Happy Halloween! In honor of this weekend's spooky holiday, we'll introduce 13 pieces, split over two days, that you might want to add to your Halloween playlist, along with some
information about what makes them frightening! We'll start with the more family friendly pieces today. Check back tomorrow, if you dare, to explore the darker music with spookier stories (which may be too scary for little ones).
In the Hall of the
Mountain King from Peer Gynt Suite by Edvard Grieg
The Peer Gynt Suite tells the story of a boy, Peer Gynt, who runs away and is kidnapped by trolls! In the Hall of the Mountain King starts with the cellos plucking the theme, which might suggest Peer Gynt is creeping along in the troll king’s castle to try to escape. A chase ensues, but Peer Gynt eventually escapes!
Listen to it here.
The Peer Gynt Suite tells the story of a boy, Peer Gynt, who runs away and is kidnapped by trolls! In the Hall of the Mountain King starts with the cellos plucking the theme, which might suggest Peer Gynt is creeping along in the troll king’s castle to try to escape. A chase ensues, but Peer Gynt eventually escapes!
Listen to it here.
The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Paul Dukas
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice has been made famous by Disney’s adaptation in Fantasia. A powerful sorcerer has left his apprentice to do chores and the apprentice uses magic that he is not trained in to perform the tasks. Before he knows it, things are out of control and his master awakes to the disaster and has to use magic to make things right again! Listen to it here.
Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky
Night on Bald Mountain portrays a witches' sabbath in Russia. It’s a spooky party with dancing and rituals. When the sun rises at 6am, all the witches vanish. This piece is also depicted in Disney’s Fantasia movie! Watch this graphical score of the piece here.
Toccata and Fugue in D minor by Johann Sebastian Bach
This famous melody has been used as a spooky theme for television shows, movies, and commercials. The piece was not intended to be spooky when it was written, but it is widely associated with Halloween. This piece is also included in the Disney film Fantasia, not with a scary story behind it though, but rather shapes that evolve with the music! Watch a graphical score here.
O Fortuna from
Carmina Burana by Carl Orff
O Fortuna from Carmina Burana reminds us that fortune or fate will always prevail. This piece is used in movies, television shows, or commercials to demonstrate chaos or intensity. You can read the translation of the text here.
Listen to it here.
O Fortuna from Carmina Burana reminds us that fortune or fate will always prevail. This piece is used in movies, television shows, or commercials to demonstrate chaos or intensity. You can read the translation of the text here.
Listen to it here.
The Witch from Children's Album by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
The Witch is a very short section from a larger piece, Children's Album, by Tchaikovsky. This section depicts The Witch, Baba Yaga, who is both villainous and helpful, but you never know which one she will appear as! Listen to it here.
The Witch is a very short section from a larger piece, Children's Album, by Tchaikovsky. This section depicts The Witch, Baba Yaga, who is both villainous and helpful, but you never know which one she will appear as! Listen to it here.
Transylvanian Dances by Béla Bartók
These short pieces are based on the folk themes from Transylvania, home of the famous vampire Dracula! Listen to the first movement here.
For more scary music, check out this article from Classic FM.
Which one was your favorite? Which did you find the scariest and why? Comment below and let us know!
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