Edvard Grieg (1843-1907); NOR

Edvard Grieg (1843–1907) was born in Bergen, Norway, and became the most internationally celebrated Norwegian composer of the nineteenth century. At the recommendation of the violinist Ole Bull, he entered the Leipzig Conservatory at fifteen, receiving a rigorous German musical education. Encounters with the composer Rikard Nordraak later awakened his interest in creating a distinctly Norwegian musical language. Grieg married the singer Nina Hagerup, an important interpreter of his songs, and divided his career among composition, conducting, and concert tours throughout Europe. From the 1880s he spent increasing amounts of time at Troldhaugen, his home near Bergen, which became closely associated with his creative life.

Grieg combined Romantic harmony and miniature forms with melodic and rhythmic elements inspired by Norwegian folk music. The Piano Concerto in A minor remains one of the most popular Romantic concertos, while his incidental music to Ibsen’s Peer Gynt produced such enduring pieces as Morning Mood and In the Hall of the Mountain King. His ten books of Lyric Pieces constitute a rich diary of intimate piano miniatures, and works such as the Holberg Suite demonstrate his mastery of larger forms. Grieg’s songs and chamber music further reveal his gift for lyrical concentration. His musical nationalism helped give Norway a distinctive voice within European Romanticism.

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Grieg, Edvard (Hagerup) (b Bergen, 1843; d Bergen, 1907). Norweg. composer, conductor, and pianist. (Great-grandfather was Scotsman named Greig.) Early tuition from mother, who was gifted pianist. On advice of violinist Ole Bull, went to study at Leipzig Cons., working so hard that his health was permanently impaired. Settled in Copenhagen, being encouraged (but not taught) by Gade. In 1865-6 visited Rome where he comp. his concert ov. In Autumn which later won Stockholm Acad. of Mus. prize. Married his cousin, the sop. Nina Hagerup, in 1867, she being the inspiration and interpreter of many of his songs. Settling in Christiania (Oslo), became teacher and cond. His comps. earned admiration of Liszt, whom he met in Rome 1870 where Liszt played Grieg's pf. conc. from MS at sight. In 1874 Grieg received life annuity from Norweg. Govt. and was asked by Ibsen to write incidental mus. to Peer Gynt. This had its f.p. in 1876 and made Grieg a nat. figure. He was a great favourite in Eng., where he and his wife gave recitals. He received Hon. D Mus. Cambridge 1894 and Oxford 1906. Befriended Delius and Percy Grainger. Grieg's mus. eschews the larger forms of opera and sym. (he wrote a sym. in 1864 but forbade perfs. after a few had been given, though this edict has been posthumously ignored) but within his chosen scale it is deeply poetic, superbly fashioned, and, in the songs especially, emotionally passionate. His nationalist idiom transcends local boundaries by reason of the strong individuality of his work. Comps. incl.:

INCIDENTAL MUSIC: Sigurd Jorsalfar (Bjørnson), Op.22 (1872); Peer Gynt (Ibsen), Op.23 (1874-5, rev. 1885, 1891-2).

ORCH.: In Autumn, concert ov., Op.11 (1866); Peer Gynt, suite No.1 from incid. mus., Op.46 (1874-5, rev. 1885, 1891-2), suite No.2, Op.55 (1874-5, rev. 1891 and 1892); 3 pieces from incid. mus. for Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op.56 (1872, rev. 1892); Lyric Suite (orch. of 4 items from Op.54 for pf.) (1904); pf. conc., Op.16 (1868, rev. 1906-7); 2 Elegiac Melodies (Heart's Wounds and Last Spring), Op.34 (version for str. of 2 songs from Op.33); Holberg Suite, str., Op.40 (1884) (also for pf.); 2 Melodies, str., Op.53 (1891); 2 Norwegian Melodies, str., (1869), orch. (1895), Op.63; 4 Symphonic Dances, Op.64 (orch. of work for pf., 4 hands) (1896-7); Sym. (1863-4, withdrawn by composer but perf. Oslo 1980 and recorded).

CHORUS AND ORCH.: Before the Cloister Gate, soloists, women's ch., Op.20 (1871); Olaf Trygvason, soloists, ch., Op.50 (1873, rev. 1889).

VOICE AND ORCH.: Bergliot, reciter, orch., Op.42 (1871, orch. 1885); The Mountain Thrall, bar., 2 hn., str., Op.32 (1877-8); 6 Songs, v., orch. (incl. ‘Solvejg's Song’ from Peer Gynt) (1870-80, rev. 1891-4).

CHAMBER MUSIC: Vn. Sonata, No.1 in F, Op.8 (1865), No.2 in G, Op.13 (1867), No.3 in C minor, Op.45 (1886-7); Str. Qt. in G minor, Op.27 (1877-8); vc. sonata in A minor, Op.36 (1883).

PIANO: 4 Pieces, Op.1 (1861); 4 Humoresques, Op.6 (1865); sonata in E minor, Op.7 (1865); Lyric Pieces: Book 1 (8 items), Op.12 (1867), Book 2 (8 items), Op.38 (1883), Book 3 (6 items), Op.43 (1884), Book 4 (7 items), Op.47 (1885-8), Book 5 (6 items), Op.54 (1891) (those orch. as Lyric Suite are No.1, Shepherd's Boy, 2, Norwegian Rustic March, 3, Nocturne, and 5, March of the Dwarfs), Book 6 (7 items), Op.57 (1893), Book 7 (6 items), Op.62 (1895), Book 8 (6 items), Op.65 (1897) (No.6 Wedding Day at Troldhaugen, also for orch.), Book 9 (6 items), Op.68 (1898), Book 10 (6 items), Op.71 (1901); Sketches of Norwegian Life, Op.19 (1870-1); Ballade in G minor, Op.24 (1875-6); 4 Albumblätter, Op.28 (1878); Holberg Suite, Op.40 (1884); 6 Songs transcr. for pf., Op.52 (incl. ‘Solvejg's Song’ as No.4); 19 Norwegian Folk Tunes, Op.66 (1896); Norwegian Peasant Dances, Op.72 (1902-3); Moods, Op.73 (1903-5).

PIANO (4 HANDS): 2 Symphonic Pieces, Op.14 (1863-4); 4 Norwegian Dances, Op.35 (also orch.) (1881); 2 Waltz Caprices, Op.37 (1883); Symphonic Dances, Op.64 (also orch.) (1897).

SONGS: Grieg's songs, numbering over 120, were pubd. as follows: 4 Songs, Op.2; 6 Songs, Op.4; 4 Songs, Op.5; 4 Songs and Ballads, Op.9; 4 Songs, Op.10; 4 Songs, Op.15; 8 Songs, Op.18; 4 Songs, Op.21; 3 Songs from Peer Gynt (1. Solvejg's Song, 2. Solvejg's Cradle Song, 3. Peer Gynt's Serenade), Op.23; 5 Songs, Op.25; 4 Songs, Op.26; 12 Songs, Op.33; 5 Songs, Op.39; 4 Songs, From Fjeld and Fjord, Op.44; 6 Songs (Ger. words), Op.48; 6 Songs, Op.49; 5 Songs, Op.58; 6 Songs, Op.59; 5 Songs, Op.60; 7 Children's Songs, Op.61; Haugtussa (The Mountain Maid), cycle of 8 songs, Op.67 (1895); 5 Songs, Op.69; 7 Songs, Op.70. The best-known individual titles with opus numbers are: Hope (or Ambition), Op.26, No.3; 'Neath the Roses, Op.39, No.3; Autumn Song, Op.18, No.3; A Dream, Op.48, No.6; Eros, Op.70, No.2; The First Meeting, Op.21, No.4; From Monte Pincio, Op.39, No.5; The Hut, Op.18, No.4; I love thee, Op.5, No.3 (1864); Spring, Op.33, No.2; The Swan, Op.25, No.1; With a Water Lily, Op.25, No.3.

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