1
A Tale of Two Classics: A Comparison of Purcell's "Dido's Lament" and Grieg's "In the
Hall of the Mountain King"
Student Name
Institution
Course
Professor
Date
2
A Tale of Two Classics: A Comparison of Purcell's "Dido's Lament" and Grieg's "In the
Hall of the Mountain King"
Western classical music is a vast collection of compositions that define the features of the
periods they were composed in.” Dido’s Lament" by Henry Purcell from the opera Dido and
Aeneas created in 1689, is one of the most touching vocal compositions, which represent the
possibilities of the Baroque era operatic arias. A slow tempo marks this particular aria, the minor
key, and a ground bass, a form of accompaniment that gives the piece a mournful feel. On the
other hand, Edvard Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King" from the Peer Gynt Suite No. 1,
composed in the year 1875, belongs to the Romantic period and is a dynamic orchestral piece
characterized by the increase in tempo and a climactic build-up. This work has a rhythm pattern
with a motif progressively built to a crescendo of chaos and anticipation. Both songs evoke
emotions and demonstrate the composers' ability to use music to tell a story despite their distinct
instruments, textures, and emotions.
The two compositions, "Dido's Lament" and "In the Hall of the Mountain King", are very
different in their instrumentation and texture due to the time of their composition. The song
"Dido's Lament" by Purcell is a piece for a solo voice with a continuo, which usually consists of
a harpsichord and a cello, giving the music a small and close-up feeling. The voice sings the
lyrics while the bass line remains steady. This simplifies and intensifies the aria's emotional
impact in expressing Dido's farewell. On the other hand, Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain
King" involves a full symphonic orchestra, thus maximizing the various timbres and the dynamic
contrast of the various sections to create a rich polyphonic texture. The composition starts softly
3
with the bottom strings; then the orchestra performs as the song gets louder. This orchestration
conveys drama and anarchy in keeping with Romantic narratives and pictures.
Both pieces masterfully evoke strong emotions, though they do so through different
means and for other purposes. "Dido's Lament" is a poignant aria that captures the despair and
resignation of Queen Dido as she faces her impending death. The sluggish tempo, minor key, and
passionate vocal line create a heartbreaking ambience. Purcell's opera's dramatic and emotional
culmination, the aria, evokes empathy and frees the listener. In contrast, "In the Hall of the
Mountain King" aims to enthral and excite the listener with its escalating tempo and dynamic
contrasts. The piece illustrates a scene from Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt, where the protagonist
encounters the fearsome Mountain King. The repeating, relentless pattern and steady crescendo
generate suspense and lunacy, dragging the listener into the surreal scenario. Grieg's music
enriches the play by vividly narrating the story.
Each piece's musical form and structure also accentuate the distinction between the two.”
Dido’s Lament" is in the Baroque aria form and can be easily distinguished by its structure,
which includes recitative and aria. The ground bass provides a firm framework for the vocal line,
making the music flow organically. The work is easy to understand and the emotions are clear,
enhancing the sorrowful theme. On the other hand, “In the Hall of the Mountain King” has a
more complex and changing structure which corresponds to the Romantic period’s focus on the
expression and creativity. Until the end, the intensity and difficulty of the music build up. Grieg's
fluid structure mirrors the scene's unpredictable and random happenings, showing his ability to
orchestrate form for maximum drama.
In conclusion, both Henry Purcell’s “Dido’s Lament” and Edvard Grieg’s “In the Hall of
the Mountain King” are pieces of music that originate from different eras and utilize different
4
techniques, yet, both are able to tell a story and elicit strong emotions. Purcell’s aria impresses
with its tender vocal performance and the minimalism of the melody, as for Grieg’s composition,
it amazes with the profound dynamics of the orchestra and the clear picture it paints. These two
approaches demonstrate the vastness of the Western classical music and the continued potential
of the music to touch people’s hearts.
