Grieg did not directly borrow melodic material from folk music for his Lyric Pieces, but rather assimilated and stylized his own melodic material with intuition.
Composer Biography
Edvard Grieg, the composer, started composing piano pieces in the German Romantic style while studying at the Leipzig conservatory from 1858-1861.
Performer Biography
Eva Knardahl spent fifteen years as a pianist with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra (now the Minnesota Orchestra) after moving to the USA in 1947.
Compositional Technique
Grieg's Lyric Pieces are formally uncomplicated, often using an A-B-A structure with a contrasting central section, and continually varying the opening motif.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Grieg developed a new style by integrating elements of folk music, influenced by his friend Rikard Nordraak's ideas about independent Norwegian music.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Grieg considered the world of harmony his 'dream-world' and believed the 'murky depth' of Norwegian folk music stemmed from its unrealized harmonic possibilities.
Performer Biography
Eva Knardahl, the pianist on this recording, first played publicly at age six and made her official debut at age 11, performing three concertos with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra.
