Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Classics in Commercials: GEICO and Grieg


Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) wrote perhaps his most famous work, In the Hall of the Mountain King, in 1875. It was part of his Peer Gynt Suite. Today, 144 years later, this famous melody line is used in commercials and films worldwide. I heard it the other day in a GEICO Insurance commercial. The commercial depicts two fans of rival baseball franchises (KC Royals and St. Louis Cardinals) vying for a parking space. Take a look:


I don't see any historical correlations nor connections between Grieg and baseball. When it was premiered in 1876, baseball was indeed a professional sport in the Untied States. But Grieg never came to the United States, so he never attended a baseball game. Whether or not he even was aware of the game I can't say. But none-the-less, his music graces this commercial.

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