On Demand
Soundcheck
-
Alfred Hitchcock playing a mixurtrautonium on the set of "The Birds"The Music of Hitchcock
The famous shower scene in "Psycho" wouldn't be half as scary if it weren't for composer Bernard Herrmann's screeching strings. Music elevates many of Hitchcock's most famous scenes from merely gripping to outright to heart-stopping. Today, Jack Sullivan, author of the new book, "Hitchcock's Music," frames his argument for the terrifying power of music. Also on the show: the Microscopic Septet was a fixture on the downtown experimental music scene of the 80s, before splitting up in 1992. (Among their many credits was the theme to WHYY's "Fresh Air.") Now, they're back for a reunion, having recently reissued in two two-CD sets on Cuneiform Records, and they join us today.
From Psycho to Vertigo
Author and cultural historian Jack Sullivan talks about the myriad ways in which Alfred Hitchcock used music in his films.
The Microscopic Septet
A visit with the recently (if temporarily) reunited Microscopic Septet, a fixture on the downtown experimental music scene of the 1980s.
- About this program
- Staff Bios »
- Contact Us »
- Latest Episode
- Internship
- Tapes and Transcripts
- Show Archive »
Features & Series
Podcast
Stay up to date.
Subscribe to the Podcast
Watch Soundcheck Live!
Join us Tuesday, Nov. 10 at The Greene Space
Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, stars of the romantic indie film Once, will debate which is more powerful: a love song or a breakup song. And: live music from Grammy winning violinist Joshua Bell and Cuban stars Tiempo Libre.
More
The Ill Effects of Urban Noise
Soundcheck
Soundcheck received an overwhelming response to our segment on the effects of urban noise. So much so that Arline Bronzaft decided to address the feedback. Listen to the original segment and read Bronzaft's response.
- Comments [93]
