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Edvard Grieg – Peer Gynt, Suite No. 1, Op. 46 (Analysis)


Peer Gynt, Suite No. 1, Op. 46, by Edvard Grieg, was published in 1888 and consists of four orchestral movements selected from the extensive incidental music he composed for Peer Gynt, the dramatic poem by Henrik Ibsen.

Although the complete stage music was written earlier (1874–75), Grieg later extracted the most vivid and autonomous numbers, shaping them into two concert suites. Suite No. 1 remains the most frequently performed and has become one of the defining works of musical Romantic nationalism.

Movements:

I. Morning Mood

The opening movement, Morning Mood, depicts Peer Gynt watching the sunrise in the Sahara Desert. Despite the exotic setting, the gentle flute melody—decorated with birdlike trills—evokes a distinctly Nordic dawn rather than an African landscape.

The theme soon passes to the oboe, with the two instruments alternating gracefully before the full orchestra enters, led by the strings. A flowing, wave-like texture suggests the shimmering play of sunlight on water, followed by a calmer passage that portrays the tender touch of the morning light upon the earth.


II. The Death of Åse

The Death of Åse is a deeply moving lament, accompanying the scene in which Peer witnesses the passing of his elderly mother. A simple, sorrowful melody unfolds with restrained dignity, briefly swelling in intensity before gradually fading away.

As Åse’s strength ebbs, the music dissolves into silence, achieving an extraordinary emotional effect through understatement and purity of expression.


III. Anitra’s Dance

In Anitra’s Dance, a young Arabian girl attempts to seduce Peer with her graceful and alluring movements. The music is light, rhythmically playful, and delicately orchestrated.

Peer’s response to Anitra’s exotic charm is expressed by the cellos, while the dancer herself seems to withdraw with a final fluttering gesture, enticing him to follow her.


IV. In the Hall of the Mountain King

The final movement, In the Hall of the Mountain King, is the most famous section of Peer Gynt. Peer is lured into the palace of the King of the Trolls by the King’s daughter. As he stands bewildered, mischievous dwarves begin a grotesque dance, introduced by the bassoons.

The music gradually accelerates and intensifies, transforming into a wild, almost manic frenzy. The creatures mock and threaten Peer with shrill, menacing cries as the orchestral texture thickens and the dynamics surge.

Ironically, Grieg himself disliked this movement, describing it as being “full of cow dung.” He intended it as a parody of crude, exaggerated nationalism—a style he personally detested. Yet the raw vitality and irresistible momentum of the music have made it one of the most electrifying and enduring passages in the orchestral repertoire.




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