Psycho: Music Tells The Story

If you’re a movie buff, I’m sure you know of “Psycho”, Alfred Hitchcock's most widely known and widely acclaimed film from 1960 and a masterpiece. 

In fact, the psychological thriller is well-recognized for its influence on contemporary horror or “slasher” films. (Note: A slasher film features killers who attack people, usually attractive women, with knives). 

But in this post, I’m focusing on the equally amazing work done by Bernard Herrmann and how his musical score helps tell the story. 

The 7:06 video file “Psycho – How Music Tells The Story” (October 15, 2016) from “Jack's Movie Reviews” does a great job of analyzing how the stripped-down, strings-only musical score in “Psycho” is linked to bad deeds, and how the music's shrill intensity builds suspense, supplementing the visuals of the film:

 

Although Herrmann (left) wrote many acclaimed film scores over his long career, none is as recognizable as the score he wrote for Hitchcock’s “Psycho” – the shrieking string theme that accompanies the famous murder scene and one of the best-known pieces of music ever composed for film. 

Budget constraints had forced Herrmann to limit his orchestra to a small string ensemble, but the sparer textures of strings complemented the film’s black-and-white cinematography. 

To match Hitchcock’s sometimes surreal images, he drew upon avant-garde music by using edgy harmonies and dissonances. The instruments in the string ensemble were played with mutes and without vibrato, producing a harsh cold sound. 

Like the film itself, Herrmann’s masterful score was widely imitated – its anxious, repetitive themes punctuated by shocking cues at moments of violence became the prototype for music in the emerging “slasher” genre of horror films. And for sure, the arrangement, in which violins, cellos, and violas screech in unison with each slash of Norman Bates’ knife will stick in your mind for a long time! 

Here's a bonus video featuring musician Samara Ginsberg’s brilliant eight-part cello cover of the “Psycho” theme while amusingly dressed up as the creepy mother of the movie’s lead character!