It’s that time of year again: the sun is slipping into twilight more rapidly every day, evenings are getting chillier, and the forests are shedding their leaves before we head into the slumber of winter. The deep darkness of October, of course, concludes with the eeriest celebration of the year: Halloween. Whether you’re a horror film fanatic or prefer to just take in the rich colors and crisp air of the season, there is something to enjoy this time of year, and we have just the music for you. Check out our Classically Halloween playlist on the following streaming sites – if you dare.
Listen to the full playlist on your favorite streaming platform today.
String Quartet No. 1 “The Music of Erich Zann”: Scene 1
Michael J. Evans
Evans sets an ominous stage for this piece that illustrates H.P. Lovecraft’s story, alternating between slow, dark counterpoint in the cello and violin and rhythmic interjections of col legno battuto – a technique that calls for string players to play their instruments by hitting them with the wood of their bows. In Scene 1, Sirius Quartet strains and creaks, embodying the ghostly, derelict boarding house that serves as the setting of this eerie tale.
Learn more about composer Michael J. Evans
The Great God Pan, Act I: Intro
Rosśa Crean
Chicago-based composer Rosśa Crean’s opera THE GREAT GOD PAN takes its story from Welsh author Arthur Machen’s 1890 novella by the same name, which explores themes of scientific hubris, transcendental medicine, and unexplainable supernatural behavior. The opera’s chilling intro sets the stage for the gripping story of a surgery gone wrong, rich with ominous musical tension and mystery.
“When I write and perform, I get to put a piece of my mind and perspective out there into the world, and over the years I have found collaborators and listeners who have related to
the topics I cover, and that is what keeps me moving forward.”Rosśa Crean
Learn more about composer Rosśa Crean
Uncanny Valley
Nicholas Vines
With five movements of music, Nicholas Vines’s Uncanny Valley thematically ponders the evolution of robots into humanoid figures, slowly blurring the line between human and machine until one can’t be distinguished from the other. Through each movement, the sound gradually begins to resemble a real person, utilizing extended techniques to build suspense before returning to conventional piano sounds in its final movement.
“HIPSTER ZOMBIES FROM MARS is the summation of 18 years of creative output. At one end is Terraformation, written just before my American stint; in the middle is Uncanny Valley, written just after; and to finish off, there is Indie Ditties, a response to both my old and new lives.”
Nicholas Vines
Learn more about composer Nicholas Vines
Succubus Moon
Eleanor Alberga
The romantic and the demonic lie side by side in Eleanor Alberga’s Succubus Moon, juxtaposing the ethereal, tranquil, and reflective moon against the impenetrable darkness of the night where the demonic and seductive Succubus reigns.
Learn more about composer Eleanor Alberga
Brilliant Bat
Dan Brown
Full of hair raising harmonies and suspenseful descending lines, Brilliant Bat evokes all of the feelings associated with these creatures of the night. Become immersed in the nocturnal journey of one of Halloween’s most iconic figures in this work by New York Times best-selling author Dan Brown and performed by the Zagreb Festival Orchestra.
