Frisson is a word that comes from French meaning “a sudden, passing sensation of excitement; a shudder of emotion;” It can often be felt when listening to particularly moving songs, or emotionally fraught moments in movies. Also real life, but it’s hard to link to real life.
Of course, frisson is hard to explain, but easy to demonstrate. For that purpose, here’s a list of 10 songs, in no particular order, that are likely to cause frisson. In fact, if you can get through the whole list without feeling a single shiver of excitement, you might want to get a Voight-Kampff test because you’re a robot, fam.
An ethereal-sounding post-rock band from Iceland, Sigur Ros exemplify why people are rightfully enthralled and terrified by Iceland.
Jeff Buckley recorded this Leonard Cohen cover in 1994. Did you know one of definitions of hallelujah is, “a musical composition wholly or principally based upon the word ‘hallelujah.'” In other words: Hallelujah! Jeff Buckley covered the hallelujah “Hallelujah.”
3. Steven Sharp Nelson – Nearer My God to Thee (for 9 Cellos) – arr. James Stevens
Steven Sharp Nelson is a cello performer who has recorded a number of popular covers of songs using solely or principally cellos. He has no stated plans to record a “Cello Goodbye” cover.
4. Led Zeppelin – Going to California
“What are you tryin’ to tell me here, little man? That you don’t like Zep?” — Brock Samson, fictional character
5. Vaughan Williams – Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis Part 1 | Part 2
This piece, composed in 1910, is scored to resemble an organ in sound by dividing the orchestra into three separate sections.
6. Gustav Holst – Mars, the Bringer of War (from The Planets)
Fake history: One time, Gustav Holst wondered what the planets would sound like if they were music. From 1914-1916, he worked to come up with an unscientific but very entertaining musical work. This is only one piece from the seven-movement piece.
Interesting fact: There are only seven movements because Earth did not get one, and Pluto was getting cold dissed even back then. (Actually, Pluto wasn’t discovered until 1930).
7. Camille Saint-Saëns – Danse Macabre
According to legend, Death appears every year at midnight on Halloween, and raises the dead to dance for him until dawn. Danse Macabre is a figurative representation of this: the violin solo is the devil fiddling, the xylophone represents the rattling bones of the dead, and the oboe at the very end is the rooster’s crow signaling dawn.
And you thought classical music was boring.
See: Sigur Ros, in re enthralling / terrifying.
9. Interpol – Hands Away
Interpol is an indie rock band from New York City, a place that might not know salsa, but sure knows music.
10. Franz Liszt – Ungarische Phantasie Part 1 | Part 2
Franz Liszt was a 19th century composer, conductor, and piano virtuoso. Which is true, but inaccurate, considering the guy was an absolute rock star.
This is how I like to imagine Franz Liszt
Bonus Video: Miracle (2004)
U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!
Moonchild, Terrance Martin – (youtube myMIX), Takuya Kuroda, Blue lab beats, TWYN…
Literally any song by The National is a frisson song. If you don’t know them, check them out immediately; you won’t be disappointed.
Susan Boyle’s first audition on BGT always does it for me.
I usually get frisson with any song that I listen to or if just when I feel romantic and dreamish
I test low in openness to experience and experience frisson all the time. None of these songs did it for me though. I’m all kinds of contrary! Lol
Honorable Mentions:
Genesis – After the Ordeal
Renaissance – The Sisters
Steve Hackett – Deja Vu
Elton John – The One
Moody Blues – Late Lament
Bands like Mono (Japan) and Russian Circles also produce music with frisson