Grieg - Piano Music

Edvard Grieg

A large part of Edvard Grieg's output consists of short pieces for piano; colorful, lyrical, often evoking beautiful scenes of nature. His style can seem straightforward, modest and firmly traditional, but his love and deep knowledge of the Norwegian folk tradition enabled him to enrich the Romantic style with plenty of harmonic inventions, making him an admired and influential figure not least among French composers of the 20th century.

Top Pieces:

Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16

The brilliance and virtuosity of this Concerto can seem far removed from Grieg's more subtle, lyrical creations for solo piano; but there is common ground, such as the distinct elements of Norwegian folk music.

Piano Concerto Op. 16 in A Minor by Grieg piano sheet music

To the Spring, Op. 43 No. 6

Grieg and his Scandinavian collegues - with their abundant experience of long and bleak winters - often evoked the magical emergence of spring. Here's one of the most beautiful examples.

Nocturne, Op. 54 No. 4

This soothing, ethereal night piece combines Grieg's signature folksong flavoring with an impressionistic mood, suspending time and evoking the Nightingale's call.

Wedding-Day at Troldhaugen, Op. 65 No. 6

A vigourous and joyful piece with a strong folkloric character, delivered as a present to Grieg's wife on their 25th wedding anniversary.

Ballade in the Form of Variations on a Norwegian Folk Song, Op. 24

Grieg’s most significant large-scale solo piano work had a very special emotional meaning for the composer, who said that it was written “with my life’s blood in days of sorrow and despair.”

Biography

Edward Grieg (1843-1907) wanted to create, in his own words, music that would "give the Norwegian people an identity." In the summer of 1858, the legendary violinist Ole Bull noticed the fifteen year old Grieg´s talent and persuaded his parents to send him to the Leipzig Conservatory, where he was to study piano with Ignaz Moscheles. Despite disliking the conservatory discipline and being diagnosed with a severe lung disease, Grieg managed to graduate with good grades in 1862. He held his first concert in his hometown of Bergen but settled in Copenhagen, where he continued his composition studies with Niels Gade and met the composer of the Norwegian national anthem Rikard Nordraak, who became a source of great inspiration.

Against his family´s wishes, Grieg married his cousin Nina Hagerup, a talented pianist and singer. Shortly after their wedding, the couple moved to Oslo, where Grieg supported them by teaching piano and conducting. The following summer, Grieg wrote his Piano Concerto in A minor, a work that was received with great enthusiasm and would secure the composer´s reputation. In 1870, Grieg paid two visits to Liszt in Rome, during which the two composers went over Grieg´s first violin sonata, which pleased Liszt greatly, and the Piano Concerto, which Liszt proceeded to play by sight (including the orchestral arrangement). Though greatly impressed, Grieg gently pointed out to the older master that he played the first movement too quickly.

Supplying incidental music to the premiere of Henrik Ibsen´s Peer Gynt in 1876 proved to be the next major step in Grieg’s career. This music became immensely popular and Grieg later scored it into two orchestral suites. He now enjoyed tremendous celebrity and continued travelling extensively, adhering to a surprisingly busy schedule considering his fragile health. In 1885, Grieg returned to his native Bergen, Norway, where he and Nina built their celebrated home, Troldhaugen, a popular tourist destination to this day. Many of Grieg’s best-known works for piano are contained in the ten sets of Lyric Pieces, miniature character-pieces that span the whole of Grieg’s development as a composer for the piano. Grieg died aged 64, after a long period of illness. The funeral drew between 30,000 and 40,000 people out on the streets of his home town to honour him.

Quotes by Grieg

"Artists like Bach and Beethoven erected churches and temples on the heights. I only wanted [...] to build dwellings for men in which they might feel happy and at home."

Quotes about Grieg

"You can’t imagine the power Grieg’s music had in Paris. Suddenly, our windows were open to the country and we were reminded we lived in flats, with closed doors and windows, ignoring what are rivers, trees, and birds... then came a musician who had knowledge of all that and used it in his music. It did us a lot of good and everyone was grateful to him. Through him we could perceive the mountains and the sea, gnomes and giants, a world that the city had made us forget." (Ravel)

Grieg Piano Sheet Music

for digital devices or to download & print

Total pieces by Grieg: 222

ID:16

Title	Key	Year	Level
Most popular pieces:
Piano Concerto Op. 16	A Minor	1868	8+
To the Spring Op. 43 No. 6	F-sharp Major	1886	7
Nocturne Op. 54 No. 4	C Major	1891	5
Wedding-Day at Troldhaugen Op. 65 No. 6	D Major	1897	7
Ballade in the Form of Variations on a Norwegian Folk Song Op. 24	G Minor	1875	8+
All pieces:
Lyric Pieces
Arietta Op. 12 No. 1	E Major	1867	5
Waltz Op. 12 No. 2	A Minor	1867	4
Watchman's Song Op. 12 No. 3	E Major	1867	4
Fairy Dance Op. 12 No. 4	E Minor	1867	6
Popular Melody Op. 12 No. 5	F-sharp Minor	1867	5
Norwegian Melody Op. 12 No. 6	D Major	1867	6
Album Leaf Op. 12 No. 7	E Minor	1867	5
National Song Op. 12 No. 8	E-flat Major	1867	4
Berceuse Op. 38 No. 1	G Major	1883	5
Popular Melody Op. 38 No. 2	E Minor	1883	5
Melodie Op. 38 No. 3	C Major	1883	5
Halling Op. 38 No. 4	G Minor	1883	6
Springdans Op. 38 No. 5	G Major	1883	6
Elegie Op. 38 No. 6	A Minor	1883	5
Waltz Op. 38 No. 7	E Minor	1883	5
Kanon Op. 38 No. 8	B-flat Minor	1883	6
Butterfly Op. 43 No. 1	A Major	1886	7
Solitary Traveller Op. 43 No. 2	B Minor	1886	6
In my Native Country Op. 43 No. 3	F-sharp Major	1886	5
Little Bird Op. 43 No. 4	D Minor	1886	6
Erotikon Op. 43 No. 5	F Major	1886	7
To the Spring Op. 43 No. 6	F-sharp Major	1886	7
Valse - Impromptu Op. 47 No. 1	E Minor	1888	6
Album Leaf Op. 47 No. 2	F Major	1888	6
Melodie Op. 47 No. 3	A Minor	1888	5
Halling Op. 47 No. 4	D Major	1888	5
Melancholie Op. 47 No. 5	G Minor	1888	5
Springdans Op. 47 No. 6	G Major	1888	6
Elegie Op. 47 No. 7	B Minor	1888	5
Shepherd's Boy Op. 54 No. 1	G Minor	1891	6
Norwegian March Op. 54 No. 2	C Major	1891	5
March of the Dwarfs Op. 54 No. 3	D Minor	1891	8+
Nocturne Op. 54 No. 4	C Major	1891	5
Scherzo Op. 54 No. 5	E Minor	1891	5
Bell Ringing Op. 54 No. 6	C Major	1891	5
Vanished Days Op. 57 No. 1	D Minor	1893	5
Gade Op. 57 No. 2	A Major	1893	5
Illusion Op. 57 No. 3	A Minor	1893	5
Secret Op. 57 No. 4	G Major	1893	5
She Dances Op. 57 No. 5	C Major	1893	5
Homesickness Op. 57 No. 6	E Minor	1893	5
Sylphe Op. 62 No. 1	B Minor	1895	5
Tak Op. 62 No. 2	G Major	1895	4
French Serenade Op. 62 No. 3	A Major	1895	5
Brooklet Op. 62 No. 4	B Minor	1895	6
Phantom Op. 62 No. 5	A Major	1895	5
Homeward Op. 62 No. 6	E Major	1895	5
From Early Years Op. 65 No. 1	D Minor	1897	5
Peasant's Song Op. 65 No. 2	A Major	1897	5
Melancholy Op. 65 No. 3	B Minor	1897	6
Salon Op. 65 No. 4	A Major	1897	6
Ballade Op. 65 No. 5	C Minor	1897	5
Wedding-Day at Troldhaugen Op. 65 No. 6	D Major	1897	7
Sailor's Song Op. 68 No. 1	C Major	1899	5
Grandmother's Minuet Op. 68 No. 2	G Major	1899	4
At Your Feet Op. 68 No. 3	D Major	1899	5
Evening in the Mountains Op. 68 No. 4	E Minor	1899	5
At the Cradle Op. 68 No. 5	E Major	1899	5
Valse Mélancolique Op. 68 No. 6	G Minor	1899	5
Once Upon a Time Op. 71 No. 1	E Minor	1901	6
Summer's Eve Op. 71 No. 2	B-flat Minor	1901	6
Puck Op. 71 No. 3	E-flat Minor	1901	5
Peace of the Woods Op. 71 No. 4	F-sharp Major	1901	6
Halling Op. 71 No. 5	C Major	1901	6
Gone Op. 71 No. 6	E Minor	1901	5
Remembrances Op. 71 No. 7	E-flat Major	1901	5
Four Pieces Op. 1
1. Piano Piece	D Major	1861	8
2. Piano Piece	C Major	1861	8+
3. Piano Piece - mazurka	A Minor	1861	7
4. Piano Piece	A Minor	1861	8
Poetic Tone-Pictures Op. 3
1. Poetic Tone-Picture	E Minor	1863	8
2. Poetic Tone-Picture	B-flat Major	1863	7
3. Poetic Tone-Picture	C Minor	1863	7
4. Poetic Tone-Picture	A Major	1863	5
5. Poetic Tone-Picture	F Major	1863	5
6. Poetic Tone-Picture	E Minor	1863	7
Humoresques Op. 6
1. Humoresque	D Major	1865	6
2. Humoresque	G-sharp Minor	1865	6
3. Humoresque	C Major	1865	6
4. Humoresque	G Minor	1865	6
25 Norwegian Folk Songs and Dances Op. 17
1. Folk Dance	C Major	1869	5
2. The Young Man	D Minor	1869	4
3. Folk Dance	A Minor	1869	4
4. Niels Tallefjorden	A Major	1869	4
5. Dance from Jolster	D Minor	1869	7
6. Wedding Song	A Minor	1869	5
7. Halling	A Major	1869	5
8. The Pig	G Minor	1869	4
9. Religious Song	G Major	1869	4
10. Wooer's Song	A Minor	1869	4
11. Heroic Ballad	B-flat Major	1869	5
12. Solfager and the Snake King	G Minor	1869	5
13. Travel Song	G Major	1869	5
14. I Sing with a Sorrowful Heart	C Minor	1869	4
15. Last Saturday Evening	A Minor	1869	4
16. I Know a Little Maiden	F Minor	1869	5
17. The Horsefly and the Fly	A Minor	1869	4
18. Peasant Dance	C Major	1869	6
19. Holje Dale	A Minor	1869	4
20. Halling	D Major	1869	4
21. The Woman from Setesdhal	A Minor	1869	5
22. Cow Call	G Major	1869	4
23. Have You by Chance Seen My Wife?	A Minor	1869	4
24. Wedding Song	A Major	1869	5
25. The Raven's Wedding in Krakalund	G Minor	1869	5
Scenes of Country Life Op. 19
1. In the Mountains	A Minor	1871	8+
2. Bridal Procession	E Major	1871	7
3. Carnival Scene	A Minor	1871	8+
Album Leafs Op. 28
1. Allegro con moto	A-flat Major	1864	6
2. Allegretto espressivo	F Major	1874	6
3. Vivace	A Major	1876	6
4. Andantino serioso	C-sharp Minor	1878	6
Improvisations on Two Norwegian Folk Songs Op. 29
1. Improvisation on a Norwegian Folk Song	A Minor	1878	8+
2. Improvisation on a Norwegian Folk Song	F Major	1878	8
Four Norwegian Dances Op. 35
1. Norwegian Dance	D Minor	1881	8+
2. Norwegian Dance	A Major	1881	8
3. Norwegian Dance	G Major	1881	7
4. Norwegian Dance	D Minor	1881	8
2 Valse-Caprices Op. 37
1. Valse-Caprice	C-sharp Minor	1887	7
2. Valse-Caprice	E Minor	1887	7
From Holberg's Time Op. 40
1. Prelude	G Major	1884	7
2. Sarabande	G Major	1884	5
3. Gavotte	G Major	1884	6
4. Air	G Minor	1884	5
5. Rigaudon	G Major	1884	6
2 Nordic Songs Op. 63
1. Folk Song	D Minor	1895	8
2. Cow Keeper's Tune and Country Dance	G Major	1895	8
19 Norwegian Folk Tunes Op. 66
1. Cattle Call	D Major	1896	4
2. It Is the Greatest Folly	G Minor	1896	5
3. A King Ruled in the East	D Minor	1896	5
4. The Song of Siri Dale	G Minor	1896	5
5. It Happened in my Youth	C Minor	1896	6
6. Call and Cradle Song	A Minor	1896	5
7. Cradle Song	D Minor	1896	3
8. Call	D Minor	1896	4
9. It Was a Little Lad	A Minor	1896	4
10. Tomorrow You Shall Marry	A Major	1896	6
11. There Stand Two Girls	D Minor	1896	6
12. Ranveig	A Minor	1896	4
13. A Little Grey Man	G Minor	1896	5
14. In Ola Valley, In Ola Lake	A Major	1896	6
15. Cradle Song	G Minor	1896	6
16. Our Little Astrid	A Major	1896	8
17. Cradle Song	G Minor	1896	6
18. I Wander Deep in Thought	D Major	1896	8
19. Gjendine's Cradle Song	G Minor	1896	3
Slåtter Op. 72
1. Giboen's Bridal March	D Major	1903	8+
2. John Vestafe's Springdans	D Major	1903	8+
3. Bridal March from Telemark	D Major	1903	8
4. Halling from the Fairy Hill	D Major	1903	8
5. The Prillar from Os Parish	D Major	1903	8
6. The Miller's Gangar	D Major	1903	8+
7. Roetnams-Knut - Halling	D Major	1903	8+
8. The Miller's Wedding March	A Major	1903	8+
9. Nils Rekve's Halling	D Major	1903	8
10. Knut Luraasen's Halling I	G Major	1903	8+
11. Knut Luraasen's Halling II	D Major	1903	8+
12. The Miller's Springdans	D Major	1903	8
13. Haavard Giboen's Dream at the Oterholt Bridge. Springdans	D Major	1903	8
14. The Goblins' Bridal Procession at Vossevangen	G Major	1903	8
15. The Skuldal Bride	D Major	1903	8
16. The Girls from Kivledal - Springdans	F Major	1903	8
17. The Girls from Kivledal - Gangar	F Major	1903	8
Moods Op. 73
1. Resignation	E Minor	1905	5
2. Scherzo-Impromptu	B-flat Major	1905	5
3. Night Ride	D Minor	1905	5
4. Folksong	A-flat Major	1905	5
5. Study (Hommage à Chopin)	F Minor	1905	7
6. Students' Serenade	A Major	1905	5
7. The Mountaineer's Song	G Minor	1905	5
Peer Gynt Suites
Morning Mood Op. 46 No. 1	E Major	1888	6
Åse's Death Op. 46 No. 2	B Minor	1888	5
Anitra's Dance Op. 46 No. 3	A Minor	1888	5
In the hall of the Mountain King Op. 46 No. 4	B Minor	1888	6
Ingrid's Lament Op. 55 No. 1	G Minor	1892	7
Arabian Dance Op. 55 No. 2	C Major	1892	7
Peer Gynt's Return Home Op. 55 No. 3	F-sharp Minor	1892	7
Solveig's Song Op. 55 No. 4	A Minor	1892	6
Piano Transcriptions of Songs
Heart's Wounds Op. 34 No. 1	C Minor	1881	5
Last Spring Op. 34 No. 2	G Major	1881	5
Lullaby Op. 41 No. 1	B Major	1884	6
Little Haakon Op. 41 No. 2	A-flat Major	1884	6
I Love Thee Op. 41 No. 3	C Major	1884	7
She Is So White Op. 41 No. 4	E Minor	1884	6
The Princess Op. 41 No. 5	D Minor	1884	8
To Springtime Op. 41 No. 6	B Major	1884	6
A Mother's Grief Op. 52 No. 1	B-flat Minor	1890	7
The First Meeting Op. 52 No. 2	D-flat Major	1890	6
The Poet's Heart Op. 52 No. 3	F-sharp Minor	1890	7
Solvejg's Song Op. 52 No. 4	A Minor	1890	6
Love Op. 52 No. 5	D-flat Major	1890	6
The Old Mother Op. 52 No. 6	B Minor	1890	7
Norwegian Op. 53 No. 1	G Major	1891	7
The First Meeting Op. 53 No. 2	C Major	1891	6
6 Norwegian Mountain Melodies
Springdans EG 108 No. 1	A Major	1875	5
Lullaby EG 108 No. 2	F Major	1875	4
Springdans EG 108 No. 3	D Major	1875	4
Sjugurd and the Troll-Bride EG 108 No. 4	F Major	1875	4
Halling EG 108 No. 5	A Major	1875	4
The Lad and the Lass in the Cow-Shed Loft EG 108 No. 6	A Minor	1875	4
3 Piano Pieces
In the Whirl of the Dance EG 112	E Major	1898	8
Procession of Gnomes EG 111	E Minor	1898	7
Tempest Clouds EG 110	G Minor	1898	8
Works for four hands or two pianos
In Autumn - for four hands Op. 11	D Major	1866	7
Symphonic Piece - for four hands Op. 14 No. 1	A-flat Major	1864	5
Symphonic Piece - for four hands Op. 14 No. 2	C Minor	1864	5
Norwegian Dances - for four hands Op. 35	N/A	1880	8+
Old Norwegian Melody with Variations - for two pianos Op. 51	F Major	1890	8+
Folk Song - for four hands Op. 63 No. 1	D Minor	1895	6
Cow Keeper's Tune and Country Dance - for four hands Op. 63 No. 2	G Major	1895	6
Valse-Caprice 1 - for four hands Op. 37 No. 1	C-sharp Minor	1883	5
Valse-Caprice 2 - for four hands Op. 37 No. 2	E Minor	1883	5
Sonata K 283 by Mozart - arrangement for two pianos	G Major	1877	7
Fantasy K 475 by Mozart - arrangement for two pianos	C Minor	1877	8+
Sonata K 457 by Mozart - arrangement for two pianos	C Minor	1877	8+
Sonata K 533 by Mozart - arrangement for two pianos	F Major	1877	8+
Sonata K 545 by Mozart - arrangement for two pianos	C Major	1877	6
Miscellaneous pieces
Sonata Op. 7	E Minor	1865	8+
Piano Concerto Op. 16	A Minor	1868	8+
Ballade in the Form of Variations on a Norwegian Folk Song Op. 24	G Minor	1875	8+
Prayer and Temple Dance - from the Opera "Olav Trygvason" Op. 50	G Major	1893	8+
Nordraak's Funeral March	A Minor	1866	6

Forum posts about Edvard Grieg

ISO Video of Grigory Sokolov Playing Grieg by hestiabhn
Would someone please send me a link to Grigory Sokolov playing anything by Grieg? If such a thing exists....

Re: What about Grieg? by mcgillcomposer
[quote author=frigo link=topic=27535.msg317281#msg317281 date=1194872695] Can you tell me some of the best Grieg compositions for piano solo...

Re: Grieg by ahinton
Years ago, I used to be rather sniffy about Grieg's music, which fact says far more about my ignorance of some of it at the time than i...

Grieg recommendations by hodevold
I was wondering if someone could recommend some piano pieces by my countryman Edvard Grieg. I own just about all of his work, but I have no ...

Re: Edward Grieg's pieces by rlefebvr
Thanks to this Forum, he is now one of my favorite composers. His Lyric pieces are out of this world. I am now working on one of his pieces ...