Horrors and howlers for Halloween!

While Jon and Walter spin the classical creepy crawlies today on WFCR, here are my tricks and treats from off in vacationland.  Warning:  Listening to these selections requires a strong stomach, and may cause a temporary impairment of taste.

First, a number guaranteed to give the heebie-jeebies to my fellow y-chromosomers.  OH NOOOOO! (Just kidding, dear.)

No question, Samuel Ramey is one of our biggest opera stars, and a very fine singer in the right roles.  But he sings pop songs with all the elfin grace of Mephistopheles — or Sweeney Todd —  and with the scariest vibrato this side of the theremin.  Won't someone please stop him?

Speaking of the theremin, here's a number rather less than ideally suited to its unearthly whine, not to mention its uncertain pitch.   But those who make cheese and yogurt at home might find this to be a quick and convenient way to curdle their milk.

As we swing into the holiday season, here's a number that, though actually an Easter piece, has become to Christmas what the 1812 Overture is to the Fourth of July.  Here, however, it's done up in perfect Halloween style! (A plausible explanation of what went wrong here.)

 But it wouldn't be the holidays unless we gave well-meaning but perfunctory equal time to the "Jewish Christmas," Hannukah!  (Sarcasm intended, folks.)  So, in the spirit of diversity and inclusion, I present this Hebrew Medley sung by that great Daughter of Rebekah, Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero.  Take that, Garrison!

Finally, as to the piece of music whose opening bars began this blog entry, here's a representative version by a fine young organist, presented with best wishes for a ghoulish and safe Halloween!