Magic Classical is getting ready for Halloween with a special exploring the music behind horror cinema’s most memorable moments.
Soundtracking: Horror with Ayanna Witter-Johnson go behind the scenes of some of the genre’s most iconic film scores.
Hosted by award-winning composer Ayanna Witter-Johnson, whose work includes Sky TV’s Possession, the one-off programme features interviews with three acclaimed composers who have helped shape the sound of modern horror.
Danny Elfman, known for his work on Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas, will discuss the music behind some of cinema’s best-known films, alongside James Newton Howard, whose credits include The Village, The Sixth Sense and Signs.
The programme will also feature Michael Abels, the composer behind Get Out, Us and Nope, as well as highlighting emerging talent Rock Burwell, known for Obsession.
The special explores how music can create tension, fear and atmosphere, from the instantly recognisable opening notes of Jaws to the unsettling score of Get Out, which accompanies the film’s Sunken Place.
It will also look back at Bernard Herrmann’s distinctive string arrangements, which helped make the shower scene in Psycho one of cinema’s most memorable sequences.
The programme traces a century of horror music, exploring the different ways composers have used sound to unsettle audiences and bring frightening stories to life.
Listeners can expect to hear about the dramatic use of Bach in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the unforgettable synthesiser sounds of Halloween and the gospel-inspired music of Get Out.
The programme will examine the creative thinking behind these influential soundtracks, while exploring how composers continue to find new ways to build suspense and create distinctive musical identities for horror films.
With contributions from established names and a spotlight on newer talent, the Halloween special offers listeners an insight into the music that has helped define the genre across generations.
Soundtracking: Horror with Ayanna Witter-Johnson airs on Magic Classical on Saturday 31 October, from 8pm to 10pm.