[Eirik Myhr]

Chiming in!

I should print an «Ask me about Grieg» button.

Seriously, Grieg is fantastic. One of my favourite composers, in addition to Ravel, Fauré and Bach.

Forget about the Symphony in C minor. It is an earlier work and not something he was proud of. Actually, he hid it in an envelope on which he wrote «MÅ ALDRIG OPFØRES!» (must never be performed!).

Most people have only heard the «hits». The Peer Gynt Suites is NOT the complete score for Peer Gynt. Grieg wrote a 90 minute fantastic complete score for Peer Gynt, it’s like a lost film score from the 1870s. Listen to the complete recording with Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Ole Kristian Ruud – the best recording there is.

Or how about this funeral march for Rikard Nordraak? SO dramatic. So beautiful.

(This is the best recording, with Scottish National Symphony Orchestra and Bjarte Engeset)

Believe it or not, that is still an early work. Later in his life, Grieg would move increasingly away from romanticism and actually pave the way for impressionism, inspiring the likes of Debussy and Ravel, with pieces like NOTTURNO:

Or how about the extremely experimental BELL RINGING (Grieg composed this in 1890!):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knElw3POoYI&pp=ygUeZ3JpZWcgYmVsbCByaW5naW5nIGJlcmdlbiBydXVk

Or have you ever heard a more haunting, a more beautiful piano piece than this?

I could go on.