The Norwegian Committed Composer.
The Norwegian Committed Composer.
Grieg’s Composition Style.
What is it needed to compose a balanced melody but at the same time, simple and without being overwhelming for the listener?
This is one so the most common questions we pose as composition teachers to our students. The answer is far from being simple, but we can certainly find inspiration in any of Edvard Grieg’s pieces. In contrast with other composers of the period, Grieg didn’t write music for erudite. His music is easy-listening and straightforward for people with any grade of musical education. This helped him to achieve success as a composer, although his name is not the most famous one, we can ascertain that one of the most recognizable tunes from this composer is “Peer Gynt” or “Morning Mood” or “In the hall of the Mountain King”, he accomplished what few composers could do as he did. Let’s not forget that this musical pieces even sounded in TV shows and movies.
One of the main topics in composition lessons is to find our own style. One of the best examples in music is definitively Edvard Grieg, who could combine folk Norgewian music, for example, folk dances used to be played in a Hardanger Fiddle (the Norwegian traditional violin), an instrument with strings that resonate by sympathy and allow the creation of infrequent pedal notes. We can find a remarkable combination, using modulations by thirds and repeated rhythmic patterns, so distinctive in his music.
Grieg was one of the first nationalistic composers. His songs are pioneers in the use of the Norwegian language.
In this article, Maestro Alvaro Sisti encourages any composition student to have a closer look at this composer and his works, especially the Piano Concerto in A minor and his orchestral pieces to find inspiration and to have a closer look at this acclaimed but not that famous composer. I truly recommend the read of this bio-article of this genius of the music.