Edvard Grieg

Edvard Grieg

Edvard Grieg was a famous Norwegian composer and pianist. He is to Norway what “George Washington is to America and William Shakespeare to England.” Grieg is arguably Norway’s most celebrated human icon. He was born in 1843 and is considered one of the leading romantic era composers. He used and incorporated in his own compositions, which put the music of Norway in the international spectrum. Grieg’s style was based on the German romantic tradition of music but as he got older a sense national awareness developed within him. He felt a need to create a typical Norwegian style of music. This worldwide popularity and new unique style spurred a high sense on national identity for Norwegians. Grieg was adored wherever he traveled in Europe and lived a fast paced life of travel and performance. This lifestyle eventually caught up to him and he died in 1907 from chronic fatigue. Grieg is one of the founders of the Norwegian nationalist school of music and is best remembered by his Piano Concerto in A minor.

Benestad, F., & Schjelderup-Ebbe, D. (1988). Edvard Grieg: the man and the artist. University of Nebraska Press.