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Classical Music 101: Horror and Suspense

Popular classical music used in horror and suspense films. Thirty to sixty second clips of 12 popular classical selections.

Song List
1. “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565″ by J.S. Bach.
Movies
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Fantasia
GremlinsII
Rollerball
Sour Grapes
2000 Leagues Under the Sea

2. Mozart’s Requiem in D Minor, K626, Dies Irae
Movies
Amadeus
The Big Lebowski

3. Verdi’s Requiem, Dies Irae
4. Carl Orff’s “O Fortuna” in Carmina Burana.
Movies
The Doors
Excalibur
Natural Born Killers
5. Mussorgsky’s Night on the Bald Mountain
Movies: Asylum
6. Grieg In the Hall of the Mountain King
Mood: Sneaking Around and Stalking

This well-known piece has seen extensive use in movies and commercials, usually in accordance with an ominous event. In the Hall of the Mountain King was famously used in the 1931 film M, in which Peter Lorre’s character whistles it. The song also appears during the teaser trailer of Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Funny Games, Bride Wars and Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian. It is also played over the end credits of the Woody Allen film Scoop.
7. PROMETHEUS by Alexander Scriabin
8. LA MER (The Sea) by Claude Debussy, ‘Dialogue du vent et de la mer’ (Dialogue of the Wind and the Sea)
9. THE MIRACULOUS MANDARIN by Bela Bartok, perhaps one of the most truly terrifying works in the classical repertoire. With shrieking strings, extended trombone glissandi and a chilling wordless chorus.
10. ‘Mars, the Bringer of War’ from THE PLANETS by Gustav Holst
11. FESTE ROMANE (Roman Festivals) by Ottorino Respighi
12. Gnomus by Mussorgsky from Pictures at an Exhibition

Duration : 0:9:54


[youtube Qj32VRPaBb4]

This entry was posted on Saturday, March 20th, 2010 at 4:33 am and is filed under suspense. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

20 Responses to “Classical Music 101: Horror and Suspense”

  1. BobDole2isback on March 20th, 2010 at 4:33 am

    @bubbaXzone
    It was …
    @bubbaXzone
    It was in Earth Worm Jim 1. It was called “What the Heck?” or something with Heck in it. You can still get that game for PC. Just need an Emulator for Super Nintendo games and the file for EarthvWorm Jim

  2. I love this …
    I love this collection <3

  3. @bubbaXzone OMG! …
    @bubbaXzone OMG! That song always gave me nightmares when i was little! That game really freaked me out until i played the game again recently. Now it just makes me laugh!

  4. LOL! IDK if anyone …
    LOL! IDK if anyone remembers this game but 3:39 is in Earth Worm Jim!

  5. Amazing!! thnx for …
    Amazing!! thnx for this

  6. NekysAcherontios on March 20th, 2010 at 4:33 am

    some of these were …
    some of these were on elite 2 frontier soundtrack as battle music XD

  7. found it!” yay I …
    found it!” yay I love Night at Bald Mountain

  8. hmjustanaccount on March 20th, 2010 at 4:33 am

    THANK YOU THANK YOU …
    THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS SONG (”In the Hall of the mountain King” – Edvard Gried) FOR WEEKS NOW THANK YOU

  9. hahha Thank you!! …
    hahha Thank you!! That was the song I was looking for, but thought it was this song instead. haha they really do sound alike

  10. thanks for this… …
    thanks for this…found the song i was looking for (Carl Orff’s “O Fortuna” )

  11. Excellent stuff. :) …
    Excellent stuff. :) Thank you!

  12. I love night on …
    I love night on bald mountain! I remember that was in the game “earth worm jim” or was it earth worm jim 2

    anyways wat about that bela bartok
    third movement of for celestra and strings

    it was played in the shining a few times.

  13. Me too!!. Yesterday …
    Me too!!. Yesterday, I was up late looking for this song. Also, It seems to me similar to “The dance of sugar plumb fairy” of the Nutcracker. I knew the music but not the title. Thanks for this compilation of classical music.

  14. Me too !! …
    Me too !! Yesterday I was up late looking for “Hall of the Mountain King”. I knew the music but not the title. Also, It seems to me similar to “the dance of the sugar plum fairy” of the nutcracker. Thanks for this compilation of classic music.

  15. deathbyfire135 on March 20th, 2010 at 4:33 am

    OMG THANK YOU!!! …
    OMG THANK YOU!!! TOCCATA AND FUGUE (in d minor) by Bach. AUGH!! ITS BEEN DRIVING ME NUTS NOT KNOWING THAT SONG NAME!!!! OMG I LOVE YOU! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

  16. I found what I was …
    I found what I was looking for! Hall of the Mountain King! Many thanks.

  17. JoeSnyderwalk on March 20th, 2010 at 4:33 am

    Good choices – but …
    Good choices – but you’re missing Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring.

  18. Wow these are all …
    Wow these are all awesome songs! CLASSICS!!! Thank you for putting this up.

  19. at 4:35 i believe …
    at 4:35 i believe its the nut cracker !

  20. Some of it also was …
    Some of it also was played outside the ride: Escape from Pompeii in Busch Gardens in Williamsburg

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