Grieg- Anitra's Dance

Edvard Hagerup Grieg was born in Bergen, Norway on June 15, 1843. His parents were Hiemlik Grieg (1806--1875), a merchant and the American vice consul in Bergen, and Gesine Carrie Hagerupel (1814--1875), a music teacher and daughter of Edvard Hagerup. The family name, originally spelled Greig, has Scottish origins. Edvard Grieg was raised in a musical home. His mother was his first piano teacher and taught him to play at the age of 6. Grieg studied in several schools, including Tank's School. He often brought in samples of his music to class. In 1874--76, Grieg composed incidental music for the premiere of Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt, at the request of the author. Many of the pieces from this work became very popular in the orchestral suites or piano and piano-duet arrangements. Grieg is renowned as a nationalist composer, drawing inspiration from Norwegian folk music. Early works include a symphony (which he later suppressed) and a piano sonata. He also wrote three sonatas for violin and piano and a cello sonata. His many short pieces for piano — often based on Norwegian folk tunes and dances — led some to call him the "Chopin of the North". Some of the Lyric Pieces (for piano) are also well-known, as is the incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt, a play that Grieg found to be an arduous work to score properly. In a 1874 letter to his friend Frants Beyer, Grieg expressed his unhappiness with what is now considered one of his most popular compositions from Peer Gynt, In the Hall of the Mountain King: "I have also written something for the scene in the hall of the mountain King - something that I literally can't bear listening to because it absolutely reeks of cow-pies, exaggerated Norwegian nationalism, and trollish self-satisfaction! But I have a hunch that the irony will be discernible."

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Anitra's Dance
• Grieg
• Peer Gynt Suite
• Classical Music
• Norvegian composers

[Makiea9111inulover]

Im playing this in orchestra and let me just say this is a freaking difficult piece to play its so frustrating but beautiful

[Rudolph1722]

@Makiea9111inulover I really don't doubt it, congratulations !

[ifluvinguiswrong]

Always wondered who'd composed this - now I know. How could ANYONE dislike this masterpiece? Thanks for sharing!!

[Rudolph1722]

@ifluvinguiswrong You're welcome

[dagbli]

Edvard Grieg make me proved of being born in Bergen :-)

[Rudolph1722]

@dagbli How lucky you are to have been born in a scandinavian country ! I have always loved them

[dagbli]

@dagbli and not to forget Beethoven :-)

[dagbli]

@Rudolph1722 oh really? :-) thats great! And thanks for the complement ;-)