In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg: An Analysis
Unlike the expected classic style based on order and control within defined limits, composers of the romantic era emphasized the freedom of expressions, and continuous pursuit of the unattainable. Program music during the Romantic Music Period was completely instrumental. Romantic composers wrote their music based on images or events. It tends to present the listener with a specific experience other than sitting in front of an orchestra. The structure and “experience” evoked by mystery piece number two is very similar to “In the Hall of the Mountain King” by Edvard Grieg. Therefore I believe the mystery piece number two must have been program music, or specifically in this case incidental music, from the romantic era. Both pieces start of slowly; low strings play simple chords then a quick pause before it repeats. The low strings in “In the Hall of the Mountain King” are accompanied by the sounds of bassoons. While in example number two, the low strings are followed by percussion instruments. The opening starts with low strings in both pieces creating a moderate tempo. The audience is slowly being sent off into the beginning of a wild chase. When the theme first appears in each piece, it is played in an upbeat tone. Grieg chooses to incorporate an upward scalar motion followed by a series a leaps. Similarly, in example number two the theme is played in a “racing” manor where the melody sounds disjunct. The chase seems to continue as the theme played repeatedly alternating between major and minor. “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” the theme is then played in a high range by the violins with accents of woodwinds. The woodwinds suddenly take over the theme while the violins play a trill. It presents some short of struggle during the chase. The example on the other hand asserts the break in the chase with the addition of cymbals as the theme increases.
In example number two, the piece slows down significantly in the middle section. Simple chords are played in
In example number two, the piece slows down significantly in the middle section. Simple chords are played in