Also since it looks like this is going to stick in my brain all week, I'm going to add a hugely-formative one with a weird entry point. A lot of people know In The Hall of the Mountain King, but the reason why I got it dug in first was from the first "horror game" I experienced at like 7-8 years old.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtCq53IouHk

The song was integrated into the gameplay, and got louder and faster and LOUDER AND FASTER as you were running out of time.

Meanwhile, the bottom level had a wicked-fast spider that would eat you.

So I had a close connection to this shortest-and-most-impactful-of-#BigCrescendos well before I heard it orchestrated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpUWXz9ptcc

One of the true kings.

...but with #BigCrescendos we would be remiss to leave off what is literally the most famous and lengthy "absolute crescendo" all time.

Maurice Ravel can be a challenging listen at the best of times. But one of his last works would become his most famous, and is essentially the purest musical crescedo possible, with both instrumentation and loudness/dynamics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh9bUD-hC0A (Live Performance)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl_cHyB1qdM (Scrolling orchestral score)

A simple snare line that will be repeated for the rest of the work, played as softly as possible, alongside a flute melody and plucked low strings.

Two melodies alternating, with each repeat adding more and different instruments to the "percussion rhythm" and "bass rhythm line" and melody. Ending FULL. FUCKING. OUT.

Unmatched.