Film and television composer George Streicher composed ten original tracks for “Music of the Macabre,” a new Halloween-themed album recorded by the Budapest Scoring Orchestra & Choir and various soloists. George is well-known for his work on Tubi’s Corrective Measures starring Bruce Willis and Michael Rooker. He has also done original scores for features like Go Fish, Howard Lovecraft, Undersea Kingdom, and Heroes of the Golden Masks, starring Patton Oswalt. 

In this interview, George discusses his musical process and how the nostalgia for the season inspired some tracks on the album. The album aims to capture the spirit of Halloween and some of the tracks pay homage to music you would hear in a haunted house, movies, or retro Halloween CD or cassette. The album is available now on CD, Audio Cassette, Digital Download and Streaming. Listen to the track “Memories of Halloween” below!

Tell us a bit about your background and what inspired you to create a Halloween album?

George Streicher (GS): My background is mostly in music for film and television, and a large amount of that has been in the kind of orchestral, fantasy-adventure genre. I was inspired to write a Halloween album after rediscovering old “scary music” tapes and CDs I grew up with in the 90s. Albums like “Classics from the Crypt” and “Thriller-Chiller Sound Effects.” I used to listen to those constantly, even in the off-season. I was in love with the typical eerie, classical repertoire; pieces like Danse Macabre, Night on Bald Mountain and Dream of a Witches Sabbath. I think they simultaneously terrified and exhilarated me. So in rediscovering those, my nostalgia for the holiday and that music inspired me to write something that might be able to be part of that.

George Streicher

What was it like working with the Budapest Scoring Orchestra & Choir on “Music of the Macabre”?

GS: The Budapest Scoring Orchestra & Choir is fantastic. Their reading and performances are top tier and I’ve had such a blast working with them over the years. There were so many occasions when recording for this album that the performances elevated the music to a level I couldn’t have imagined; even while composing them. Every session inspired me to go home and write more music for them to play.  

Which song on the album was your favorite to work on and why?

GS: My favorite track on the album has to be “Memories of Halloween.” It’s the most personal track on the album because I wrote it as a love letter to my childhood. The inspiration for the track actually came from the sound effect from a “shaking ghost” decoration we had. It made this kind of two-note, theremin-esque spooky sound and lit up and vibrated when you screamed or hit it. That sound triggers so many memories for myself and others that I thought I have to sample this and use it in something. So I took those two notes as the foundation of the melody, harmonized them, and developed a whole piece around it. It ended up sounding so wistful and nostalgic to me. I’m very happy with how that one turned out, here.

In your opinion, which instrument is the most important and effective at making music sound “scary?”

GS: I don’t think it’s so much what instrument you’re using as it is how you’re using it. Anything can be made to sound scary. Probably even a kazoo could be made to sound scary. I think manipulating traditional sounds that we’re so used to hearing is a very effective tool in creating horror with music; whether electronically or acoustically. But you can never go wrong with some sudden and sharp, high-string glissandi. 

Album Artwork Provided by George Streicher

In what ways was creating “Music of the Macabre” different from scoring for a film or television show?

GS: What separates composing for this album versus a film score is that my inspiration and palette is limitless. I can draw from whatever inspiration strikes me or use whatever tools I want because I’m not confined to a structure or timing. That makes it a little tougher, as well. I’m essentially writing standalone concert pieces with a more traditional structure than a typical film cue. But not having the restrictions of a film project definitely made this more fulfilling in a lot of ways, as well. I was able to be more personal and follow my creativity as opposed to being restricted. I was also able to try a lot of different things that I’d never been able to do and, in the end, I gained so much experience and had a great time doing it.

What is your favorite horror score? Do you have a dream horror project?

GS: For me, I think one of the best horror/Halloween scores out there is Douglas Pipe’s score to Trick R Treat. That’s also one of my favorite films to watch on Halloween. A close second, and in a completely different league, is John Debney’s score to Hocus Pocus. That music is just fantastic and I listen to it on a loop during October. I think my dream would be to be involved with something like those two films. They both capture the spirit of Halloween so purely and have a real sense of fun about them. 

What’s coming up next for you?

GS: I just completed some music work for the Harry Potter: Magic Awakened mobile game and I’m continuing to do a lot of additional music for television. And I will probably start decorating for Halloween.

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Thank you for reading! You can follow George Streicher on Instagram, Twitter and YouTube and find more information about “Music of the Macabre” here.