13 horrifying music notations that will make you want to tear up your sheet music

26 January 2022, 13:52 | Updated: 4 February 2022, 11:24

We thought we’d seen it all, but these are some truly harrowing examples of classical sheet music. Paganini has nothing on these.

We’ve all experienced the unpleasant feeling of intimidation that a complicated piece of sheet music can cause.

Thankfully, a new Twitter account called Threatening Music Notation is now documenting the most horrifying scores all in one convenient place. Thanks, we hate it.

1. “Conductors actually have a really important role in the orchestra, they bring the score to life”

   The score:

   pic.twitter.com/OiihhVJJdf

   — Threatening Music Notation (@ThreatNotation) January 21, 2022

2. When gymnasts retrain as musicians

   Triple stopping? Demi semi quavers? Trills?! This seems like a sure way to strain something.

   pic.twitter.com/He7SGnqSwE

   — Threatening Music Notation (@ThreatNotation) January 25, 2022

3. Now this is just downright terrifying.

   pic.twitter.com/v57SxD7JdA

   — Threatening Music Notation (@ThreatNotation) January 25, 2022

4. Um, sure...

   Some of the best musical creativity happens when composers leave room for a performer’s interpretation. This seems a bit on the nose, though.

   pic.twitter.com/BtwyLja5h4

   — Threatening Music Notation (@ThreatNotation) January 25, 2022

5. White Noise, colourised (2022)

   pic.twitter.com/lt9OoAMKdN

   — Threatening Music Notation (@ThreatNotation) January 25, 2022

6. Less of the passive aggression, please and thank you.

   pic.twitter.com/xBYwvnY4Ir

   — Threatening Music Notation (@ThreatNotation) January 24, 2022

7. *cries in piano*

   pic.twitter.com/U8zs7aVN9b

   — Threatening Music Notation (@ThreatNotation) January 23, 2022

8. I will never, ever, complain about E flat minor, ever again.

   pic.twitter.com/hiSkTV9SOd

   — Threatening Music Notation (@ThreatNotation) January 23, 2022

9. Ah, finally. A piece at my ability level.

   pic.twitter.com/p5mZOEJ367

   — Threatening Music Notation (@ThreatNotation) January 21, 2022

10. Um, what else are you supposed to do?

    pic.twitter.com/OJRpOSPWvx

    — Threatening Music Notation (@ThreatNotation) January 18, 2022

11. There’s a lot to unpack here.

    Let’s start with the instrument choice: why?

    pic.twitter.com/RbEuWzvacI

    — Threatening Music Notation (@ThreatNotation) January 11, 2022

12. So deafening silence isn’t just a figure of speech?

    Demonstration definitely needed for this one...

    pic.twitter.com/GZDbzFv3TX

    — Threatening Music Notation (@ThreatNotation) January 10, 2022

13. In conclusion, consider us well and truly threatened.

    Via DM submission pic.twitter.com/27LmoA5BlB

    — Threatening Music Notation (@ThreatNotation) December 28, 2021

For even more horrifying music scores, head over to @ThreatNotation on Twitter. Alternatively, please consider therapy.