakovich's Leningrad).

And, since you mentioned film music, I'll throw in my plug for what I think is the least acknowledged influence on film music today: the finale of Sibelius's fifth symphony. You'll really hear it around 2:10.

Answer 2

Genre classification is always a tricky subject with a lot a subjectivity and cultural context attached. With that caveat, I'd say "Epic" (as a classification, and when not used simply as an adjective) is not so much a genre as a professional categorization for the trailer and business music industry.

Specialized companies offer music catalogues that can be searched for by businesses when they need to fulfill soundtracks for corporate videos, advertisements, motion pictures trailers, video games, web sites, etc. Many times the timing or nature of the project does not justify or allow the comission of a dedicated composer to do the job, so it's convenient to have a source you can browse for music readily available with different moods, tempo, instrumentation, etc.

If you want to advertise an action movie or video game or even a new company offer to potential investors, you would request "epic" music for your soundtrack, i.e. resounding music with a lot of tension, and drama. It wouldn't have to be strictly orchestral, although due to the influence of big budget Hollywood action movies, that would be the expectation.

Having said that, from other answers and from this question there seems to be grounds to use "epic" to categorize music that matches a certain set of expectations from music fans, not just the professional community, even if such music can come from different genres like classical, film, or production business music.

Richard's explanation and examples are the best answer within that context.

Answer 3

Something I'd add to this thread is that there's a difference between this epic music and the classic music we know. Of course, this neoclassic, epic music, epic orchestral rock was influenced by classical music but the differences from Verdi's Requiem for example (which indeed, I find epic) are remarkable.

This new genre is often linked to movies' music and I think the beginnings start with Hanz Zimmerman, Two steps from hell and Globus(Immediate music). I don't know much about Zimmerman but I think the modern epic style can be traced in his compositions to around 2000-2002 (I don't think his style of epic music should be the main one to refer to). TSFH and Globus, on the other hand, can be traced to 2004.

Recently, I discovered this song from 1998 which sounds like modern epic music. More specifically this part.

Also, in the Chronicles of Narnia (around 2005 -2008), there's Here comes the king track which I believe is one of the most representative for this modern classic music, epic music. For me the epicness is amplified by the choirs, I think it is a key element in defining this new genre.

Lastly, there's Audiomachine, which was founded in 2005 but released albums after 2010. Personally, I think this is the most representative track for this genre Guardians at the gate, every track that wants to be identified as epic music should refer in one way or another to this one. I don't know exactly when this song was first used but I think it's around 2008, although in the album it says it's 2012. +Audiomachine albums: Decimus, Magnus, Tree of life -these I believe should be taken as a reference for this genre

P.S. Sadly, I don't have any musical background but I hope soon I'll learn the musical theory and play the violin which I wish greatly to know how to :D I am more familiar with the forms of arts and their evolution. The epic music genre is my favorite since around 2012 and I want maybe to do some research and to write some studies on this subject

Answer 4

I'd say anything that rises to a big climax can count as 'epic' music. It gets more and more intense as the action of whatever is happening continues. Could range from anything from Beethoven to Nine Inch Nails, really.

Answer 5

I would define modern epic music as the orchestral film music style that features a minor key melody played in triplets with a heavy use of horns, percussion and sometimes choirs. An example of this would be "The battle" from Gladiator. If a medieval or fantasy feel is wanted, then folk instruments are usually added and this could be called fantasy epic music.

Answer 6

It's basically video game music... You see, this trend state started when video games became more sophisticated, and so the music present in this medium. It gets this name basically because are video games which usually need tracks that sound more "epic", also I argue that movie soundtracks wasn't a "thing" because the tracks didn't stick longer with the viewers since a movie has around 2 hours usually, while video games sometimes have more than 100 hours, so players enjoy far longer the songs. So yeah, it is like movie music, but it got label like this do to video games.

Ps Sorry for my terrible English, I'm not native of the language.

And I submit one track as an example - you could think it's from a movie, but in fact is from the game Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

Answer 7

I have been listening to 'Epic Music' for over ten years, and as an active listener, I believe I can provide an answer. First and foremost, it is an art. What is common across music titled epic, is the orchestra, accompanying the simultaneous instruments being played at once; oftentimes integrated with melody and its sole purpose is to trigger emotion: either to pull a string of sadness in one's heart or to uplift.

Answer 8

A track from our popular culture canon that doesn't seem to have been mentioned here - perhaps it's just too obvious ;-) - is Epic by Faith No More

The lyrics reach to describe triggers for an experience of epic-ness. Exactness is simply not available. The closer you seem to be grasping a definition, the faster and harder it slips away...

*You want it all, but you can't have it*
*It's in your face*, but you can't grab it*
*What **is** it?*

*faith?

Here's the youtube link to the video