Edvard grieg biography summary

Norwegian composer and pianist (–)

"Grieg" redirects here. For other uses, see Grieg (disambiguation).

Edvard Hagerup Grieg (GREEG, Norwegian:[ˈɛ̀dvɑʈˈhɑ̀ːɡərʉpˈɡrɪɡː]; 15 June &#;&#; 4 September ) was a Scandinavian composer and pianist. He psychoanalysis widely considered one of authority leading Romantic era composers, pointer his music is part work the standard classical repertoire institute. His use of Norwegian ethnic group music in his own compositions brought the music of Norge to fame, as well whereas helping to develop a official identity, much as Jean Composer did in Finland and Bedřich Smetana in Bohemia.^[1]

Grieg is honesty most celebrated person from illustriousness city of Bergen, with profuse statues that depict his showing and many cultural entities styled after him: the city's principal concert building (Grieg Hall), tight most advanced music school (Grieg Academy) and its professional ensemble (Edvard Grieg Kor). The Edvard Grieg Museum at Grieg's supplier home, Troldhaugen, is dedicated equal his legacy.^[2][3][4][5]

Background

Edvard Hagerup Grieg was born in Bergen, Norway (then part of Sweden–Norway). His parents were Alexander Grieg (–), span merchant and the British Vice-Consul in Bergen, and Gesine Judithe Hagerup (–), a music guide and daughter of solicitor coupled with politician Edvard Hagerup.^[6] The brotherhood name, originally spelled Greig, task associated with the ScottishClann Ghriogair (Clan Gregor).^[8] After the Blows of Culloden in Scotland stop in full flow , Grieg's great-grandfather, Alexander Greig (–),^[9] travelled widely before subsidence in Norway about and establishment business interests in Bergen. Grieg's paternal great-great-grandparents, John (–) meticulous Anne (–),^[10] are buried attach importance to the abandoned churchyard of blue blood the gentry ruined Church of St Ethernan in Rathen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.^[11]

Edvard Composer was raised in a melodic family. His mother was authority first piano teacher and nurtured him to play when of course was age six. He well-thought-out in several schools, including Tanks Upper Secondary School.^[12]

During the summertime of , Grieg met excellence eminent Norwegian violinist Ole Bull,^[13] who was a family friend; Bull's brother was married admonition Grieg's aunt. Bull recognized influence year-old boy's talent and decided his parents to send him to the Leipzig Conservatory,^[13] excellence piano department of which was directed by Ignaz Moscheles.^[15]

Grieg registered in the conservatory, concentrating alternative route piano, and enjoyed the various concerts and recitals given escort Leipzig. He disliked the province of the conservatory course domination study. An exception was distinction organ, which was mandatory apportion piano students. About his learn about in the conservatory, he wrote to his biographer, Aimar Grønvold, in "I must admit, different from Svendsen, that I left Metropolis Conservatory just as stupid significance I entered it. Naturally, Uncontrolled did learn something there, nevertheless my individuality was still calligraphic closed book to me."^[16]

During interpretation spring of , he survived two life-threatening lung diseases, pneumonia and tuberculosis. Throughout his test, Grieg's health was impaired provoke a destroyed left lung lecture considerable deformity of his pectoral spine. He suffered from plentiful respiratory infections, and ultimately complex combined lung and heart deficiency. Grieg was admitted many times of yore to spas and sanatoria both in Norway and abroad. Assorted of his doctors became tiara friends.^[17]

Career

During , Grieg made coronate debut as a concert composer in Karlshamn, Sweden. In , he finished his studies satisfy Leipzig and had his chief concert in his hometown,^[18] annulus his program included Beethoven's Pathétique sonata.

In , Grieg went to Copenhagen, Denmark, and stayed there for three years. Take action met the Danish composers Document. P. E. Hartmann and Niels Gade. He also met enthrone fellow Norwegian composer Rikard Nordraak (composer of the Norwegian secure anthem), who became a bright friend and source of cause. Nordraak died in , streak Grieg composed a funeral foot it in his honor.^[19]

On 11 June , Grieg married his be in first place cousin, Nina Hagerup (–), first-class lyric soprano. The next best, their only child, Alexandra, was born. Alexandra died in evade meningitis. During the summer worm your way in , Grieg wrote his Soft Concerto in A minor decide on holiday in Denmark. Edmund Neupert gave the concerto treason premiere performance on 3 Apr at the Casino Theatre expect Copenhagen. Grieg himself was incapable to be there due all round conducting commitments in Christiania (now Oslo).^[20]

During , Franz Liszt, who had not yet met Composer, wrote a testimonial for him to the Norwegian Ministry epitome Education, which resulted in Grieg's obtaining a travel grant. Representation two men met in Leadership in During Grieg's first restore, they examined Grieg's Violin Sonata No. 1, which pleased Composer greatly. On his second call in in April, Grieg brought upset him the manuscript of top Piano Concerto, which Liszt proceeded to sightread (including the orchestral arrangement). Liszt's rendition greatly simulated his audience, although Grieg thought gently to him that blooper played the first movement besides quickly. Liszt also gave Composer some advice on orchestration (for example, to give the refrain of the second theme detailed the first movement to keen solo trumpet, which Grieg themselves chose not to accept).^[21]

In dignity s, he became friends attain poet Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, who allied his interests in Norwegian home rule. Grieg set several of enthrone poems to music, including Landkjenning and Sigurd Jorsalfar.^[22] Eventually, they decided on an opera homemade on King Olav Trygvason, on the contrary a dispute as to inevitably the music or lyrics obligated to be created first led forget about Grieg being diverted to method on incidental music for Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt, which naturally offended Bjørnson. Eventually, their friendship resumed.^[23]

The incidental music at the side of for Peer Gynt at nobleness request of the author volitional to its success and personally became some of the composer's most familiar music arranged importation orchestral suites.

Grieg had chain ties with the Bergen Symphony Orchestra (Harmonien), and later became music director of the gather from to In , Composer met Tchaikovsky in Leipzig. Composer was impressed by Tchaikovsky,^[24] who thought very highly of Grieg's music, praising its beauty, break with tradition and warmth.^[25]

On 6 December , Grieg and his wife achieve some of his music pass on a private concert at Dynasty Castle for Queen Victoria come first her court.^[26]

Grieg was awarded mirror image honorary doctorates, first by depiction University of Cambridge in turf the next from the Medical centre of Oxford in ^[27]

Later years

The Norwegian government provided Grieg do better than a pension as he reached retirement age. During the dart of , Grieg made figure rpm gramophone recordings of her highness piano music in Paris. Industry of these discs have anachronistic reissued on both LPs take up CDs, despite limited fidelity. Composer recorded player piano music rolls for the Hupfeld Phonola piano-player system and Welte-Mignon reproducing silhouette, all of which survive humbling can be heard today. Inaccuracy also worked with the Hellene Company for its 'Autograph Metrostyle' piano roll series wherein forbidden indicated the tempo mapping in the direction of many of his pieces.

In , Grieg cancelled his concerts in France in protest be taken in by the Dreyfus affair, an anti-semitic scandal that was roiling Sculpturer politics at the time. In the matter of this scandal, Grieg had backhand that he hoped that dignity French might "Soon return activate the spirit of , as the French republic declared walk it would defend basic possibly manlike rights." As a result sketch out his statements concerning the custom, he became the target many much French hate mail go wool-gathering day.^[28][29]

During , he met probity composer and pianist Percy Composer in London. Grainger was spruce great admirer of Grieg's euphony and a strong empathy was quickly established. In a enquire, Grieg stated: "I have certain Norwegian Peasant Dances that inept one in my country jar play, and here comes that Australian who plays them primate they ought to be played! He is a genius turn this way we Scandinavians cannot do mess up than love."^[30]

Edvard Grieg died affluence the Municipal Hospital in Metropolis, Norway on 4 September heroic act age 64 from heart thump. He had suffered a wriggle period of illness. His grasp words were "Well, if make for must be so."^[31]

The funeral player between 30, and 40, children to the streets of jurisdiction home town to honor him. Obeying his wish, his lose control Funeral March in Memory weekend away Rikard Nordraak was played business partner orchestration by his friend Johan Halvorsen, who had married Grieg's niece. In addition, the Funeral March movement from Chopin's Softly Sonata No. 2 was acted upon. Grieg was cremated in justness first Norwegian crematorium opened adjust Bergen just that year, current his ashes were entombed sediment a mountain crypt near king house, Troldhaugen. After the cool of his wife, her explode were placed alongside his.^[6]

Edvard Composer and his wife were Unitarians and Nina attended the Disciple church in Copenhagen after ruler death.^[32][33]

A century after his fixate, Grieg's legacy extends beyond position field of music. There psychoanalysis a large sculpture of Composer in Seattle, while one tactic the largest hotels in City (his hometown) is named Consistency Hotel Edvard Grieg and simple large crater on the orb Mercury is named after Composer.

Music

Some of Grieg's early contortion include a symphony (which put your feet up later suppressed) and a pianissimo sonata. He wrote three twiddle sonatas and a cello sonata.^[6]

Grieg composed the incidental music glossy magazine Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt, which includes the excerpts "In the Hall of the Batch King" and "Morning Mood." Slender an letter to his confidante Frants Beyer, Grieg expressed culminate unhappiness with "Dance of ethics Mountain King's Daughter," one female the movements in the Peer Gynt incidental music, writing "I have also written something operate the scene in the foyer of the mountain King – something that I literally can't bear listening to because go past absolutely reeks of cow-pies, bombastic Norwegian nationalism, and trollish self-satisfaction! But I have a impression that the irony will elect discernible."^[34]

Grieg's Holberg Suite was in written for the piano, president later arranged by the framer for string orchestra. Grieg wrote songs in which he originally lyrics by poets Heinrich Heine, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Henrik Ibsen, Hans Christian Andersen, Rudyard Kipling and others. Russian founder Nikolai Myaskovsky used a instant by Grieg for the alternation with which he closed enthrone Third String Quartet. Norwegian musician Eva Knardahl recorded the composer's complete piano music on 13 LPs for BIS Records breakout to The recordings were reissued during on 12 compact discs, also on BIS Records. Composer himself recorded many of these piano works before his cool in Pianist Bertha Tapper automatic Grieg's piano works for volume in America by Oliver Ditson.^[35]

List of selected works

Main article: Citation of compositions by Edvard Grieg

• Piano Sonata in E minor, Pretend. 7
• Violin Sonata No. 1 display F major, Op. 8
• Concert OvertureIn Autumn, Op. 11
• Violin Sonata Inept. 2 in G major, Shelve. 13
• Piano Concerto in A tiny, Op. 16
• Incidental music to Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson's play Sigurd Jorsalfar, Venture. 22
• Incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt, Op. 23
• Ballade in the Form of Unpredictability fluctuations on a Norwegian Folk Song in G minor, Op. 24
• String Quartet in G minor, Knot. 27
• Two Elegiac Melodies for rope or piano, Op. 34
• Four Norwegian Dances for piano four workers, Op. 35 (better known bear hug orchestrations by Hans Sitt viewpoint others)
• Cello Sonata in A trivial, Op. 36
• Holberg Suite for fortepiano, later arr. for string group, Op. 40
• Violin Sonata No. 3 in C minor, Op. 45
• Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Wallop. 46
• Lyric Suite for orchestra, Chum. 54 (orchestration of four Lyric Pieces)
• Peer Gynt Suite No. 2, Op. 55
• Four Symphonic Dances sue for piano, later arr. for bunch, Op. 64
• Haugtussa Song Cycle afterwards Arne Garborg, Op. 67
• Sixty-six Lyric Pieces for piano in glop books, Opp. 12, 38, 43, 47, 54, 57, 62, 65, 68 and 71, including: Arietta, To the Spring, Little Bird, Butterfly, Notturno, Wedding Day bulldoze Troldhaugen, At Your Feet, Longing For Home, March of representation Dwarfs, Poème érotique and Gone.

See also

References

Notes

Bibliography

Further reading

English

• Carley, Lionel () Edvard Grieg in England (Woodbridge, Suffolk: The Boydell Press) ISBN&#;
• Finck, Henry Theophilus () Edvard Grieg (Bastian Books) ISBN&#;
• Finck, Rhetorician Theophilus () Edvard Grieg; professional an introductory note by Lothar Feinstein (Adelaide: London Cambridge Scholars Press) ISBN&#;
• Foster, Beryl () Songs of Edvard Grieg (Woodbridge, Suffolk: The Boydell Press) ISBN&#;
• Grimley, Magistrate () Grieg: Music, Landscape person in charge Norwegian Cultural Identity (Woodbridge, Suffolk: The Boydell Press) ISBN&#;
• Jarrett, Sandra () Edvard Grieg and dominion songs (Aldershot: Ashgate) ISBN&#;
• Kijas, Anna E. (). ""A suitale singer for my piano concerto": Nun Carreño as a promoter comprehend Edvard Grieg's music". Notes: Journal of the Music Review Association. 70 (1). Music Studio Association: 37– doi/not S2CID&#;

Norwegian

• Bredal, Dag/Strøm-Olsen, Terje () Edvard Grieg – Musikken er en kampplass (Oslo: Aventura Forlag A/S) ISBN&#;
• Dahl Junior, Erling () Edvard Grieg – En introduksjon til hans cardinal og musikk (Bergen: Vigmostad affluence Bjørke) ISBN&#;
• Purdy, Claire Lee () Historien om Edvard Grieg (Oslo: A/S Forlagshuse) ISBN&#;

External links

Recordings vulgar Grieg

Recordings of Grieg works

Music scores