In the Hall of the Mountain King (from Peer Gynt, Op. 23) – E. Grieg | Harpsichord
Harpsichord transmutation of In the Hall of the Mountain King from Peer Gynt, Op. 23 by Edvard Grieg.
Composed in 1875 as part of the incidental music to Henrik Ibsen’s play Peer Gynt, In the Hall of the Mountain King is built on repetition, gradual accumulation, and increasing rhythmic intensity. The piece has become one of Grieg’s most widely recognized works, often associated with escalation and tension.
Presented here on the harpsichord, the music is approached through articulation, register, and structural clarity, allowing its progressive drive to emerge without orchestral mass.
Bruno Martins is a harpsichordist and contemporary musician based in Paris.
Transmutation is Bruno Martins’s practice of changing a work’s musical body through the harpsichord, not simply transferring its notes.
Further essays and notes on Transmutation:
➫ https://brunomartinsart.substack.com
Film by Kaoutar El Hammami.
Filming, editing and color grading by Kaoutar El Hammami.
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