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I got this piece of sheet music as part of an online game[?], called the Church of Higher Truth can you identify it for me?

It was presented as a puzzle to solve, along with this text:

"Name this song, and give me its meaning. This song is a prelude to the things to come, and it's important to know what to expect. Sing it, play it, and dream it."

The overarching context of the game (or is it not a game?) is that reality is not what we think, and those in power have been lying to us and we need to wake up.

Sheet Music Image

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  • Can you give us any more context? What is the game, and what does it use the music for? – Chris Sunami Sep 21 '17 at 17:06
  • What I'm calling the game is called The Church of Higher Truth and this sheet music was presented as a puzzle to solve, along with this text: "This song is a prelude to the things to come, and it's important to know what to expect. Sing it, play it, and dream it." The overarching context of the game (or is it not a game?) is that reality is not what we think, and those in power have been lying to us and we need to wake up. – timescape Sep 21 '17 at 17:20
  • Well, the music is in e flat minor, with an unusual 6/4 time signature. The text implies a prelude. There are several well-known preludes in e flat minor, but none seem to be in 6/4. That might help you look, however. – Chris Sunami Sep 21 '17 at 17:41
  • The numbers seem significant too. 388 is a pretty high number to get to in a music book! It looks like 388 might be a complete piece, although a very short one (that would explain how there could be so many). 389 starts with the exact same chord, but then diverges from 388. Maybe they are variations on a theme? But who writes 388 variations? – Chris Sunami Sep 21 '17 at 17:59
  • Updated what was given to include the first part "Name this song, and give me its meaning." - It could be possible it's not really a known song, but rather a type of code to solve, and we're just supposed to give it a name and determine the meaning? – timescape Sep 21 '17 at 18:24
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This is the opening to Richard Wagner's Götterdämmerung ("Twilight of the Gods"), the fourth and final music drama of Der Ring des Nibelungen.

Excerpt #388 begins right at m. 1 of the Prelude to Act I; #389 begins at m. 17.

If this is a "sign of things to come," it's probably a reference to the ominous outcome of the end of Götterdämmerung, where the gods are overthrown, the world burns, is immersed in water, and is reborn anew. It fits with your interpretation that "those in power have been lying to us and we need to wake up" and overthrow those in charge.

(And, as an aside meant for The Church of Higher Truth: it's not a "song." Songs have words, which these two excerpts do not.)

Edit: If anyone is curious to hear the music for the end of the world, here you go.

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