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MUSICAL NOTES
Laura Wilson, BA-MT
THE SYMPHONY GOES SCARY
There are many great novelty pop songs people listen to around the time of Halloween. The Monster
Mash and Thriller are two of them, but there are also some great horror movie themes that have been
written by classical composers and/or performed by orchestras and symphonies. Using the full spectrum
of sound produced by a large symphony to score a horror movie or perform a scary theme makes for an
intense musical experience that just might make a few hairs stand up on the back of one’s neck. Many of
the old horror movies from the 1930s and 1940s used symphonic musical scores. In the month of
October, many symphonies and orchestras will include performances that focus on music from well-known
horror movies. Sometimes a symphony will play live along with a showing of a horror movie such as
Psycho from Alfred Hitchcock. Many major orchestras have recorded collections of horror movie music.
What would a horror movie be like with no music? Probably not very scary. Music is used in movies to
create a mood, warn the viewers of impending danger, and provide direction on how we should interpret
what we are seeing on the screen. Music can be used to relax, uplift, and inspire people, but also to make
them feel unsure and uneasy at times. The latter is done by using minor tones and chords, tones that
clash with each other, and slow repeating musical phrases that get louder and faster in accordance with
the action on the screen. An example of this would be the two-note phrase from the movie, Jaws. This is
a minor second where the second note is up a half step from the first, creating a menacing vibe when
played slowly. In horror movie music, the composer also uses dissonant and conflicting tones that to our
ears sound foreign or simply bad. Tempo and rhythm are also an important factor in music when creating
a scary scenario.
For this month’s activity, you will listen to and discuss some Halloween songs from the classical music
world. Your group will hear some famous horror movie themes, analyze the music, and discuss what
makes the music sound scary.
Writer’s Note: This activity may not be appropriate for participants who are easily agitated, have severe
dementia, or are overly sensitive to sounds slightly unpleasant to the ear.
OBJECTIVES
Music appreciation
Mental stimulation
Celebration of Halloween
SUPPLIES
CD player
Pictures of famous horror movie monsters (i.e., Frankenstein, Dracula, The Phantom of the Opera)
Copyright Creative Forecasting, Inc. October 2013 (719) 633-3174, Fax: (719) 632-4721, E-mail: [email protected] www.creativeforecasting.com
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MUSIC
Tocatta and Fugue in D Minor, J.S. Bach - This truly creepy piece of music is performed on the
organ and most listeners will recognize it right away and associate it with the horror genre. The piece has
many minor seconds, dissonant, and clashing chords. The composition is in the public domain, and there
are many versions available to listen to with an online search.
Funeral March of a Marionette, C. Gounod - This haunting piece of music in a minor key is also the
theme song from the Alfred Hitchcock Presents television show.
In the Hall of the Mountain King, Peer Gynt, Suite #1, Edvard Grieg - This is an ominous piece of
music used often in movies that has minor tones and a menacing mood.
Ave Satani, Jerry Goldsmith - This song was written for the 1976 movie, The Omen, and was crafted
to be a sort of evil version of a Gregorian chant. The soundtrack won an Oscar® in 1977. The original
version of this song can be found at iTunes.com. There are also some heavy metal versions, so be careful
to screen the song before playing it for your participants.
Theme from Frankenstein, Bernhard Kaun - This is a grand, unsettling piece of symphonic music to
go with the 1931 movie, Frankenstein.
Theme from Dracula / Inside Castle Dracula, Heinz Roemheld - This is the main theme from the
1931 Bela Lugosi movie, Dracula. It has a haunting theme with minor tones that leaves the listener with a
feeling of impending danger.
Psycho Theme, Bernard Hermann - This disturbing piece of music is very dissonant, fast moving,
and there are chords thrown in that sound like slashing motions such as in the famous shower scene from
the movie. It is not necessarily a pleasant piece of music to listen to, but it definitely creates a mood.
Tubular Bells, Mike Oldfield - This is a bit more modern sounding piece of music from the movie, The
Exorcist. It is a chilling tune.
Theme from Halloween, John Carpenter - This is a simple piano theme, but is credited for being an
important factor in the success of the movie. The main melody is a repetitious and eerie, high-pitched
piano part while lower chords come crashing in.
The Phantom of the Opera, Andrew Lloyd Weber - There is an older theme from the original movie
from the 1920s, but this is the more modern version from the musical that is more pop and theatre than
classical. Similar in musical structure to our first piece, Tocatta and Fugue in D Minor, the long musical
runs in minor keys.
Many of these compositions can be downloaded individually online or found on YouTube®. As mentioned
earlier, many major symphonies have recorded collections of horror movie music that can be purchased
on CD or online.
Ending Music: The Monster Mash, Bobby “Boris” Pickett
ACTIVITY STEPS
Explain to the group that you are going to be playing some symphonic music from scary movies. Talk
briefly about the importance of music in a scary movie and/or movies, in general. Mention that the music
they are going to be hearing might not always be pleasant sounding to their ears.
Go through each of the musical selections you have available. Discuss the music and identify what
makes the music sound scary. Discuss the tones, rhythm, volume, etc. of the music. You might have the
group try to guess what movie the music is from. Show a picture from the movie or of the scary monster
the music represents.
End the group on a positive note. Mention that while music can make people uneasy and frightened, it
can also relax us and make us feel happy. Play some upbeat music such as The Monster Mash. CF
Copyright Creative Forecasting, Inc. October 2013 (719) 633-3174, Fax: (719) 632-4721, E-mail: [email protected] www.creativeforecasting.com
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