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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.
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Go behind the scenes!
Find out what John Schaefer and the Soundcheck staff have to say about recent segments on the show. Plus, watch videos from in-studio performances.
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Introducing our Video Contest
Soundcheck
John Schaefer gives the lowdown on Soundcheck's music video challenge with the Fiery Furnaces.
In Studio: Angel Deradoorian
Soundcheck
The 22-year-old multi-instrumentalist performs live in our studio.
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Cucu Diamantes Performs Amor Cronico
Soundcheck
Cucu Diamantes went from a tough childhood in Havana, Cuba, to an art school in Rome to underground New York City, where she co-founded the Latin alternative band Yerba Buena.
- Comments [1]
In Studio: Stephanie McKay
Soundcheck
The local singer-songwriter performs "Jackson Avenue," a nostalgic toast to her childhood in the South Bronx.
- Comments [3]
In Studio: The Decemberists
The Portland, Ore., band's latest album, "The Hazards of Love," is a concept album with a mythological flair. They joined Soundcheck to play live for a studio audience in WNYC's Greene Space.
Sound Off
Soundcheck
Throughout May, Soundcheck presents “Sound Off” a Friday series on the many aspects of noise in music and our lives. The series -- which coincides with “Better Hearing and Speech Month” -- looks at issues like New York’s noisiest neighborhoods, the latest research on iPods and hearing loss, and what happens when noise becomes a musical ingredient.
