Halloween film concert: Psycho

Get ready to be spooked this Halloween with a live-scored screening of the Hitchcock masterpiece Psycho, backed by the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande of Geneva. 

Orchestre de la Suisse Romande plays Psycho

Alfred Hitchcock's seminal 1960 film Psycho has one of the most iconic soundtracks of all time, known for its sparse use of unaccompanied strings in place of a full symphony orchestra. This was a choice made for the composer Bernard Herrmann by the limited budget he was given.

The sharp, piercing jabs of strings in the famous murder scene rank as one of the most recognisable pieces of music in film history, but it almost didn't happen at all. Hitchcock originally intended to have no music at all for the sequence, but Herrmann insisted he try his composition. After hearing it alongside the visuals, Hitchcock agreed it vastly intensified the scene, and nearly doubled Herrmann's salary as a reward!

The film tells the story of young woman Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), who takes drastic action to ensure her marriage can go ahead, and troubled motel owner Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins). Seen as one of Hitchcock's best and most influential films, it was nominated for four Academy Awards.

Attending the Halloween film screening of Psycho

This seasonal showing of the horror film is being performed at the 19th-century Victoria Hall, which has been the home of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande since its founding in 1918. This is a 15-minute walk from Geneva train station, or 10 minutes by bus or tram, meaning this event is easily accessible by public transport, even if you are coming from other Swiss cities.

Tickets are available from the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande website.

Thumb photo credit: A Universal picture