Edvard Hagerup Grieg (1843 – 1907) was a Norwegian
composer and pianist. He is widely considered one of
the leading Romantic era composers, and his music is
part of the standard classical repertoire worldwide.
His use and development of Norwegian folk music in his
own compositions brought the music of Norway to
international consciousness, as well as helping to
develop a national identity, much as Jean Sibelius and
Bedrich Smetana did in Finland and Bohemia,
respectively. He is the most celebr...(+)
Edvard Hagerup Grieg (1843 – 1907) was a Norwegian
composer and pianist. He is widely considered one of
the leading Romantic era composers, and his music is
part of the standard classical repertoire worldwide.
His use and development of Norwegian folk music in his
own compositions brought the music of Norway to
international consciousness, as well as helping to
develop a national identity, much as Jean Sibelius and
Bedrich Smetana did in Finland and Bohemia,
respectively. He is the most celebrated person from the
city of Bergen, with numerous statues depicting his
image, and many cultural entities named after him: the
city's largest concert building (Grieg Hall), its most
advanced music school (Grieg Academy) and its
professional choir (Edvard Grieg Kor). The Edvard Grieg
Museum at Grieg's former home, Troldhaugen, is
dedicated to his legacy.
The seven works that constitute Edvard Grieg's Fourth
Book of Lyric Pieces, published as Op. 47 in 1888, were
composed from 1885-88. By mid-1885, Grieg had
reconciled with his wife Nina, and together they built
a home outside Bergen at Troldhaugen ("Valley of the
Trolls"). This would serve as home to the Griegs for
the rest of their days. Once completed, the
considerable expense of building this elaborate house
would drive Grieg back to his worktable. In these years
he shaped the First Peer Gynt Suite from his incidental
music of 1874-5, revised his cantata Oleg Trygvason,
and completed his Third Violin Sonata for the violinist
Adolf Brodsky.
It was at Brodsky's in Leipzig on New Year's Day, 1888
that Grieg enjoyed lunch in the company of fellow
composers Johannes Brahms and Peter Tchaikovsky. Also
in Leipzig, Grieg met the young English composer
Frederick Delius; the two became fast friends, and
Delius rejoined Grieg at Troldhaugen for the summer of
that year. In May, Grieg traveled to London where he
performed his A minor Piano Concerto for the last time.
Joyous news arrived in the form of a letter from
Grieg's publisher Max Abraham with C.F. Peters; Abraham
agreed to assume the remaining debt on Troldhaugen and
pay it off, relieving Grieg of the responsibility of
having to raise the funds to do so.
It was in this stimulating atmosphere of settling-in,
reinvigorating his romance with Nina, cleaning up old
business, and acquainting himself with his peers that
Grieg composed the Fourth Book of Lyric Pieces.
He saved many of his freshest ideas for this set;
immediately established through the bitter melodic
tinge of the opening "Valse-Impromptu," almost bi-tonal
in its constant tension between the E major melody in
the right hand against the E minor tonality in which
the piece is rooted. "Albumblad" (Album-leaf) has an
ecstatic quality that is reminiscent of somewhat later
works of Scriabin. "Melodie" is stated over a grave,
minimal, and insistent quarter- and eighth-note figure
(in 6/8 time) which is sometimes voiced only in bare
fifths for long stretches of bars. In "Halling," a
setting of a traditional duple-time Norwegian dance,
the bare fifths in the accompaniment return decorated
by dissonant passing tones. The melody is likewise
peppered with dissonant grace notes and adjacent
pitches; at one point Grieg achieves a minor ninth in
the melody. "Melancoli," marked Largo, is somber, as
indicated by the title, and largely serves to provide
thematic contrast between the "Halling" and
"Springdans" (Spring or Leaping Dance) which follows.
The "Springdans," a triple time Norwegian dance, is
similar in approach to the "Halling"; Grieg adds huge
leaps in the left hand to the treble register and some
tricky triplet figures in the right. The concluding
"Elegie" centers around a drooping chromatic melody
that is harmonized by thirds in the manner of
Massenet's Elegie. Perhaps an ending more respectable
than ideal in this context, this piece is nevertheless
haunting in its own distinctive way.
Although originally composed for Piano, I created this
Interpretation of the "Norwegian Dance" from Lyric
Pieces (Book 4 Op. 47 No. 6) for String Quartet (2
Violins, Viola & Cello).
PARTITION