Edvard Grieg

The scandinavian landscapes in Grieg's compositions

Back in Norway, Grieg decided to distance himself from the German Romanticism of his first works in order to concentrate on national folklore. His Lyric Pieces for piano commanded the admiration of both Franz Liszt and Johannes Brahms. His notoriety spread and his Piano Concerto (1868) launched his reputation as a composer recognised beyond the frontiers of the north.

Poetic and lyrical, Grieg’s style is best recognised in his short pieces, in particularly those written for the piano or voice. His writing was always melodic, his harmonies were never conventional, and he left behind numerous inspired pieces reflecting the landscapes of the north. Further to his encounter with Ibsen, Grieg composed the incidental music Peer Gynt (1875) from which he drew two Orchestral Suites bringing him international fame. Sometimes conventional in the bigger musical forms, (sonatas and concertos), Grieg’s music was always poetical and skilled with the discreet charms of momentary evocation.