MORE Monster Music
Do you have a favorite monster? Maybe it’s the vampire Dracula from Transylvania, or maybe a witch like Baba Yaga from Russian folklore. We’ve put together some tunes that are connected to a different monster or two, continuing our Monster Music series for you to enjoy this Halloween! These whimsical pieces are sure to stir up feelings of fun and excitement.
Dracula by John Williams
Let’s start with one of the most iconic monsters of the season: Dracula. You can find the unageing vampire, also known as Count Dracula, deep within a castle in Transylvania, luring guests into his home. Dracula can also turn into a bat! Would you like to be able to turn into a bat? The 1979 film, Dracula, is a frightfully classic take on the story, with danger and romance being core to the film. Some of the standout scary songs by composer John Williams include “The Bat Attack,” “To Scarborough,” and “Dracula’s Death.” These lively pieces are sure to keep the listener on the edge of their seat throughout.
Frankenstein by Lowell Liebermann
A softer and more delicate approach to monster music would be Lowell Liebermann’s ballet, Frankenstein. There is so much beauty in the slower pace of these instrumental tracks while building up to a powerful moment, taking the listener on a thought-provoking journey. In the story of Frankenstein, the monster is created by an eccentric scientist named Victor Frankenstein. This monster is a bit misunderstood and is trying to find its way in the world, as the story unravels.
Phantasia: The Woman in White Suite by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Julian Lloyd Webber, and Sarah Chang
Based on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, The Phantom of the Opera, our next monster is the elusive and mysterious theater-dweller. The Phantom lives hidden within an opera house in Paris and falls in love with the shining star of the stage, Christine. This piece is dripping with drama and doom; the music is a chaotic explosion of string instruments. There is so much emotion in every note.
“The Hut on Fowl’s Legs (Baba Yaga)” from Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky
Known in Russian folklore, Baba Yaga is a witch who lives in a hut atop large chicken legs. The chicken legs carry the hut around the forest. Baba Yaga is known to scare children, but also holds wisdom and provides tests of strength or bravery that can be seen as a rite of passage. The boldness of Mussorgsky’s “The Hut on Fowl’s Legs (Baba Yaga)” balances itself with moments of unhurried calm. This eerie piece plays with creativity and attention to detail, leaving the listener feeling as if Baba Yaga herself is right around the corner. Would you live in a hut on chicken legs?
Transylvanian Dances by Béla Bartók
Let’s return once more to Transylvania, where it is said folklore characters and creatures such as werewolves, strigoi, and vampires roam. Strigoi are known for their super strength and range of powers, while werewolves are monsters that shapeshift from humans to powerful wolf-like creatures. The three-movement piece by Béla Bartók, Transylvanian Dances, flies by with excitement. The listener is led down a winding story that quickly picks up speed. The heart of this music is lively and keeps the listener on their toes, playing between moments of loud, theatrical notes and more contained, clean beats. Based on this music, would you travel to Transylvania?
