"Classical" Music for Halloween

I teach in a school where we need to be careful about celebrating certain holidays, especially Halloween.  In my first few years of teaching, I never encountered a problem teaching the good songs like "Skin and Bones" or "Witch, Witch," but I am now teaching in my second school where I need to be very careful of what I teach in October. 

Having said that, I am a firm believer in giving kids exposure to music of all kinds, but especially orchestral music (what non-musical people call "Classical").  There are so many great "classical" pieces out there that I can use in October that aren't all about Halloween!  I can teach so many musical skills and concepts through these pieces - minor modalities, rhythmic patterns, symphonic poems, incidental music, composer profiles, you name it! 

Here are a list of my favorite "Classical" songs that I use in October, but really can be done any time of year:

1. "In the Hall of the Mountain King" by Edvard Grieg.  There is so much material out there for this piece - lesson plans, listening guides, etc.  This is a fantastic piece for teaching ta and ti-ti (quarter note, paired eighth notes) and tempo!

Some helpful links here:  http://www.makingmusicfun.net/htm/f_printit_free_printable_worksheets/mountain-king-listening-map.htm (printable listening map)

And here: 
http://www.classicsforkids.com/teachers/lessonplans/pdfs/grieg/Grieg%20Lesson%20Plans%20K-2.pdf (lesson plan and materials for grades K-2)
http://www.classicsforkids.com/teachers/lessonplans/pdfs/grieg/Grieg%20Lesson%20Plans%203-5.pdf (lesson plan and materials for grades 3-5)

2. "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Seans.  This is really kind of a creepy song, so I really only use it for upper grades. 

Youtube link to creepy 1980s cartoon:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CHqhsMP80E

Here are the slides to a PowerPoint presentation you can use (I don't know who made this to give them credit, but it is very well done.  Good job, whoever!)

 

3. "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" by J.S. Bach.  This is actually required listening for my 3rd graders, and it's the perfect time of year for it!

 

The kids really enjoy this piece, but I usually only play the first little bit of it.  In the following recording, I usually play until about 2:40.  Supposedly it is the "best version ever" of it :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho9rZjlsyYY

This one has the famous "bar graph" score:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipzR9bhei_o

And there's always Disney's version - but played by an orchestra insead of an organ:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj06pRMO9hM

 

4. "Night on Bald Mountain" by Modest Mussorgsky.  I remember watching the "Fantasia" version of this growing up, and it gave me nightmares, so be careful with this one.  Great for teaching minor though :)  Side note - I was watching "Wizard of Oz" with my daughter the other day, and noticed they used this piece in the background of the Wicked Witch's castle scene.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMmfaaiWMEs

 

5. "Sorcerer's Apprentice" by Paul Dukas.  This is a fun one that I leave in substitute plans sometimes - the kids just really love watching it, especially the Disney version:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHTnJNGvQcA

 

6.  Finally, and this one really isn't Halloweeny, but I love it and it is a bit creepy sounding, "Prelude in C# Minor" by Sergei Rachmoninoff.  This is a piece I am practicing right now and just love the way it sounds:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOx710drHnw