Grieg described his piano pieces as 'dwellings in which people might feel happy and at home,' contrasting them with the 'temples and churches' built by Bach and Beethoven.
Composition History
Grieg's Ballade in the form of variations on a Norwegian melody was written in 1875/76 during a period of deep sorrow following the death of his parents.
Performer Biography
Andrey Gugnin, the pianist on this recording, won the prestigious Sydney International Piano Competition in 2016 and the Instrumental category at the 2020 BBC Music Magazine Awards.
Composition History
The Holberg Suite was composed in 1884 for the 200th anniversary of the birth of Ludvig Holberg, a poet, playwright, and philosopher from Grieg's hometown of Bergen.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Grieg developed a nationalist style of music with a strong awareness of Norway's history and folk-song heritage, encouraged by figures like Rikard Nordraak.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Grieg is primarily known as a miniaturist composer, preferring shorter works, songs, and incidental theatre music over larger forms like operas or symphonies.
Composer Biography
Edvard Grieg, a Norwegian composer of Scottish descent, studied at the Leipzig Conservatory and was greatly influenced by Robert Schumann.
