Edvard Grieg is considered to be Norway’s greatest composer. And of course he is from Bergen. During his career he wrote piano concerts, music for plays, sonatas, songs, folk songs and much more.

Grieg’s music is closely linked to Norwegian folk music, and folk songs and tunes were important sources of inspiration for him. This made him in many ways an exponent of the national romanticism in music. The music of Edvard Grieg played an important part in the flourishing feeling of nationalism in Norway in the 19th century. A time period where writers, musicians, painters and other artists searched for what was truly Norwegian. In this sense, it can be said that Grieg was of great importance in the work of building not a new nation, but creating a strong sense of being an independent nation in the years leading up to the dissolution of the union with Sweden in 1905.

Edvard Grieg’s most famous works

The music Edvard Grieg wrote for Henrik Ibsen’s famous play Peer Gynt is probably his best known work. Morning Mood, In the Hall of the Mountain King and Solveig’s Song stand out as the most famous pieces, and both Morning Mood and In the Hall of the Mountain King have been used countless times in songs, films and TV programs.

Edvard by the piano. Photo: Anders-Beer-Wilse 

Opus 16, also known as Grieg’s A minor concerto, is one of the most popular piano concertos in the world, and his lyrical pieces, a collection of 66 piano pieces, published in ten booklets in the period 1867 to 1901, are also among his most famous works.

Edvard Grieg’s diverse music education

Edvard Grieg grew up in Strandgaten in Bergen, as the fourth of a sibling group of five. From an early age, he received music instruction from his mother, Gesine Grieg, who was a trained pianist from Hamburg and had a reputation as the city’s best playing teacher.

His mother realized that he had to go abroad to learn more, but was reluctant to send him away because of his young age. But on the initiative of another famous musician from Bergen, Ole Bull, Edvard Grieg finally got to travel to Leipzig as a 15-year-old to start at the Music Conservatory there. Under the tutorage of skilled teachers such as Moscheles, Reinecke and Richter, he developed quickly, both personally and musically.

In 1863 he moved from Leipzig to Copenhagen where he studied Nordic music for two years. It was here he discovered the Nordic spirit that became the driving force in his music.

Moving back to Bergen – the construction of Troldhaugen

After living for a number of years in Oslo, Edvard Grieg and his wife Nina Hagerup moved back to Bergen in 1880, where he took on the role as conductor of Harmonien (Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra). And in 1884-85, he and his wife built their famous villa Troldhaugen at Hop, outside Bergen.

Photo: Edvard Grieg and Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson 15 June 1903 on Troldhaugen during the celebration of Grieg’s 60th birthday. 

Photo: Edvard Grieg’s home at Troldhaugen – now a museum and concert venue.

Grieg described Troldhaugen as his new opus, the best he had produced, but found it difficult to compose in the villa, where noise from visitors or the kitchen continually broke the total silence he wanted to surround himself with when he worked. In 1891, Komponisthytten (The Composer’s Cabin) was built close to the villa, so Grieg could have an isolated place where he could work with his ideas in peace and quiet. Komponisthytten has a beautiful view of Nordåsvannet (Lake Nordås), and here he found inspiration for some of his most famous lyrical pieces.

The composer hut. Photo: Dag Fosse

Although Edvard Grieg was very fond of Troldhaugen, he mainly spent the summers there. The rest of the year he traveled around Europe on concert tours. He continued these tours even though his health deteriorated, and in 1907 he died completely exhausted. He was buried at Troldhaugen.

Edvard Grieg lives on in Bergen

There is no doubt that Edvard Grieg has left his mark in Bergen. His home at Troldhaugen is now a museum and a popular place to visit when in Bergen. The city’s cultural hall, the Grieg Hall, is named after the composer, a separate Grieg festival with classical music is held annually, and there is also a hotel named after Grieg’s A minor concerto; Opus XVI. The hotel is actually owned by descendants of Edvard Grieg.
Photo: Opus XVI, an Edvard Grieg Heritage Hotel

There are also many places in Bergen where you can experience Edvard Grieg’s music. Every summer, lunch concerts are arranged at Troldhaugen, the Grieg in Bergen festival is arranged as previously mentioned every year, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra regularly play works by Grieg in their concerts, and in the city’s many churches there are several concerts based on Grieg’s works throughout the year.
Photo: Conductor Ed Gardner and Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra

Check out all concerts in Bergen in the what’s on calender.