J.S. Bach: Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565

With just the first two notes, this piece instantly conjures up sinister images of haunted mansions, shadowy castles, evil vampires, horror movies, there’s so much! It truly has become the defining soundtrack for countless horror scenes. It’s remarkable how a work composed in the 1700s has remained popular, creating a legacy of its own.

Bernard Herrmann: Psycho Suite

Known for its use in the iconic film Psycho, this music’s stabbing strings and sharp rhythms capture the essence of fear. It’s the perfect match for intense scenes, making your heart race as if something dreadful will happen. The whole suite demonstrates the capabilities music has to define horror.

Camille Saint-Saëns: Danse Macabre

Saint-Saëns depicts Death waking skeletons from their graves in a dance at midnight, balancing out eerie and playful tunes with each other. Often featured in animations or Halloween playlists, it has inspired works portraying death and skeletons… Even the composer himself used the theme again to represent fossils, all the way back in the 1800s.

Modest Mussorgsky: Night on Bald Mountain

This piece feels like being caught in a chaotic storm, building up suspense with swirling sounds all to portray the gathering of evil spirits wreaking havoc on a mountain. If you’re a Gozilla fan, you might notice how this sounds incredibly similar to its theme. Go ahead and compare the two, this is where the composer was inspired from!

Danny Elfman: Film Scores

Elfman’s scores have embedded themselves into Halloween, they’re basically essential to enjoying the season. His music blends spooky and quirky elements, making the perfect fit for ghouls, skeletons, otherworldly characters being accompanied by his music.

Paul Dukas: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

You’ve probably seen Mickey Mouse with a wizard hat on before, that version of him comes from Fantasia, a 1940 film released by Disney where only music and animation partner up to tell several stories. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice has become the most popular segment and was originally written for a poem which Disney used with his interpretation of the music.

Edvard Grieg: In the Hall of the Mountain King

This piece depicts a man creeping about a cave until being frantically chased by trolls, which you can probably guess would be used somewhere else… The growing suspense has made it the perfect fit for movies, commercials, anything where sneaking around is shown or tension is needed.  

Giuseppe Verdi: Requiem Dies Irae

“Dies Irae” literally translates to “Day of Wrath” which you immediately hear once the piece begins. The dramatic sounds, the portrayal of chaos and judgment, and the hostile atmosphere this work depicts makes it immensely popular. You’ll hear whenever something has gone horribly wrong.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Requiem Lacrimosa

If you need to capture sorrow and mystery, this work conveys the haunting acceptance of death and makes great music for reveals, reflections, and loss. Its emotional depth leaves a profound impression, you’ll definitely hear this melancholic piece often. 

Carl Orff: O Fortuna

If you’ve ever seen a trailer or commercial with epic, thundering music, chances it was O Fortuna. It’s the unmistakable anthem for intensity and drama with seething quiet parts that explode into lashes of wrath.