Happy Birthday Edvard Grieg

Happy Birthday Edvard Grieg

Happy 179th birthday to the great Norwegian Romantic composer, Edvard Grieg.

From Britannica-bio: Grieg: “Edvard Grieg, in full Edvard Hagerup Grieg, (born June 15, 1843, Bergen, Norway—died Sept. 4, 1907, Bergen), composer who was a founder of the Norwegian nationalist school of music.”

More from Britannica, bio-Grieg: “Rooted in the national folk tradition of Norway, Grieg’s music is noted for a refined lyrical sense.”

“His harmonies, developed from the late Romantic style, were considered novel. In his few works in the larger forms—the Piano Concerto, Opus 16; the String Quartet in G Minor, Opus 27; and the three violin and piano sonatas—he uses a free sonata form. His original Ballad for piano, Opus 24, is a set of variations on a folk theme. Among his most popular works are his incidental music to Peer Gynt, Opus 23, and the suite Holberg, Opus 40.”

“Grieg, a founder of the Norwegian nationalist school of music, had reservations about Ibsen’s irreverent play “Peer Gynt”, and he only reluctantly accepted the invitation to write music for it, but the collaboration was a critical success. Grieg’s music was praised for its lyricism and for the wide range of styles and orchestral effects used to match the variety of the protagonist’s travels.” This beautiful music for Peer Gynt is beloved by classical music aficionados to this day.

Grieg’s stirring piano concerto in A minor, with it’s iconic dramatic piano opening descending chords, is one of the great piano concertos from the Romantic Era. It was scored with the usual 3 movements: 1. Allegro molto moderato; 2. Adagio; and 3. Allegro moderato-quasi presto-andante maestoso.

Please turn up the volume and enjoy these popular pieces, filled with beautiful melodies, by the Norwegian late Romantic composer, Edvard Grieg, on this [Wednesday, June 15], his birthday.

Edvard Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor: