Edvard Hagerup Grieg (1843 – 1907) was a Norwegian
composer and pianist. He is widely considered one of
the leading Romantic era composers, and his music is
part of the standard classical repertoire worldwide.
His use and development of Norwegian folk music in his
own compositions brought the music of Norway to
international consciousness, as well as helping to
develop a national identity, much as Jean Sibelius did
in Finland and Bedřich Smetana did in Bohemia.
From his extensive body of ...(+)
Edvard Hagerup Grieg (1843 – 1907) was a Norwegian
composer and pianist. He is widely considered one of
the leading Romantic era composers, and his music is
part of the standard classical repertoire worldwide.
His use and development of Norwegian folk music in his
own compositions brought the music of Norway to
international consciousness, as well as helping to
develop a national identity, much as Jean Sibelius did
in Finland and Bedřich Smetana did in Bohemia.
From his extensive body of works for piano, history
has, of course, singled out the Concerto in A minor for
special treatment, but there are a number of other
musical gems hidden among the ranks. Many of the Lyric
Pieces (ten books, in all) are quite becoming, and the
four Album Leaves have earned a special place in the
hearts of a handful of pianists; but it is the striking
Ballade in G minor, Op. 24, in which the brightest and
best of his pianistic sentiments find expression.
The young Grieg was on his way to Italy with his friend
Rikard Nordraak in 1865 when Nordraak fell ill and
remained behind in Berlin. The following spring, Grieg
learned that his friend had died of consumption, and
immediately began writing this memorial march as a way
of working through his grief and perhaps atoning for
leaving Nordraak behind. Grieg wrote this march for
piano, later scoring it for wind band and requesting
that it be played at his own funeral. But upon Grieg's
death no band was available, so Johan Halvorsen quickly
scored it for full orchestra.
The work begins softly, at a measured pace, but soon
rises in pitch and loudness to a state of both anguish
and defiance; the music here resembles a portion of
Berlioz's Symphonie funèbre et triomphale. The march
music dies away and is replaced by a gentle, more
folk-like tune. The opening material creates a loud,
stern disruption, then falls away into a softer lament.
This leads back to the gloomy, mysterious opening of
the piece, and in fact a restatement of everything up
to the little folk tune, which is now replaced by a
slow, fading recessional.
Although originally composed for Piano, I created this
interpretation of the Funeral March in A Minor (EG 107)
for Winds (Flute, Oboe & Bassoon) & Strings (2 Violins,
Viola, Cello & Bass).
PARTITION