Does anyone know the name to the classical music played in horror movies?

It usually sounds like violins or something like that.

Its usually in like old scary movies, just right before suspense is building cant think of any titles at the moment but it usually sounds like a stringed [not sure if thats how i would say it] instrument.

Two candidates and a nomination for your listening to, just as a curiosity piece.

Candidates: (1) Stravinsky's "Rites of Spring"

(2) Saint-Saens "Danse Macabre"

Nomination: Tschaikowsky's "Swan Lake" ballet was utilized in many of the old horror flicks: Dracula, Frankenstein, etc.

Enjoy,

Wotan

Which movie?

The Curse of the Mummy used Sibelius' "Finlandia." Other than that I can't think of any movies that are remarkable because they used classical music

Give us a movie and well know it. Every orchestral work has violins, so that makes it hard. Is it melodic or not. Dissonant or Consonant? You gotta give us more.

In Newer horror films it is usually music written for the film ... from what you are describing, I think you are describing the violins in the movie Psycho.

OLDER horror films - 1930's and such, often use 12-tone row serialism like that written by Schoenburg

Many older movies had scores especially written for them by the like of Adolph Deutsch, Bernard Herrmann (Psycho!), Max Steiner and Franz Waxman. There is no generic piece that was used in all horror movies and without the name of the movie I cannot be more specific.

there are screeching noises in "Rosin Eating Zombies from Outer Space" maybe thats what it sounds like