About the piece
Grieg wrote it in 1875 for Peer Gynt, Henrik Ibsen's play: it accompanies the scene where the hero enters the hall of the trolls. He later included it in the first orchestral suite, Op. 46.
The whole piece is built on a single repeated melody that starts softly in the bass and grows to a thunderous ending.
How to practise it
- Learn the theme (the first two bars) until you play it without thinking: you will find it everywhere.
- At the start everything is staccato and soft: short, light notes.
- Build the crescendo and accelerando little by little: don't get loud too early.
- Practise the ending at reduced speed: full chords in both hands.
Free sheet music
First page. Complete sheet music (PDF) on the Mutopia Project (public domain, edition by Coyau); in the Piano Learning app you read it two pages side by side while you play.
Frequently asked questions
Is it suitable for beginners?
The theme is very simple; the complete version with the fast ending is intermediate.
Who is the Mountain King?
The king of the trolls from Norwegian folklore, in Ibsen's play.