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Eduard Grieg (1843-1907)
The Holberg Suite
Prelude
Sarabande
Gavotte – Musette
Air
Rigaudon
Eduard
Grieg was born in Bergen, Norway and began his music studies with
his mother, an outstanding pianist. He continued his studies in
Leipzig with Moscheles and Reinecke. He also studied at the Royal
Copenhagen Conservatory with Niels Gade.
Grieg
later settled in Bergen from where he toured throughout Europe as
a conductor, pianist and accompanist to his wife, one of
Norway’s most famous singers, Nina Hagerup.
Liszt
was a great admirer of Grieg’s music as was Brahms. His
incidental music to Ibsen’s great Drama “Peer Gynt” brought
him fame throughout Europe.
The
Holberg Suite (written originally for piano) was composed in
honour of the celebrations marking the 200th Anniversary of the
birth of the great
dramatist, philosopher and historian, Ludvig Holberg. It received
its Premiere at the unveiling of a statue to Holberg in the centre
of Bergen. In order to assist in raising funds for the statue,
Grieg also wrote the piano pieces “Pages from an Album, op.28
and the “Improvisations on a Norwegian Folk song”, op.29.
Holberg
was known as the “Moliere of the North”. Grieg therefore
created a work in the form of a 17th Century French Suite for
Clavecin. Later Grieg arranged the Suite for String Orchestra. As
such it stands beside the great String Serenades of Tchaikovsky
and Dvorak as part of the “sine qua non” for Chamber
Orchestra.
copyright
© Lygia O'Riordan
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