Greig - In The Hall Of The Mountain King - Best-of Classical Music < SAFE · Full Review >

It served as a famous leitmotif for a serial killer in Fritz Lang’s 1931 film M .

The music accompanies a scene where the anti-hero Peer Gynt enters the underground hall of the Dovregubbe (Troll King). He is surrounded by trolls, gnomes, and sprites who eventually chase and taunt him after he refuses to become a troll himself. It served as a famous leitmotif for a

is an iconic orchestral work by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg , composed in 1875 as incidental music for Act II of Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt . It is widely considered one of the most recognizable pieces in classical music due to its simple, building theme. The Story and Theme is an iconic orchestral work by Norwegian composer

The piece is a masterclass in building tension through crescendo (increasing volume) and accelerando (increasing speed). It begins quietly with low strings and bassoons and ends in a frantic, full-orchestral climax that mimics Peer’s desperate escape. It begins quietly with low strings and bassoons

Because of its "malleable" nature—shifting from spooky and ominous to whimsical and adventurous—the piece has become a staple in modern media:

It has been used in everything from Mad Men and The Simpsons to commercials for Microsoft and Pringles.