On the spookiest day of the year, we sample music from horror films through the decades. From the 1920s till present day, enjoy some of the best horror soundtracks and see how musical language progressed over time. Happy Halloween!
Scares Through the Years
But what does the Jack-o-lantern think? (Photo: Image by SzaboJanos from Pixabay)
Playlist
Christopher Young: Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror
“Phantom Carriage”
Saya Hashino, o; Zürich Tonhalle Orch/Frank Strobel
Franz Waxman: The Bride of Frankenstein (Steven R. Bernstein)
Prelude & Minuet
Cincinnati Pops Orch/Erich Kunzel
Franz Waxman: Sorry, Wrong Number
Passacaglia
Queensland Sym Orch/Richard Mills
Bernard Herrmann: The Day the Earth Stood Still
“Prelude and Outer Space”
Ensemble/Joel McNeely
Bernard Herrmann: Psycho
Suite: I. Prelude
Suite: IV. “The Murder”
Los Angeles Phil/Esa-Pekka Salonen
Mike Oldfield: The Exorcist
“Tubular Bells”
Cincinnati Pops Orch/Erich Kunzel
John Williams: Jaws
Main Theme
London Sym Orch/John Williams
Howard Shore: The Fly
“The Fly” (Main Title)
“The Stairs”
Finale
Radio France Orch/Ludwig Wicki
Philip Glass: Candyman
“It Was Always You, Helen”
Studio Cho & Orch/Michael Reisman
Javier Navarrete: Pan’s Labyrinth
“Long, Long Time Ago”
“The Labyrinth”
Lua, vocals; City of Prague Phil Cho & Orch/Javier Navarrete
Michael Abels: Us
“Anthem”
“Pas de deux”
Studio Cho & Orch/Pete Anthony
Tyler Bates; Tim Williams: Pearl (Drew Krassowski)
Main Titles
“One Day”
“Hot-House Rag”
Nashville Scoring Orch/Gregory Prechel