The choral version of ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King’ is absolutely bonkers

19 February 2018, 17:24 | Updated: 26 February 2018, 13:16

We all love Edvard Grieg’s ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King’, from its tentative opening to its loud, frenetic ending. But the choral version is even more nuts...

Grieg composed ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King’ as an interlude for Henrik Ibsen’s 1867 play, Peer Gynt, and it’s most widely known as an orchestral piece.

But there’s also a choral version, which you can hear in the video above. The choir is generally only heard in the context of the play, as the lyrics come from the trolls who completely surround the main character Peer Gynt at that point.

The trolls are pretty vicious, as are their lyrics. In fact, Grieg’s whole choral addition is super intense and scary.

Here’s the full text:

Slagt ham! Kristenmands søn har dåret
Dovregubbens veneste mø!
Slagt ham!
Slagt ham!
Må jeg skjære ham i fingeren?
Må jeg rive ham i håret?
Hu, hej, lad mig bide ham i låret!
Skal han lages til sod og sø?
Skal han steges på spid eller brunes i gryde?
Isvand i blodet!

Slay him! The Christian man’s son has seduced
the fairest maid of the Mountain King!
Slay him! Slay him!
May I hack him on the fingers?
May I tug him by the hair?
Hu, hey, let me bite him in the haunches!
Shall he be boiled into broth and bree to me
Shall he roast on a spit or be browned in a stewpan?
Ice to your blood, friends! 

Eek.

Find more videos on the Gimnazija Kranj Symphony Orchestra’s YouTube channel.