“In The Hall Of The Mountain King” is a famous piece of orchestral music by the Norwegian composer Edward Grieg, composed in 1875 as part of his Peer Gynt suite. Its easily recognizable theme has helped it gain iconic status in popular culture, where it has been used in numerous films and television shows.
By learning In The Hall Of The Mountain King on piano you’ll be able to recreate this grand, powerful, and march-like song in the comfort of your own home!
Take a sneak peek of our lesson
Please note that the lesson is also available on mobile app
You can learn how to play In the Hall Of The Mountain King on piano and how to read the In The Hall Of The Mountain King sheet music here on Skoove. Explore this simple, ceremonial march by following the Skoove video lesson, complete with instant feedback on your playing.
Cheat sheet
| Artist | Edward Grieg |
| Composer | Edward Grieg |
| Release Year | 1875 |
| Genre(s) | Classical |
| Difficulty level | Intermediate |
| Instrument | Piano |
| Key(s) | B minor |
| Meter | 4/4 |
| Techniques | March tempo, accidentals |
What are the In The Hall Of The Mountain King piano chords?
In the original In The Hall of The Mountain King sheet music, the title character Peer Gynt enters the troll Mountain King’s hall and is accompanied by a great crowd of troll courtiers, gnomes, and goblins while the King is sitting on his throne.
In The Hall Of The Mountain King begins in the key of B minor and starts softly and slowly, before gradually speeding up and building through a crescendo to an extremely loud, chaotic finale.
The piano chords for In The Hall Of The Mountain King are at times complicated, as the song uses a progression with a chromatically descending voice. This helps create the tense and dramatic atmosphere that Grieg wanted to evoke. There are several accidentals in the right-hand melody, including some that don’t form part of the key signature, while the left-hand helps maintain a steady pulse by playing a repeating quarter-note pattern consisting mostly of fifths.
Tips for playing the song
- The song is in 4/4, which means 4 beats per measure
- Memorize the left-hand part first; it’s quite repetitive and this will help you learn the song
- Keep an eye out for the F# and C# in the key signature as well as some of the extra accidentals
- The song is a march, so be sure to maintain a steady tempo
- Practice slowly to begin with
By following these and working through our interactive lesson on Skoove, you’ll have all the family marching along in no time! You can start your one month free trial now!
Interesting fact
The composer Edward Grieg used a “lucky frog” as his concert companion. Whenever he walked onto the stage as pianist or conductor, he would carry his beloved toy frog in his pocket. Today the frog is exhibited at Troldhaugen (Grieg’s house & museum) in Bergen, Norway.
