Edvard Grieg: biography, videos, interesting facts, creativity.

Edvard Grieg

Edward Grieg is a Norwegian composer whose artistic legacy is remarkable for its national color. He cultivated his talent under the strict guidance of his mother, and then other famous musicians. Fate gave him many acquaintances with the best people of the time, and he took a worthy place next to them in the history of world and Scandinavian culture. Edward's creative and personal life was closely tied to heavy obstacles, but Grieg did not retreat a single step from his goal. And his patience was rewarded by the loud glory of the brightest representative of the Norwegian musical tradition. But Grieg was humble, preferring the solitary enjoyment of nature and music in the estate near his birthplace.

A brief biography of Edvard Grieg and many interesting facts about the composer can be found on our page.

Short biography of Grieg

The full name of the composer is Edward Hagerup Grieg. He was born in the city of Bergen on June 15, 1843 in the family of British Vice-Consul Alexander Grieg and pianist Gesina Hagerup. His father was the third in the dynasty of representatives of Great Britain, which was initiated by his grandfather, a wealthy merchant who moved to Norway in 1770. Edward's mother had remarkable musical abilities: she graduated from the conservatory in Hamburg, despite the fact that this school was accepted exclusively by young men. It was she who contributed to the development of musical talent of all five children in the family. In addition, piano lessons were part of the compulsory education program for heirs of respectable families. At the age of 4, Edward first sat at the piano, but then no one imagined that music would become his destiny.

As it should be, at the age of ten the boy went to a regular school. He did not demonstrate diligence in studies from the very first days - general subjects were interested in him much less than writing.

From the biography of Grieg, we learn that when Edward was 15 years old, the famous Norwegian musician Ole Bull came to visit his parents. The boy showed him his first works. Obviously they touched Bull, as his expression instantly became serious and thoughtful. At the end of the performance, he talked about something with the boy's parents, and informed him that he was going to Leipzig to get a good musical education.

Edward passed the entrance tests to the conservatory successfully, and in 1858 his training began. He was extremely selective with regard to his own teachers, allowing himself to ask the management of the conservatory to replace him with a mentor, with whom he did not have the same musical views and preferences. And, thanks to his remarkable talent and diligence in his studies, he was always met to meet. Over the years of study, Edward has visited many concerts, enjoying the works of great musicians - Wagner, Mozart, Beethoven. In 1862, the Leipzig Conservatory released Edward Grieg with excellent grades and admiring recommendations. In the same year, his debut concert was held, which was held in Sweden, in the city of Karlshamn. A brilliant graduation was overshadowed only by Grieg’s state of health - the pleurisy, earned during that period, will accompany the composer all his life, occasionally giving serious complications.

Copenhagen and the composer's personal life

Returning to his native Bergen, Grieg soon realized that there were no prospects for his professional development, and in 1863 he moved to Copenhagen. The choice of the city is not accidental - it was here that the center of the musical and cultural life of all Scandinavian states was located at that time. Copenhagen had a fateful influence on the work of Grieg: acquaintance with many artists of the time, educational activities and deepening in the history of the Scandinavian peoples formed his unique style. Grieg's musical creations began to acquire clear national features. Together with other young musicians, Grieg promotes Scandinavian musical motifs “to the masses”, and he himself is inspired by the rhythms of songs, dances, images and forms of folk sketches.

In Copenhagen, Edward Grieg meets the main woman of his life - Nina Hagerup. The young successful singer reciprocated on Grieg's passionate recognition. On the way to their boundless happiness there was only one obstacle - a family connection. Nina was Edward's cousin on the maternal side. Their union caused a storm of indignation among relatives, and for all the following years they became outcasts in their own families.

In 1867, they still got married. It was not just a marriage between two lovers, it was also a creative tandem. Nina performed songs and plays to the music of Grieg, and, according to the observations of contemporaries, there was no other performer who would be so in the mood of his compositions. The beginning of family life was associated with monotonous work, which did not bring serious success and income. Based in Christiania (Oslo), Nina and Edward traveled throughout Europe, giving concerts. Sometimes he conducted, gave piano lessons.

In 1868 a daughter was born in a young family. In honor of his father, Edward called her Alexandra. But the happiness did not last long - at the age of one year, the girl died of meningitis. This event was fatal for the family of Grieg - the spouse was grieving for the loss, and their relationship was never the same. Joint concert activity continued, but success did not come. Grieg was on the verge of a deep depression.

In 1872, his play "Sigurd the Crusader" was recognized, the Swedish authorities even appointed him for life. So the unexpected glory did not please Grieg - he began to dream of a quiet measured life, and soon returned to his native Bergen.

The small homeland inspired Grieg for new achievements - he composes music for Ibsen's drama "Peer Gynt", which is still considered one of the most significant works of Grieg and an important aspect of Norwegian culture in general. It reflects both the personal experiences of the composer and his view on the rhythm of life in modern European capitals. And folk motifs, favorite by Grieg, underlined his admiration for his native Norway.

The last years of life and work

In Bergen, Grieg's health deteriorated significantly - pleurisy threatened to go into tuberculosis. In addition, the relationship with Nina collapsed, and in 1883 she left her husband. Grieg found the strength to bring her back, realizing that, despite universal glory, there are very few truly close people around him.

Edward and Nina began touring again, but it was getting worse - the lung disease was developing rapidly. Having visited almost all European capitals, Grieg was going to hold a regular concert in London. Waiting for the ship, he and Nina stayed at the hotel in Bergen. A new attack did not allow Grieg to go on a journey, and, once in the hospital, he died on September 4, 1907.

Interesting facts about Grieg

• Edward did not seek to get an education in a regular school, by all means avoiding lessons. According to the stories of some of his biographers, sometimes he deliberately doused his clothes, as if he had fallen into the rain, so that he would be sent home to change clothes. Going to the house was far away, and Edward simply skipped classes.
• Grieg made his first attempts at composing music at the age of 12.
• Once Edward carried a notebook with his first works to school. Teachers who disliked the boy for his inattentive attitude to school, ridiculed these records.

• In the period of his life in Copenhagen, Grieg met and became friends with Hans Christian Andersen. The composer wrote the music for several of his poems.
• Edward made a proposal to Nina Hagerup on the Christmas evening of 1864, in the company of young cultural figures, presenting to her a collection of his love sonnets called “Melodies of the Heart”.
• Grieg always admired the works of Franz Liszt, and one day they had a personal meeting. In the difficult period of Grieg's life, Liszt attended his concert, and afterwards he came up and wished him not to stop and not to be afraid of anything. Edward regarded it as a kind of blessing.
• Grieg's favorite home was the estate near Bergen, which the composer dubbed "Trollhaugen" - "Troll Hill".
• Grieg took an active part in the opening of the Music Academy in Christiania in 1867.
• According to the biography of Grieg in 1893, the composer was awarded the title of doctor of the University of Cambridge.
• Grieg had a peculiar talisman - a clay figurine of a frog. He always took her with him to concerts, and before going on stage he was in the habit of rubbing her back.

• Biography Grieg says that in 1887, Edward and Nina Hagerup met with Tchaikovsky. Correspondence began between them, and for many years Grieg shared his creative plans and personal experiences with him.
• Grieg's visit to Russia never took place because of Edward's illness and the Russian-Japanese war, under which he found it inappropriate to come to visit Tchaikovsky’s friend.
• Heinrich Ibsen himself asked Grieg to compose the music for his play "Peer Gynt", writing a letter to the composer in early 1874. Ibsen promised him to divide the proceeds in half, as between equal co-authors. It was just such great importance that the playwright gave to the music.
• At one of his concerts in Christiania, Grieg, without warning, replaced the last number with Beethoven’s composition. The next day, the critic, who disliked Grieg, published a devastating review, especially noting the lack of talent of the last work. Edward did not lose his head, called up this criticism, and declared that he was the spirit of Beethoven, and that he was the author of that very work. With a critic had a heart attack.

• The King of Norway was an admirer of Grieg’s talent, and ordered to give him one honorary order. Edward, finding nothing better, put the order in the back pocket of the coat. The king was told that Grieg had treated his reward in a very indecent way, which the monarch was seriously offended by.
• Edward Grieg and Nina Hagerup are buried in the same grave. Despite the difficulties in living together, they still managed to stay closest to each other.

Creativity Edward Grieg

Grieg's works are of great importance both for world music history and for the national culture of Norway. In fact, he became the first Norwegian composer, who gained world fame, and also promoted Scandinavian folk motifs to a new level.

In 1889, Grieg took the most courageous step to promote Norway to the musical Olympus of those years. He organized the first festival of folk music in his native city of Bergen, inviting to him the famous orchestra from Holland. The event was attended by many world famous music figures. Thanks to the festival, the world learned about the existence of a small Norwegian town, some talented composers and performers, and Scandinavian music finally took its rightful place.

The creative heritage of Edvard Grieg includes more than 600 songs and romances, 20 pieces, symphonies, sonatas and suites for piano, violins, cello. For many years he went to write his own opera, but circumstances constantly evolved not in his favor. Thanks to these attempts, the world of music was replenished with several no less significant works.

The story of one masterpiece - "Peer Gynt"

One can hardly meet a person who has never heard the gentlest sounds of the play Morning from the suite of Grieg Peer Gynt or the insinuating procession of the mysterious inhabitants of the Cave of the Mountain King. This is not surprising, because this work has long won incredible popularity and love of the public. Film directors often refer to this masterpiece, including it in their films. Moreover, in every school, music club, school of development, children will certainly get acquainted with the bright and unusually expressive plays that are included in the suite.

Written "Peer Gynt" on the eponymous philosophical play by Henrik Ibsen. The protagonist of the work is a dreamer and a dreamer who chose to travel, wandering aimlessly on the ground. Thus, the hero prefers to avoid all the complexities of life. Working on his play, Ibsen turned to Norwegian folklore, and he borrowed the name of the main character and some dramaturgical lines from “Folk Tales” and “Magic Tales” by Asbiernson. The play takes place in the distant mountains of Norway, the mysterious cave of Dovra grandfather, in the sea, as well as the sands of Egypt. It is noteworthy that Ibsen himself turned to Edward Grieg, with a request to write music for the drama. The composer immediately undertook to carry out the order, but it turned out to be rather difficult and the composition proceeded slowly. Grieg managed to finish the score in the spring of 1875 in Leipzig. The premiere of the play already with the music of the composer with great success was performed in Christiania in February 1876. A little later, Grieg re-certified the play for its production in Copenhagen in 1886. A little later, the composer again turned to this work and composed two suites, which included four numbers from the twenty-three written by him. Very soon, these suites conquered the audience and took a firm place in many concert programs.

Music in movies

Edward Grieg dedicated his entire life and work to his beloved homeland. Even a love relationship did not become more important to him than a great cause - the glorification of Norway and its cultural traditions. However, his incredible talent did not leave indifferent representatives of other nationalities, and to this day he continues to touch his hearts with his charming sound, evoke warm-heartedness and exciting delight. There were no high-profile novels in his fate, he did not boast of his success, although he was incredibly happy with a lot of invitations and suggestions. And yet his life is not a “vanity fair,” but unlimited service to the motherland.