Grieg: Piano Concerto & Incidental Music to "Peer Gynt"

Featuring

Edward Gardner
Håkon Høgemo
Lise Davidsen
Ann-Helen Moen
Victoria Nava
Johannes Weisser

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet
Bergen Filharmoniske Orkester
Bergen Pikekor
Bergen Guttekor
Edvard Grieg Ungdomskor
Edvard Grieg Kor
Bergen Filharmoniske Kor
Edvard Grieg

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Composition History

Henrik Ibsen, the playwright, invited Grieg to compose incidental music for his dramatic poem 'Peer Gynt' in 1874, offering him full artistic freedom despite having many ideas himself.

Compositional Technique

The opening notes of Grieg's Piano Concerto (A - A - G sharp - E) became an archetypal Grieg motif, spanning octaves and linked by a minor triad.

Notable Performances

The premiere of Grieg's Piano Concerto in April 1869 was an immediate success, attended by Russian pianist Anton Rubinstein, who lent his grand piano for the occasion.

Compositional Technique

Grieg's Piano Concerto in A minor is characterized by a single, constantly expanding idea, with the entire concerto's essence captured in its very first chord.

Composition History

Grieg was inspired to compose his Piano Concerto after hearing Clara Schumann perform Robert Schumann's Piano Concerto in A minor during his studies in Leipzig.

Cultural Impact

Grieg's 'In the Hall of the Mountain King' from 'Peer Gynt' is described as "the very first, and still the best, piece of rock 'n' roll made in Norway."

Composer's Artistic Vision

Grieg struggled with composing 'Peer Gynt' music, calling it "the most unmusical of all subjects" in a letter to his friend Frants Beyer, except for a few specific parts.