Grieg’s Masterpieces and Popular Works: Pieces That Evoke the Nature of Norway
Edvard Grieg, who drew inspiration from Norwegian folk music, gained recognition as a composer of the national romantic school.
He left behind numerous masterpieces, and his name has continued to resonate long after his death.
Many of Grieg’s works are beautiful pieces that evoke Norway’s rich natural landscapes.
In this article, we introduce some of Grieg’s famous and popular works.
From piano pieces and songs to orchestral and wind band music, his output spans many genres.
Whether you’re familiar with classical music or not, we encourage you to experience his music at least once!
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Grieg’s Masterpieces and Popular Works: Pieces That Evoke the Nature of Norway (31–40)
Lyric Pieces, Book I, Op. 12: No. 1 “Arietta”Edvard Grieg
As its name suggests, Edvard Grieg’s Lyric Pieces is a collection of lyrical and beautiful works—66 short pieces for piano in total.
The set is divided into ten books, with Arietta placed at the very beginning of Book I.
The year Book I was published, 1867, was also the year Grieg married his wife, Nina Hagerup.
About 34 years later, the final piece of Book X, Remembrances, brings the collection to a close by presenting a variation of the Arietta motif.
Two Elegiac MelodiesEdvard Grieg
Two pieces selected from the song collection Twelve Melodies, Op.
33, set to poems by the Norwegian farmer-poet Aasmund Olavsson Vinje, were arranged by Edvard Grieg himself for string orchestra as Two Elegiac Melodies.
The two movements are Heart Wounds and The Last Spring.
Though steeped in sorrow, their grand sense of scale strongly conveys Grieg’s Nordic character.
These works soothe a downcast spirit and calm a restless heart.
Morning Mood from Peer GyntEdvard Grieg
“Morning” from the incidental music to Henrik Ibsen’s 1867 play Peer Gynt, completed in 1875 by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg.
Because it was written as incidental music, it has a background music–like quality: gentle rays of morning light filtering through the trees, a peaceful awakening, and a deeply soothing character.
Many elementary and junior high schools seem to have played this piece.
With eyes closed, you can almost hear the wind, the murmuring of a stream, and the breeze rustling through the trees—music that lets you feel the beauty of nature.
It truly is perfect as a school morning BGM.
“Morning Mood” from Peer GyntEdvard Grieg
Incidental music by Edvard Grieg, one of Norway’s foremost composers, written for Henrik Ibsen’s play Peer Gynt.
The play recounts the story of the free-spirited Peer Gynt as he sets off on his travels and returns in old age.
Of the 26 pieces of incidental music, several were selected and published as orchestral suites.
Morning Mood, which opens Act IV, is a clear, luminous piece depicting dawn in the Sahara Desert.
Its flute melody is especially famous, conveying a grandeur as if the morning sun were beautifully illuminating the sands.
Piano Sonata in E minor, Op. 7, First MovementEdvard Grieg
Composed when Edvard Grieg was 22, the Piano Sonata in E minor, Op.
7 is Grieg’s only piano sonata and a work filled with his early ambitious experimentation.
The first movement showcases distinctive techniques, such as beginning the melody with his own initials, “E.H.G,” and creating a dynamic impression by having the melody descend across a range exceeding an octave.
While its folk-inspired elements are not particularly strong, the piece abounds with musical characteristics that foreshadow his later works.
Grieg’s Masterpieces and Popular Works: Pieces That Evoke the Nature of Norway (41–50)
‘Solveig’s Song’ from Peer Gynt Suite No. 2Edvard Grieg
Edvard Grieg, a Norwegian composer known as a leading figure of the national romantic school influenced by Norwegian music.
He studied under Ole Bull and Niels Gade, and although he did not become a professional performing musician, he was renowned for his formidable piano technique.
One of his representative works is “Solveig’s Song” from Peer Gynt Suite No.
2.
Beyond its poignancy and beauty, it also features mysterious melodies that evoke a sense of adventure, allowing a variety of images to unfold within a single piece.
Holberg Suite No. 1: PreludeEdvard Grieg
Edvard Grieg, the Norwegian-born genius of the Romantic era.
In 1884, he composed this masterpiece to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Norwegian intellectual Ludvig Holberg.
The work consists of five movements modeled after a Baroque suite, with the first being a vigorous prelude.
It overflows with a lofty atmosphere reminiscent of Bach’s works, and its sparkling melodies are sure to capture the audience’s heart.
By steadily building your finger technique and working carefully, you’ll be able to fully express its dazzling world.
Why not practice with the image of performing confidently at a recital?