articles / Chapman Challenge

Chapman Challenge: What’s the Spookiest Instrument?

Chapman ChallengeSpooky MusicCultureArts Alive BlogInstruments


Our Alan Chapman has a lot to say about music, but can he say it in 60 seconds? That’s the Chapman Challenge. We ask a question and Alan has a minute to answer it.

Today’s question is in honor of Halloween. And the question is what is the spookiest instrument?

Hit play below to listen to the Chapman Challenge.  
Chapman Challenge: What’s the Spookiest Instrument?
   

I think a very good candidate would be an electronic instrument invented in the 1920s by a Russian named Leon Theremin, who named the instrument after himself. This is what a theremin sounds like:

That’s not spooky but listen to this: Bernard Herrmann using two theremins to create an unearthly sound in the 1951 movie The Day the Earth Stood Still.

Now, if by “spooky” you mean “scary,” I’ll go to Bernard Herrmann again. He showed us that you can make violins sound scary if you know what to with them, as he does in a famous scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho.

Happy Halloween!

Chapman ChallengeSpooky MusicCultureArts Alive BlogInstruments
Written by:
Alan Chapman
Alan Chapman
Published on 10.31.2024

MORE LIKE THIS

Chapman Challenge: The Story Behind Handel’s “Messiah”

Chapman Challenge: The Story Behind Handel’s “Messiah”

In this Chapman Challenge, Alan discusses Handel's journey with oratorios, from his first encounter in Italy to his profitable English oratorios, culminating in the creation of Messiah.

Chapman Challenge
12/16/2024
Chapman Challenge: What’s the Story Behind the Gewandhaus Orchestra?

Chapman Challenge: What’s the Story Behind the Gewandhaus Orchestra?

In this Chapman Challenge, Alan explains the origin of the Gewandhaus Orchestra's name, its connection to Leipzig's textile trade, and its evolution as a musical center since 1781.

Chapman Challenge
05/24/2019
Chapman Challenge: How Does a Composer Pick the Key for a Piece?

Chapman Challenge: How Does a Composer Pick the Key for a Piece?

In this Chapman Challenge, Alan discusses how composers choose keys for their pieces, considering factors like instrument range, personal preference, and connections to previous works.

Chapman Challenge
04/01/2019
Chapman Challenge: Do Composers Write for Each Instrument?

Chapman Challenge: Do Composers Write for Each Instrument?

Explore the process of symphony composition in this Chapman Challenge. Learn how composers craft each note for every instrument, and the role of orchestrators in Broadway and film music.

Chapman Challenge
04/01/2019
Chapman Challenge: What’s an Opus Number?

Chapman Challenge: What’s an Opus Number?

In this Chapman Challenge, Alan Chapman explains opus numbers in music, their purpose, and how they don't necessarily indicate the order of a composer's works.

Chapman Challenge
04/01/2019
Chapman Challenge: Why Is Vienna So Famous for the Waltz?

Chapman Challenge: Why Is Vienna So Famous for the Waltz?

"Alan Chapman explains why Vienna is famous for the waltz in KUSC's Chapman Challenge. He discusses the dance's origins, its promotion during the 1815 Congress of Vienna, and notable Viennese waltz composers."

Chapman Challenge
04/01/2019