Edvard Grieg

Edvard Hagerup Grieg (June 15, 1843–September 4, 1907) was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is best known for his Piano Concerto in A minor, and for his incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt.

Biography

Grieg was born in Bergen, and was of partial Scottish descent; the original family name was spelt "Greig". After the Battle of Culloden in 1746, his great-grandfather immigrated to various places, settling in Norway around 1770 as a businessman in Bergen. Edvard was brought up in a musical home. His mother, Gesine, became his first piano teacher.

Related Topics:
Bergen - Scottish - Battle of Culloden - 1746 - 1770

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In the summer of 1858, Grieg met the legendary Norwegian violinist Ole Bull, who was a friend of the family and Gesine's brother-in-law. Bull noticed the 15-year-old boy's talent and persuaded his parents to send him to further develop his talents at the Leipzig Conservatory.

Related Topics:
1858 - Violinist - Ole Bull - Leipzig Conservatory

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Grieg enrolled in the conservatory with a concentration in piano later in 1858, and he soon found reward in the numerous concerts and recitals given in Leipzig. He rather disliked the discipline of the conservatory course of study, yet he still achieved very good grades in most areas, the exception being organ, which was then mandatory for piano students. In the spring of 1860, he caught a life-threatening lung disease. The year after, he made his debut as a concert pianist, in Karlshamn, Sweden. The next year he finished his studies in Leipzig, and held his first concert in his hometown of Bergen where he performed some technically advanced works, including Beethoven's Pathétique.

Related Topics:
Conservatory - 1858 - 1860 - Lung - Karlshamn - Sweden - Beethoven - Pathétique

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In 1863, Grieg went to Copenhagen, Denmark, and stayed there for three years. He met the Danish composers J. P. E. Hartman and Niels Gade. He also met his fellow Norwegian composer Rikard Nordraak (composer of the Norwegian national anthem) who became a very dear friend and source of great inspiration for Grieg. Nordraak died shortly after, and Grieg composed a funeral march in his honor. Grieg had close ties with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra (Harmonien) and was Music Director of the orchestra from 1880-1882.

Related Topics:
1863 - Copenhagen - Denmark - J. P. E. Hartman - Niels Gade - Rikard Nordraak - Norwegian national anthem - Funeral march - Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra - 1880 - 1882

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He also met Franz Liszt on two occasions in Copenhagen. The second time, Grieg brought with him the sketches of his piano concerto and presented them to Liszt. Liszt then transcribed the orchestral score and the piano voice for the one piano he was playing, in realtime (which is a tremendous musical, and technical, challenge). He subsequently gave it very good critics, which was a very important incident in Grieg's career. Liszt also wrote a testimonial to the Norwegian stipend managers, which led to Grieg's future scholarship.

Related Topics:
Franz Liszt - Piano concerto

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On June 11, 1867, Grieg married his first cousin, Nina Hagerup, whom he had also met in Copenhagen. Marriages between cousins were quite common at that time. The next year, their daughter and only child, Alexandra, was born. The following summer, Grieg wrote his famous piano concerto while on vacation in Denmark. Edmund Neupert gave the concerto its premiere performance in Copenhagen. Grieg himself couldn't be there due to commitments conducting in Christiania (Oslo).

Related Topics:
June 11 - 1867 - Nina Hagerup - Edmund Neupert - Oslo

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In the summer of 1869, Alexandra caught ill and died when 13 months old. Edvard and Nina went to Rome and were invited to meet the enthusiastic Franz Liszt, who expressed his appreciation for Grieg's piano concerto, and even sight read it.

Related Topics:
1869 - Rome - Franz Liszt - Sight read

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Edvard Grieg died in the autumn of 1907, after a long period of illness. The funeral drew thousands out on the streets of his hometown to honor the artist. He was 64. His and his wife's ashes are entombed in a mountain tomb near his house, Troldhaugen.

Related Topics:
1907 - Troldhaugen

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