8 Classical Pieces I Love for Halloween

Halloween is nearly here, and if you’re looking for spooky, scary, or creepy music, you’re in luck. Here’s a list of my top 8 classical pieces for Halloween. If the music alone doesn’t scare you, just read about the eerie stories that accompany each piece. What's more, you can download free sheet music for numbers 3, 4, and 8!

What Classical Music Is Perfect for Halloween?

If you need a quick playlist for your spooky season celebrations, here are 8 of the best classical pieces for Halloween:

• The Erlking by Franz Schubert
• Fossils by Camille Saint-Saëns
• Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky
• In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg
• Toccata and Fugue in D minor by Johann Sebastian Bach
• The Water Goblin by Antonín Dvořák
• Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Paul Dukas
• Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns

1. The Erlking by Franz Schubert

This dramatic art-song paints a vivid musical picture of a father riding frantically on horseback through the dark woods at night, desperately trying to protect his young child from the ominous, whispering Erlking (Elf-king). Schubert uses fast, relentless octave repetitions in the piano to mimic the pounding hooves of the horse, building tension right up to its tragic finish.

2. Fossils by Camille Saint-Saëns

What makes this piece so fun and quirky is the fast staccato played on the xylophone, perfectly mimicking the sound of dry skeletons clacking their bones together as they dance. Saint-Saëns even weaves in snippets of popular children's tunes to give it a playful yet ghostly feel. Keep reading for more bone-chilling skeletons by Saint-Saëns!

3. Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky

This powerful tone poem creates a dark, fiery musical picture of a Witches’ Sabbath occurring on a shadowy mountain peak—a scene straight out of a Halloween nightmare. Wild brass fanfares and turbulent strings transport you straight into a night of supernatural frenzy before dawn finally brings peace. You can find the free piano sheet music here.

4. In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg

The main character, Peer (Peter), finds himself trapped deep inside the underground realm of the Mountain King. As he sneaks around, he is discovered by an army of trolls and must race to escape their wrath. Download this popular tune that starts slow and gets progressively faster in three different versions from this page.

5. Toccata and Fugue in D minor by Johann Sebastian Bach

This iconic organ piece is an absolute MUST for every Halloween playlist! From its dramatic opening flourish to its deep, thunderous bass chords, it is by far the most instantly recognizable spooky theme in all of classical music.

6. The Water Goblin by Antonin Dvorak

Based on Czech folklore, this dark orchestral piece tells the tale of a mischievous and sinister water spirit who traps drowning souls in upside-down teacups at the bottom of his lake. Dvořák uses dramatic shifts in tempo and harmony to tell this creepy story through sound alone.

7. Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Paul Dukas

The story is based upon a famous poem about an old sorcerer who leaves his apprentice alone in the workshop for the afternoon. Eager to skip his chores, the apprentice tries a magic spell to enchant a broom to carry water—but quickly loses control, leading to chaotic flooding and near disaster before the master returns.

8. Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns

This famous masterpiece is based upon the ancient legend that Death appears on Halloween midnight to play his screeching fiddle, summoning skeletons from their graves to dance until the rooster crows at dawn. Grab the free sheet music here.

For more free sheet music, downloadable PDFs, and other resources from Lessonface teachers, click here.

This article was originally published in October of 2021.