Donald Macleod explores the key influences and music of Edvard Greig.
Donald Macleod looks at the people and places that had a significant impact on Edvard Grieg’s life and work, meeting Norwegian fiddlers, folksong collectors and nationalist firebrands along the way. From Henrik Ibsen, who commissioned Grieg to write his most famous work, to the composer's wife Nina, for whom he wrote all his songs, this week Donald explores the key influences on the composer’s outlook and development.
Music Featured:
Holberg Suite: I. Praeludium
Symphonic Dances (3rd & 4th mvts)
Piano Concerto No 1 (2nd & 3rd mvts)
Peer Gynt Suite No 1
Lyric Pieces Book 1: IV Elves’ Dance
Violin Sonata No 1 in F major (3rd mvt)
In Autumn
Funeral March for Richard Nordraak (arr for orch by Johan Halvorsen)
Ballade
Hjertets melodier: III Jeg Elsker Deg
6 Songs, Op 25 (No 2, En Svane & No 4, IV Med en Vanlilje)
Violin Sonata No 2 (3rd mvt)
Piano Concerto No 1 (1st mvt)
6 Songs Op 39 (No 4, Millom Rosor)
6 Songs Op 39 (No 5 Veng en ung Hustrus Bare) arr. for choir
6 Songs Op 48 (No 4, Zur Rozenheit & No 6, Ein Traum)
Two Elegaic Melodies
Springar after Kristian Lund
Album Leaves, Op 28 (No 4)
String Quartet Op 27 (3rd & 4th mvts)
The Mountain Thrall
12 Melodies Op 33 (No 9)
19 Norwegian Folk Tunes Op 66 (excerpts)
Norwegian Dances, Op 35 (Nos 3 & 4)
Lyric Pieces Op 43 (No 3, In my homeland)
Violin Sonata No 3 (1st mvt)
Wedding Day at Troldhaugen
Peer Gynt Suite No 2
Haugtussa (Nos 6-8)
Stimmungen Op 73
Presented by Donald Macleod
Produced by Megan Jones for BBC Audio Wales and West
For full track listings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001y2c0
And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z
