My frightfully ghoulish Halloween classical music list.

I have two lists -- one where every piece is relatively known, and the alternative that is rarely heard.

In my opinion, the popular list is not so scary or goose-bump-creating, but you will hear these tunes during Halloween.  I strongly suggest you go with the obscure list, which will truly send chills down your spine.

This is your chore for Halloween night: find as best as you can (or use a youtube to mp3 download service online) all the music on this short list, then play them in rotation, while you read ghost stories in the dark, with just candle light or a small lantern.  This is especially worthy of a group activity.

The popular classical Halloween music list:

1. Toccata and Fugue in D-minor, JS Bach
2. O Fortuna - from Carmina Burana, Carl Orff
3. Night on Bald Mountain, Modest Mussorgsky
4. Dies Irae - Requiem, Giuseppe Verdi
5. Mars, The Bringer of War - The Planets, Gustav Holst

The obscure classical Halloween music list:

1. Apparitions, Gyorgy Ligeti
2. Quatrieme Tableau * - from the 3rd Act of Les Dialogues des Carmelites, Francis Poulenc
3. Black Angels **, George Crumb
4. Doom, A Sigh, István Mártha
5. The Rite of Spring ***, Igor Stravinsky

* - A caution on the finale (Quatrieme Tableau) from Les Dialogues des Carmelites...if you don't watch the video and just let the music play, you will be freaked out to know that sound of chopping, is supposed to be heads being cut off.  Heck, that should freak most anyone out.

However, if you learn the story of the Carmelite nuns then watch the video, you may come away sobbing with a profound sadness.  I know of no other opera with an exceedingly sad ending, that you will find most people red-eyed (and eye liner smeared), upon exiting the opera.

** - Black Angels is a 3-part piece: I. Departure; II. Absence; III. Return.  I bought this very Kronos Quartet CD, 20 years ago, and I strongly recommend it if you're the adventurous type who enjoys all sorts of classical music.

*** - Sure, I realize The Rite of Spring is somewhat popularly known, but you hardly ever hear it used in the context of Halloween, and the scene of The Sacrifice is gruesome to imagine.