EDVARD HAGERUP GRIEG (JUNE 15, 1843,
BERGEN — SEPT. 4, 1907, BERGEN)
His father,
Alexander Grieg, was British consul at Bergen. The Grieg (formerly Greig)
family was of Scottish origin, the composer’s grandfather having emigrated
after the Battle of Culloden. His mother, Gesine Hagerup, who belonged to a
well-established Norwegian family, studied music at Hamburg. From the age of
six Grieg received piano lessons from her, and in 1858, at the recommendation
of the violin virtuoso Ole Bull, he entered the Leipzig Conservatory, where he
was influenced by the tradition of Mendelssohn and Schumann. During this period
he suffered a severe attack of pleurisy from which he never really recovered. In
1863 he went to Copenhagen, where his development came from his association in
1864 with the young Norwegian nationalist composer Rikard Nordraak. “Through
him,” said Grieg, “I first learned to know the northern folk tunes and my own
nature.” In the winter of 1864–65 Grieg became one of the founders of the
Copenhagen concert society, Euterpe, for the production of works by young
Scandinavian composers. In 1867 he married his cousin, Nina Hagerup, who became
an authoritative interpreter of his songs. He spent the winters of 1865–66 and
1869–70 in Rome, where he first met Ibsen and also Liszt, who was roused to
enthusiasm by his piano concerto. In 1866 he settled in Christiania (now Oslo),
remaining there until 1874, when he was granted an annual stipend of 1,600
crowns by the Norwegian government. In 1885 he built his home, “Troldhaugen,”
near Bergen. In spite of poor health, Grieg made several tours in Scandinavia,
on the Continent, and in England, playing his piano concerto in London in 1888.
Rooted in the national folk tradition of Norway, Grieg’s music is noted for a
refined lyrical sense. Between 1867 and 1901 he wrote ten collections of Lyric
Pieces (Lyriske Stykker) for piano. His spirited rhythms often have a folk song
association. 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. His
arrangements of Norwegian dances and songs, Opus 17 and Opus 66, and especially
his Slåtter, Norwegian Peasant Dances, Opus 72, show his characteristic sense
of rhythm and harmony. His vocal works include the songs on texts of A.O.
Vinje, Opus 33; and the Haugtussa cycle, Opus 67. Intuitively, he identified
himself with the poet’s imagery in these songs and discovered its musical
equivalent.
TRACKLIST
1275
WELTE-MIGNON GRIEG – Papillon (Butterfly) Op. 43, No. 1 “Lyric Pieces”
1276
WELTE-MIGNON GRIEG – “From Folk Life”, Op. 19, No. 2 Norwegian Bridal
Procession
1277
WELTE-MIGNON GRIEG – Little Bird, Op. 43, No. 4 “Lyric Pieces”
5504 DUO-ART
GRIEG – Papillon (Butterfly) Op. 43, No. l “Lyric Pieces”
50174 HUPFELD
GRIEG – Hochzeitstag auf Troldhaugen, Op. 65, Nr. 6
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