Halloween Music

[Rowy]

Have you ever written music for Halloween or created music suitable for the occasion? This is your chance to scare the hell out of us with your creativity.

[Jon Corelis]

I’m especially glad to respond to this suggestion because I happen to have several compositions which seem to qualify.  Ordinarily I wouldn’t post multiple compositions here all at once, but since I think all three of these are relevant to the theme, I’ll post them all, making each one a different reply, which I hope will make viewing, listening, and commenting easier.  All three have audio files created with software as a demo, using choral ahs for vocals, though each vocal part is intended for a single voice. 

A brief preface to these:  The first two are from Shakespeare’s Scottish Play (you are not supposed to say the name outside the theatre; I don’t know if that rule applies to writing on a  computer, but just to be careful …)  Shakespeare’s witches have nothing to do with the conical-hatted, broomstick riding cartoon stereotypes;  they scare the <bleep!> out of me.  They are the nightmare we didn’t know we had.  The third piece is less specifically about the supernatural, but since it tries to create a spooky autumnal atmosphere, I thought it might also be appropriate to include it

Comments will be welcome.

[Jon Corelis]

Witches' Song

 

When shall we three meet again,
In thunder, lightning or in rain?
When the hurlyburly's done,
When the battle's lost and won.
That will be ere the set of sun.
Where the place?
Upon the heath.
There to meet with Macbeth.
I come, Graymalkin!
Paddock calls.
Anon!
Fair is foul and foul is fair:
Hover through the fog and filthy air.

 

 

Words by William Shakespeare; Music by Jon Corelis

Audio file here:  Witches_Song_102023.mp3

Score here: Witches_Song_102023.pdf

 

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Please note that while this composition is based on a traditional poem in the public domain, this  adaptation of it is an original creative work under copyright
.
For performance permission, please see my permissions page.

Image: Painting by Henry Fuseli

[Jon Corelis]

Second Witches' Song

 

Words by William Shakespeare  Music by Jon Corelis

Audio.file here:  Second_Witches_Song102023.mp3

Score here:  Second_Witches_Song102023.pdf

The lyrics:

Posters of the sea and land
thus go about, about,
thrice to thine and thrice to mine,
and thrice again to make up nine,
and thrice again to make up nine,
and thrice to make up nine.
Peace, the charm's wound up.

 

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Please note that while this composition is based on a traditional poem in the public domain, this adaptation of it is an original creative work under copyright.

For performance permission, please see my permissions page.

Image: illustration from The Devil in Britain and America by J. Ashton, 1896, colorized by Jon Corelis

 

[Jon Corelis]

Turning

Song for Mezzo-soprano, Cello, and Percussion

Audio file here:  TurningMS4.mp3

Score here:  TurningMS4Demo.pdf

 

The Lyrics:

The gold star weeps
twelve silver tears,
one still unshed.

Dawn's bow twangs
in the doe's soft ear.

Tang of fog,
tang of frost,
tang of fire;

three blonde crones
cast the horizon
of the chestnut hearth,

 

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Copyright 2023 by Jon Corelis.

For performance permission, please see my permissions page.

Image: Venus of Brassempouy c. 25,000 bce

[Rowy]

I don't find any of the three songs really scary. I'm not complaining; I once composed a piece about a sad old witch, and it didn't sound scary either. I orchestrated it for symphony orchestra, using the VSTs I could lay my hands on, but soon realized I didn't give a fuck about orchestral work. I finished it and then stopped writing for orchestra. Although I'm tempted to write for a small chamber orchestra, so I can have some fun with the Basso Continuo.

I like the third song best, Jon, probably because of the instrumentation. The claves make it a bit scary.

[David]

I've never written any specifically Halloween music but if burning witches counts, then by all means listen to the section from around 34'10" in my Hansel and Gretel where the event is described in gory detail.I found it scary to write at any rate, although the real point is the joy in Hansel's voice when he shouts "the old witch is dead" a few seconds later.....

[Rowy]

Stupid me couldn't find your Hansel and Gretel. It's not on your playlist. Would you be so kind to give me a link?

[David]

same link as Cinderella (and my other abuses of fairytales) https://play.reelcrafter.com/dko22/vocalmusic

 

[Rowy]

You're right, that was scary.

[Ivor]

Nothing Haloween. People have claimed a few pieces would be good for horror films.

I was listening to a few to see if anything could be adapted but it caused me to realise my composing days are pretty-well up. I wrote my "best" things 6 to 2 years ago. It gets more difficlt to develop beyond... Maybe I need some flying ointment (but being male, not applied in the usual way)!