Where was Grig's country born? Edvard Grieg: biography, personal life, creativity, photo. Edvard Grieg as the founder of the Norwegian classics

04.11.2019

Introduction

1 The works of Edvard Grieg

2 Features of Grieg's music

Conclusion

So, the purpose of this work is to examine the work of Edvard Grieg and identify him as the founder of the Norwegian classics. To do this, it is necessary to resolve the following issues:

1. The works of Edvard Grieg

2. Features of Grieg's music

3. Edvard Grieg as the founder of the Norwegian classics.

1 The works of Edvard Grieg

Edvard Hagerup Grieg was born in June 1843. His ancestors were Scots (by the surname Greig - famous Russian admirals S.K. and A.S. Greig - also belonged to this family). The family was musical. The mother, a good pianist, taught the children music herself.

Bergen, where Grieg was born, was famous for its national traditions, especially in the field of theater; Henrik Ibsen and Björnstjerne Björsnon began their careers here; Ole Bull was born here, it was he who first drew attention to the gifted boy (Grieg was composing at the age of 12), and advised his parents to send him to the Leipzig Conservatory.

Grieg later recalled without pleasure the years of conservatory education - the conservatism of his teachers, their isolation from life. However, his stay there gave him a lot: level musical life was quite tall, and outside the conservatory Grieg became involved in music modern composers, he especially liked Schumann and Chopin.

Grieg’s creative research was warmly supported by Ole Bull - during joint travels around Norway, he initiated his young friend into the secrets folk art. And soon the individual features of Grieg’s style became clearly evident. No wonder they say - if you want to join the folklore of Norway, listen to Grieg.

More and more he perfected his talent in Christiania (now Oslo). Here he writes huge amount their most famous works. It was here that his famous second violin sonata was born - one of his most favorite works. But Grieg’s work and his life in Christiania were full of struggle for recognition in music of the folk flavor of Norwegian art; he had many enemies, opponents of such innovations in music. Therefore, he especially remembered the friendly power that Liszt showed him. By that time, having accepted the rank of abbot, Liszt lived in Rome and did not personally know Grieg. But, having heard the first violin sonata, he was delighted with the freshness and extraordinary color of the music, and sent an enthusiastic letter to the author. He told him: “Keep up the good work.... - and don’t let yourself be intimidated!...” This letter played a big role in Grieg’s biography: Liszt’s moral support strengthened the national principle in musical creativity Edward.

And soon Grieg leaves Christiania and settles in his native Bergen. The next, last, long period of his life begins, marked by great creative successes, public recognition at home and abroad.

This period of his life opens with the creation of music for Ibsen's play "Peer Gynt". It was this music that made Grieg's name famous in Europe. All his life Grieg dreamed of creating national opera, which would use images of folk historical legends and heroics of sagas. Communication with Bjorston and his work helped him in this (by the way, many of Grieg’s works were written based on his texts).

Grieg's music is gaining great popularity, penetrating the concert stage and into home life. The appearance of Edvard Grieg as a person and an artist evokes a feeling of deep sympathy. Responsive and gentle in dealing with people, in his activities he was distinguished by honesty and integrity. The interests of his native people were above all for him. That is why Grieg emerged as one of the greatest realistic artists of his time. In recognition of his artistic merits, Grieg was elected a member of a number of academies in Sweden, Holland and other countries.

Over time, Grieg increasingly shuns the noisy metropolitan life. In connection with tours, he has to visit Berlin, Vienna, Paris, London, Prague, Warsaw, while in Norway he lives alone, mainly outside the city, first in Lufthus, then near Bergen on his estate called Troldhaugen, that is, “Hill trolls" and devotes most of his time to creativity.

And yet he does not give up his musical and social work. In the summer of 1898 he organized the first Norwegian music festival , where all the major musical figures of that time gather. The outstanding success of the Bergen festival attracted everyone's attention to Grieg's homeland. Norway could now consider itself an equal participant in the musical life of Europe!

On June 15, 1903, Grieg celebrated his sixtieth birthday. From all directions of the world he received about five hundred congratulatory telegrams (!) The composer could be proud: it means that his life was not in vain, it means that he brought joy to people with his creativity.

2 Features of Grieg's music

Grieg's music sounds the enchanting beauty of Norwegian nature, sometimes majestic, sometimes modest. The simplicity of musical expression and at the same time its originality, national flavor, and originality of images captivate the listener. “It’s not surprising,” wrote P.I. Tchaikovsky, that everyone loves Grieg, that he is popular everywhere!..” Like Glinka in Russia, Grieg was the founder of the Norwegian musical classics.

Grieg's creative path coincided with the heyday of Norwegian culture, with the growth of its national self-awareness, and with the process of formation of a national school of composition. In the history of the musical cultures of northern Europe, it began somewhat later. Grieg's work influenced not only the composers of the Scandinavian countries, but also European music in general.

Edvard Grieg was born on June 15, 1843 in the city of Bergen, which has long been famous for its national artistic traditions. The greatest Norwegian playwrights created their beautiful works here: G. Ibsen and B. Bjornson, here lived the famous violinist Ole Bull, nicknamed the “Paganini of the North,” who was the first to see Grieg’s extraordinary musical abilities and later, during joint travels around Norway, he introduced the young man to the riches of folk art.

Grieg's mother, a good pianist, taught her children music from childhood. Both Edward and his older brother John graduated from the Leipzig Conservatory. Then improving his composing skills in the musical center of Scandinavia - Copenhagen, Edvard Grieg became friends with the young patriotic composer Richard Nurdrock, the author of the music for the Norwegian national anthem. This friendship finally determined the ideological and artistic aspirations of Edward, who decided to devote all his strength to the development of Norwegian music.

Upon returning to his homeland, Grieg lives in the capital of Norway - Christiania (now Oslo). He heads a philharmonic society, performs as a pianist, and composes intensively. The famous piano concerto by op. 16, second violin sonata op. 13, vocal and piano miniatures.

Like many romantic composers, Grieg turned to the piano throughout his life, capturing his personal life experiences in piano miniatures, like a diary. Grieg considered himself a member of the school of Schumann and, like Schumann, appears in piano music storyteller-novelist. He created about 150 piano pieces, 70 of which were collected in ten “Lyrical Notebooks”.

Two main figurative spheres dominate Grieg's music. The first continues the tradition of “house music”. These are mostly lyrical statements. Another sphere of images is associated with folk song and dance, with the genre characteristics of dance improvisations of folk violinists. Grieg reflected in his music the enthusiasm of the rapid pair jumping dance “springar”, the young spirit of the male solo dance “halling” (dance of the “youth”), the character of the solemn dance-procession “gangar”, without which village weddings cannot do.

Based on the characteristics of these and other folk dances rhythmic intonations Grieg created musical scenes from folk life(play “Wedding Day in Troll-haugen”, op. 19). Whimsical images of Norwegian folk fiction; gnomes, trolls, etc. found an original interpretation in famous piano pieces (“Procession of the Dwarves,” “In the Cave of the Mountain King,” “Kobold,” etc.). Romantic national imagery and the peculiarities of Norwegian folk melodies determined the originality of Grieg's musical style.

In 1874, Ibsen, one of the most talented writers in Norway, invited Grieg to write music for the production of his drama “Peer Gynt”. Grieg got carried away with his work and created beautiful music that became independent a work of art(like Bizet’s “Arlesienne” or Mendelssohn’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”). The drama production was a huge success.

Ibsen’s work, saturated with social and philosophical generalizations, contributed to the creation of deeply meaningful music and the musical revelation of the sublime lyricism of the main image in Grieg’s work of the devotedly loving Solveig, who never gets tired for many years wait for your Peer Gynt, a visionary and dreamer who has not found himself in life. After wandering around foreign countries, having wasted his spiritual strength, he returns to Solveig as an old man.

Ibsen dedicated the most poetic pages of his drama to the image of Solveig, foreseeing the role of music in the creation of this image. Grieg, with great artistic flair, conveyed the essence of Solveig’s image with spiritual purity and fortitude. Her song is woven from the most characteristic lyrical intonations of Norwegian folk song. The wonderful strumming of the piano introduction is close to the pensive strumming of the horn and creates the image of a lonely forest hut in the mountains where Pera Solveig patiently waits.

The smooth melody of Solveig's song is modest and at the same time majestic. The light, gentle dance chorus conveys the light of youth preserved in the heroine’s soul.

Grieg, individuality musical style which is generally defined by its connection with Norwegian folk music, brought Ibsen’s play closer to the folk poetic style with his music. The composer’s words that Ibsen’s “Peer Gynt” is “as national as it is brilliant and profound” can also be applied to his music.

The national principle was clearly manifested in his wonderful compositions of vocal lyrics. Grieg published one hundred and twenty-five songs and romances. Grieg's attraction to vocal lyrics is associated with the flowering of Scandinavian poetry, with the work of Ibsen, Bjornson, and Andersen. He addresses himself mainly to the poets of Denmark and Norway. IN vocal music Grieg's poetic paintings of nature and images of “forest romance” are superbly presented. The themes of his songs are rich, but with all the thematic diversity, Grieg's music retains a single mood: warmth and spontaneity of emotional expression are an important property of his vocal compositions.

IN recent years During the composer's life, his music gained worldwide fame. Grieg's works are published by major publishing houses and performed on stage and at home. In recognition of his artistic merits, Grieg was elected a member of the Swedish, French, and Leiden (in Holland) academies, and a doctor of the University of Oxford.

Grieg's music is immediately recognizable. Its special expressiveness and memorability are associated with the vibrant song wealth of Norway, which was almost undetected before. Sincerely, with great warmth, Grieg told the world about his fabulous country. This touching sincerity and sincerity excites and makes his music close and understandable to everyone.

3 Edvard Grieg as the founder of the Norwegian classics

In the second half of the 19th century. Realism took hold in foreign musical art. The desire for democratization has intensified musical art. Composers increasingly began to boldly turn to everyday stories and stories from the life of working people.

Best Realistic Aspirations French music reflected French composer Georges Wiese (1838 - 1875). Wiese's short life (only 37 years old) was filled with intense creative work. He became involved in the world of music from childhood.

Wiese's talent manifested itself in various areas of musical creativity. Among his works are a Symphony, 3 operettas, several cantatas and overtures, piano pieces, romances, and songs. However, opera occupied the main place in his legacy. Already in one of his most significant works - the opera “Pearl Seekers” - the main features of his operatic style were clearly outlined: bright melodicism, colorful folk scenes, colorful orchestra.

Wiese's original talent appeared with particular force in his brilliant opera "Carmen" (based on the novella by P. Merimee). Building on the best achievements opera art, Wiese created the genre of realistic musical drama in Carmen. The music of the opera introduces the listener into the world of strong feelings and passions, captivating with the truthfulness of the portrayal of characters and the rapid development of action. It sensitively reflects the dynamics and complexity of the relationship between the main characters - the wayward gypsy Carmen and Jose. The highest achievement in opera was the image of Carmen. There is a 19th century opera similar to the heroine. I didn't know yet. This image was created by the composer on the basis of Spanish and gypsy folk songs, fiery rhythms characteristic of the music of these peoples. The vivid and psychologically correct portrayal of Carmen’s character sometimes achieves truly tragic greatness. "

The role of Jose is dominated by romance melodies, close to the Italian operatic style. The image of the bullfighter Escamillo, outlined in just a few strokes, is no less striking.

The drama of the heroes takes place against the backdrop of various pictures of folk life. In the choral scenes of the opera, Wiese departs from the usual interpretation of the people as a solid mass. It's in full swing here real life, sir"with its colorfulness and temperament. The composer skillfully combines folk paintings with the personal drama of the characters.

The enormous popularity of the opera is explained not only brilliant music, but also through Wiese’s truly innovative approach to displaying opera stage ordinary people, their feelings, experiences, passions.

At the premiere on March 3, 1875, the opera was a failure, but 10 months later it became a success. P.I. Tchaikovsky, having become acquainted with Wiese’s masterpiece in 1876, prophetically wrote: “In 10 years, Carmen will be the most popular opera in the world.” Carmen is considered the pinnacle of French realistic opera, one of the masterpieces of the world opera classics.

The founder of Norwegian musical classics is considered outstanding composer, pianist, conductor Edvard Grieg (1843 - 1907). All his works are imbued with national Norwegian intonations; they reflect life vividly home country, its nature and life. The enchanting beauty of Norwegian nature sounds either majestic or modest.

In 1874, one of the most talented writers in Norway, Ibsen, invited Grieg to write music for the production of his drama “Peer Gynt”. Grieg became interested in his work and created beautiful music, which became an independent work of art. The music for the drama "Peer Gynt" brought global recognition E. Grig. The composer embodied the heroes of folk legends and tales in music, creatively rethinking the dramatic images of Henrik Ibsen's play. With great artistic flair, he conveyed the essence of Solveig’s image - spiritual purity. The national principle was clearly manifested in Grieg’s wonderful vocal lyric compositions.

In the last years of the composer's life, his music gained worldwide fame. Grieg's music is immediately recognizable. Its special expressiveness and memorability are associated with the vibrant song richness of Norway. With great warmth, Grieg told the world about his fabulous country.

Like Glinka in Russia, Grieg was the founder of the musical classics of Norway.

Conclusion

So, we examined the work of the Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg and identified him as the founder of the Norwegian classical music. Now we can draw conclusions.

The work of Grieg, the most prominent representative of the Norwegian school of composers, absorbed influences German romanticism, deeply national.

Mainly a miniaturist, Grieg showed himself as a master of piano (“Lyric Pieces” and other cycles) and chamber and vocal music. Bright individual style Griga, fine colorist, is in many ways close to musical impressionism. Interpreting the sonata form in a new way, as a “pictorial alternation of images” (B.V. Asafiev) (strings, quartet, 3 sonatas for violin and piano, sonata for cello and piano, sonata for piano), Grieg dramatized and symphonized the form of variations ( “Old Norwegian Romance with Variations” for orchestra, “Ballad” for piano, etc.). A number of works embodied images of folk legends and tales (parts from the music for the play Peer Gynt, piano pieces “Procession of the Dwarves”, “Kobold”).

Processed Norwegian folk melodies. Under the influence of Norwegian folklore, Grieg's characteristic stylistic devices and features of harmony and rhythm (wide use of Lydian and Dorian modes, organ points, folk dance rhythms, etc.).

References

Asafiev B. Grig. M.: Music, 2006.- 88 p.
Great Soviet Encyclopedia (Chief editor: Prokhorov A.M.). - M: Soviet encyclopedia, 1977.
Grig E. To a girl from the mountains. Cycle of songs [notes]. - M.: Muzyka, 1960. - 17 p.
Grig E. Sunset. Cycle of songs [notes]. - M.: Muzyka, 1960. - 20 p.
Grieg E. Selected lyrical pieces [notes]. - M.: Sov Composer, 2007. - 48 p.
Grieg E. Concerto (A minor) for piano and orchestra. - St. Petersburg: Composer, 2006. - 51 p.
Grig E. Leaf from an album. - K.: Music. Ukraine, 1971.- 48 p.
Grieg E. Norwegian dance. - M.: Muzgiz, 1963. - 15 p.
Grieg E. Peer Gynt Two sonatas for piano. - St. Petersburg: Composer, 2007. - 47 p.
Gurevich E.L. Story foreign music. Popular lectures. - M.: Publishing Center "Academy", 2004. - 320 p.
Druskin M. History of foreign music: Tutorial- M.: Music, 2008.- 530 p.

Grieg Edvard (1843-1907), Norwegian composer, pianist, conductor.

Born on June 15, 1843 in Bergen in the family of a diplomat. Edward's first music teacher was his mother, who received a good musical education.

In 1858-1862 he studied at the Leipzig Conservatory, and then in 1863 he trained in Copenhagen with the Danish composer N. Gade. Here Grieg met G. H. Andersen, to whose poems he wrote several heartfelt romances; famous storyteller was one of the first to appreciate his original talent.

The composer decided to follow the path of promoting national Norwegian music. He based his work on folk motifs and became a truly national composer. The first step in this direction was taken in the piano sonata (1865).

In the autumn of 1866, Grieg returned to Norway and settled in Christiania (now Oslo).

His friendship with the playwright and poet B. Bjornson was of great importance to him. Grieg composed romances based on his poems, and based on the plots of Bjornson’s plays he wrote the opera “Olav Trygvason” (remained unfinished) and music for the production “Sigurd Yrsalfar” (1872).

In the capital of Norway, Grieg also acted as public figure- in 1871 he founded
The Musical Society (now the Philharmonic Society) and the Academy of Music, which was the first professional music educational institution in Norway. Unfortunately, the academy was closed two years later due to financial difficulties.

In 1868, Grieg created one of the most inspired works - a piano concerto, which was even called the anthem of Norway.

In 1872, the composer was elected a member of the Swedish Academy of Music.

Two years later he moved to his native Bergen. The music for G. Ibsen’s drama “Peer Gynt” was written here (1876, later reworked into two suites, 1888 and 1896). Grieg considered this work “too Norwegian,” but it was this work that brought him worldwide fame.

In 1889 Grieg became a member of the French Academy fine arts, in 1893 - an honorary doctor of the University of Cambridge, and in 1906 - of Oxford.

In the history of the musical cultures of the peoples of northern Europe - Denmark, Norway, Sweden - there is common features, determined by the commonality in their economic and socio-political development.

In particular, they are characterized by later, compared to European countries, becoming composer schools. In the second half of the 19th century, the Norwegian school especially emerged among these schools. It was headed by Edvard Grieg, a composer of world significance who influenced the work of not only Scandinavian authors, but also all European music in general.

Norway was going through a difficult period of development at this time. Weaker economically, it was subordinate either to Denmark (16th - 19th centuries) or to Sweden (19th century). And only in 1905 Norway was finally freed from political dictatorship.

Norwegian culture as a whole experienced a significant flourishing at this time, and musical culture- in particular. For example - Ludwig Matthias Linnemann, starting from 50, has been conducting great job on collecting musical folklore, the famous violinist Ole Bull, nicknamed “the Paganini of the north,” according to Grieg, was “the first to emphasize the importance of Norwegian folk songs for national music,” Halfdan Kjerulf is nominated as the author of numerous romances, the activities of a gifted man who, unfortunately, died early, are distinguished by patriotism Ricard Noordrok - he is the author of the music for the Norwegian national anthem.

Grieg, however, stands out sharply among his predecessors and contemporaries. Like Glinka in Russia or Smetana in the Czech Republic, he embodied folk flavor in his music with extraordinary clarity. “I drew,” he said, “rich treasures from the folk melodies of my homeland and from this treasure I tried to make national art.” Having created such art, Grieg became the founder of Norwegian musical classics, and his creations became the property of world artistic culture.

Edvard Hagerup Grieg

Grieg later recalled without pleasure the years of conservatory education - the conservatism of his teachers, their isolation from life. However, his stay there gave him a lot: the level of musical life was quite high, and outside the conservatory, Grieg became familiar with the music of modern composers, and he especially fell in love with Schumann and Chopin.

Grieg's creative research was warmly supported by Ole Bull - during joint travels around Norway, he initiated his young friend into the secrets of folk art. And soon the individual features of Grieg’s style became clearly evident. No wonder they say - if you want to join the folklore of Norway, listen to Grieg.

More and more he perfected his talent in Christiania (now Oslo). Here he writes a huge number of his most famous works. It was here that his famous second violin sonata was born - one of his most favorite works. But Grieg’s work and his life in Christiania were full of struggle for recognition in music of the folk flavor of Norwegian art; he had many enemies, opponents of such innovations in music. Therefore, he especially remembered the friendly power that Liszt showed him. By that time, having accepted the rank of abbot, Liszt lived in Rome and did not personally know Grieg. But, having heard the first violin sonata, he was delighted with the freshness and extraordinary color of the music, and sent an enthusiastic letter to the author. He told him: “Keep up the good work..... - and don’t let yourself be intimidated!..” This letter played a big role in Grieg’s biography: Liszt’s moral support strengthened the national principle in Edward’s musical work.

And soon Grieg leaves Christiania and settles in his native Bergen. The next, last, long period of his life begins, marked by great creative successes, public recognition at home and abroad.

This period of his life opens with the creation of music for Ibsen's play "Peer Gynt". It was this music that made Grieg's name famous in Europe. All his life, Grieg dreamed of creating a national opera that would use images of folk historical legends and the heroics of sagas. Communication with Bjorston and his work helped him in this (by the way, many of Grieg’s works were written based on his texts).

And yet he does not give up his musical and social work. In the summer of 1898, he organized the first Norwegian music festival in Bergen, which attracted all the major musical figures of the time. The outstanding success of the Bergen festival attracted everyone's attention to Grieg's homeland. Norway could now consider itself an equal participant in the musical life of Europe!

Unfortunately, with age, Grieg’s health deteriorated greatly, and pulmonary diseases overcame him more and more often... Grieg died on September 4, 1907. His death was marked by national mourning in Norway.

List of works by E. Grieg

Piano works
Many small plays (op. 1, published 1862); 70 contained in 10 "Lyrical Notebooks" (published from 1879 to 1901)
Sonata in e minor op.7 (1865)
Ballads in the form of variations op.24 (1875)

For piano 4 hands
Symphonic pieces op.14
Norwegian dances op. 35
Waltzes - caprices (2 pieces) op.37
Old Norse Romance with Variations op. 50 (includes orchestral edition)
4 Mozart sonatas for two pianos, 4 hands (F - dur, C - minor, C - dur, G - dur.)

Songs and romances
In total - with posthumously published ones - over 140.

Chamber instrumental works
Three violin sonatas (F - major, G - major, C - minor)
Cello sonata a - minor op.36 (1883)
String Quartet op. 27 (1877 - 1878)

Symphonic works
"In Autumn", overture op. 11 (1865 - 1866)
Piano concerto in a minor op. 16 (1868)
2 elegiac melodies (based on their own songs) for string orchestra op.34
"From the Time of Holberg", suite (5 pieces) for string orchestra op.40
2 melodies (based on own songs) for string orchestra op. 53
3 orchestral pieces from Sigurd Jorsalfar op.56 (1892)
2 Norwegian melodies for string orchestra op. 63
Symphonic dances to Norwegian motifs op.64

Vocal and symphonic works
"At the gates of the monastery" for women's voices- solo and choir - and orchestra op. 20 (1870)
"Homecoming" for male voices- solo and choir - and orchestra op. 31 (1872)
"Lonely" for baritone, string orchestra and two horns op.32 (1878)
Music for Ibsen's play "Peer Gynt" op.23 (1874 - 1975)
"Bergliot" for recitation with orchestra op. 42 (1870 - 1871)
Scenes from "Olav Trygvason" for soloists, choir and orchestra op. 50(1889)

Choirs
Album for male singing (12 choirs) op. 30
4 psalms on ancient Norwegian melodies for mixed choir a cappella with baritone or bass op. 34 (1096)

Literary works
Among the published articles, the main ones are: “Wagner’s performances in Bayreuth” (1876), “Robert Schumann” (1893), “Mozart” (1896), “Verdi” (1901), and an autobiographical essay “My First Success” (1905).

Edvard Grieg short biography

Edvard Hagerup Grieg- Norwegian composer of the Romantic period, musical figure, pianist, conductor.

Was born June 15, 1843 in the Norwegian city of Bergen. This father was a merchant, and his mother was a good pianist. Edward was instilled with a love of music from childhood. Edward's mother taught him to play the piano from the age of four. At the age of twelve he was composing music.

Then, on the advice of Ole Bull, Grieg's parents sent him to study at the Leipzig Conservatory. From 1858 to 1862 Edvard Grieg studied in this musical educational institution. Grieg gave his first concert in 1862 in Karlshamn.

After a short stay in Bergen, Grieg heads to Copenhagen. In 1864, Grieg became one of the founders of the Euterpe society, which was designed to educate the population of the country. Grieg traveled throughout Europe, giving concerts with his wife, singer Nina Hagerup.

While Grieg lived in Copenhagen he wrote quite a lot interesting works. Among them are the Autumn Overture, piano and violin sonatas. In 1866 Grieg moved to Christiania, now Oslo. There he gave a concert. The concert was a huge success. In 1869-70 Edward visited Rome.

It was in Rome that Grieg met Franz Liszt, after which he wrote one of his most famous works, “Sigurda the Crusader.”

Grieg progressed in the 70s. He received a lifelong pension from the Norwegian authorities. He wrote the symphonic play Peer Gynt in 1875. It was this composition that brought the composer worldwide fame.

In 1893, Edvard Grieg was elected an honorary Doctor of Music at the University of Cambridge. Grieg was considered as great a composer as Saint-Saëns, Tchaikovsky and others. Grieg typed very interesting essays about Mozart, Schumann, Verdi. Edward had a friendship with Tchaikovsky. In his compositions, Grieg resorted to Norwegian folk music. Grieg has repeatedly demonstrated the freshness of his mind in old age. In letters from 1900, he ironizes about his age. In 1989, Grieg founded the Norwegian Festival folk music in Bergen. By the way, this festival is still held today.

The harsh beauty of northern nature, the majestic heroism of ancient legends, the bizarre mystery of fairy tales - this is how Norway appears to us. Edvard Grieg embodied the spirit of this country in his music. In the history of Norwegian culture, he played the same role as in Russia or the Czech Republic, revealing to the world the beauty of his native musical folklore, melted in the crucible of classical forms. Edvard Grieg lived and worked in difficult times for his native country: there was a struggle against the Swedish Union, imposed on Norway after Napoleonic wars, and in the context of the struggle for independence, the national identity Norwegians. The formation of national art played an important role in this process (it is no coincidence that Grieg emphasized that he was not just a Scandinavian, but a Norwegian composer).

Grieg's homeland is the city of Bergen. His father, a descendant of a Scot, was a third-generation consul, but there were also musicians in the family. His maternal great-grandfather was a conductor, and the mother of the future composer was a talented pianist. She taught the children music herself. Edward began learning piano at the age of six, and at first the lessons were not easy: he liked to improvise, and scales and exercises - boring but necessary - seemed to him like “stone instead of bread.” Many years later, the composer recalled his mother with gratitude - after all, without her strictness, he “would never have moved from dreams to action.”

Grieg composed his first piano work at the age of twelve, and at the age of fifteen his parents introduced him to the famous violinist Ole Bull, whom his contemporaries called the “Norwegian Paganini.” After listening to the young musician’s improvisation, Bull advised him to enter the Leipzig Conservatory, and Grieg, with the support of his parents, followed this advice.

The years of studying at the conservatory turned out to be not the happiest time in the composer’s life - the teachers seemed to him overly pedantic, and he often disagreed with them in artistic views (Grieg was fascinated by modern music romantic composers, but this was not encouraged at the conservatory). Only about Moritz Hauptmann, from whom Grieg studied composition, did he retain warm memories, calling him the personification of “the opposite of scholasticism.”

Having completed his studies at the conservatory, Grieg returned to his hometown, but cultural life Bergen provided too few musical impressions, and the young composer went to Copenhagen. This happened in 1863, and at the same time the piano cycle “Poetic Pictures” was created - Grieg’s first work, bearing the features of national originality. The same features marked Grieg’s other early works - “Humoresques”, Piano Sonata, First Violin Sonata. Grieg's interest in his native culture was shared by Rikard Nordrok, a composer whom he met in Copenhagen. Together they organized the Euterpe society, which promoted the works of composers from Scandinavian countries.

From 1866 Grieg lived in Christiania. At this time in his life, creativity begins to flourish. In the coming years he created a whole series works - Piano Concerto, Violin Sonata No. 2, romances and songs based on poems by Scandinavian poets. Having become acquainted with folklore samples from the collection of Ludwig Lindemann in 1869, Grieg created the piano cycle “Twenty-five Norwegian folk songs and dancing." Grieg's activities in Christiania were not limited to composing music - he initiated the creation of the Music Academy and became one of the organizers of the Christiania Musical Association. As a conductor, Grieg presented to the public the works of his compatriot composers. In addition, he performed as a pianist - solo and in a duet with his wife Nina Grieg, who was an excellent singer. One of Grieg's friends was the writer Bjornstern Bjornson, with whom the composer co-authored several songs. They also worked on the opera Olav Tryggvasson, but it was not completed.

In 1874, playwright Henrik Ibsen invited the composer to write musical numbers for the drama "Peer Gynt". The music created by Grieg turned out to be self-sufficient, capable of existing outside of a dramatic performance - the two orchestral suites “Peer Gynt” belong to the composer’s most famous creations.

Since 1880, Grieg lived in the Trollhaugen villa, located not far from his hometown. Here he could enjoy the beauty of nature and communicate with Norwegian peasants. The composer writes piano pieces, romances, the suite “From the Times of Holberg”, and the G minor String Quartet. The solitude is interrupted by tours, during which Grieg introduces Norwegian music to Europe. In Europe, Grieg's work was recognized - he was an honorary doctor of the University of Cambridge.

Grieg's last creation was the Four Psalms for baritone and choir, based on ancient Norwegian melodies. The composer passed away in 1907, and in connection with his death, mourning was declared in the country.

Villa Trollhaugen is now a house museum.