Edvard Grieg

Who is Edvard Grieg?

Edvard Hagerup Grieg was born in Bergen and became the most celebrated Norwegian composer of the Romantic era. He studied at the Leipzig Conservatory in Germany, absorbing the European classical tradition, but developed a distinctive voice by drawing on Norwegian folk music, its melodies, harmonies and dance rhythms. His incidental music for Ibsen's play Peer Gynt, including "Morning Mood" and "In the Hall of the Mountain King," became internationally famous, as did his Piano Concerto in A minor, one of the most performed concertos in the repertoire. Grieg toured widely as a pianist and conductor, and his intimate Lyric Pieces for piano remain beloved. He helped establish a national musical identity for Norway and lived his later years at his villa Troldhaugen near Bergen, now a museum dedicated to his work.

Sources: Edvard Grieg, Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16, 1868 · Edvard Grieg, Peer Gynt Suites (Op. 46 and Op. 55), 1888/1891 · Edvard Grieg, Lyric Pieces for piano, 1867–1901