Originally composed as incidental music to Ibsen’s play Peer Gynt, and subsequently included in Suite No.1 Op.45, The Hall of the Mountain King is one of Grieg’s most instantly recognisable works. The piece begins simply and quietly, gradually building to a magnificent and monumental climax, and a strong sense of pace and atmosphere is needed for a successful performance.

The Hall of the Mountain King can be performed by Double Bass, Sextet or larger forces with optional percussion. It was arranged for an octet concert at the St. Claud Festival (Charente, France) in July 2007, and to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Grieg’s death in 1907.

Edvard Grieg was born in Bergen, Norway on 15 June 1843 and died there on 4 September 1907. He studied at the Leipzig Conservatoire with E.F. Wenzel, immersing himself in the early Romantic style and, Repertoire, before finding his own nationalistic voice in his native Norway some years later.

He was a prolific composer, particularly of piano music and songs, but is probably best known for the Holberg Suite (1884-5) for string orchestra, Piano Concerto in A minor (1868) and the incidental music for Ibsen’s Peer Gynt, subsequently arranged into two popular and much recorded orchestral suites.

Grieg was instrumental in founding a Norwegian Academy of Music, supporting and promoting music of young composers, and toured nationally and internationally as a conductor and pianist for many years, usually performing his own works. Much of his music is folk-inspired, particularly the vocal and piano music, and he was a lyrical composer with an impressionistic harmonic originality, having a significant influence on his contemporaries.

Giuseppe Verdi – Rigoletto Solo
for Double Bass, Sextet
Arranged by David Heyes

The world of opera has long inspired composers and players to plunder the best arias and melodies to transcribe for other instruments and the double bass is no exception. It’s difficult to keep a good tune down!

This famous cello and bass solo from Verdi’s Rigoletto is playable by Double Bass, Sextet or larger forces. The melodic material is shared between basses 3-6 and this is an ideal way to study this evocative aria in a bass ensemble setting. The music is dark, sinister and dramatic, always effective and atmospheric, and offers many musical and technical challenges for the good intermediate ensemble.

Useful as both study and concert, Repertoire and for any youth orchestra or college bass section looking something which offers effective musical challenges but is also great to play.

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) was the leading Italian composer of the second half of the 19th-century and his operas are still at the heart of the international, Repertoire into the 21st-century.

John Ward – Weepe Forth Your Teares, and Doe Lament
for Double Bass, Sextet
Arranged by David Heyes