Edvard Grieg is the most celebrated person from the city of Bergen, with numerous statues depicting his image, and many cultural entities named after him: the city's largest concert building (Grieghallen), its most advanced music school (Grieg Academy) and its professional choir (Edvard Grieg Kor). The Edvard Grieg Museum at Grieg's former home, Troldhaugen, is dedicated to his legacy.
Grieg was born in Bergen, Norway on 15 June 1843. His ancestors were Scottish, the original family name was spelled "Greig". After the Battle of Culloden in 1746, his great-grandfather travelled widely, settling in Norway around 1770, and establishing business interests in Bergen. Grieg was raised in a musical home. His mother, Gesine, became his first piano teacher. He studied in several schools including Tank's School, and often brought in examples of his music to class.
In the summer of 1858, Grieg met the eminent Norwegian violinist virtuoso Ole Bull, who was a friend of the family, and whose brother was married to Grieg's aunt. Bull noticed the 15-year-old boy's talent and persuaded his parents to send him to further develop his talents at the Leipzig Conservatory, then directed by Ignaz Moscheles.
Grieg enrolled in the conservatory, concentrating on the piano, and enjoyed the numerous concerts and recitals given in Leipzig. He disliked the discipline of the conservatory course of study, yet he still achieved very good grades in most areas, the exception being the organ, which was mandatory for piano students at the time. In the spring of 1860, he survived the life-threatening lung disease, pleurisy, which would effect his health for the rest of his life. The following year he made his debut as a concert pianist, in Karlshamn, Sweden. In 1862, he finished his studies in Leipzig, and held his first concert in his home town of Bergen, where his programme included Ludwig van Beethoven's Pathétique sonata. (Grieg's own recording of his Piano Sonata, made late in his life, shows he was an excellent pianist).
In 1863, Grieg went to Copenhagen, Denmark, and stayed there for three years. He met the Danish composers J. P. E. Hartmann, and Niels Gade. He also met his fellow Norwegian composer Rikard Nordraak (composer of the Norwegian national anthem), who became a good friend and source of great inspiration. Nordraak died shortly after, and Grieg composed a funeral march in his honor. Grieg had close ties with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra (Harmonien) and was Music Director of the orchestra from 1880–1882.
On 11 June 1867, Grieg married his first cousin, Nina Hagerup. The next year their only child, Alexandra, was born. The following summer, Grieg wrote his Piano Concerto in A minor while on holiday in Denmark. Edmund Neupert gave the concerto its premiere performance on 3 April 1869 in the Casino Theater in Copenhagen. Grieg himself was unable to be there due to commitments conducting in Christiania (as Oslo was then named).
In the summer of 1869, Grieg's daughter Alexandra became ill and died, at the age of 13 months.
In 1868, Franz Liszt, who up to that time had not met Grieg, wrote a testimonial for him to the Norwegian Ministry of Education, which led to Grieg obtaining a travel grant as well as a pension from the Norwegian government. The two finally met in Rome in April, 1870. On Grieg's first visit, the two went over Grieg's Violin Sonata No. 1, which pleased Liszt greatly. On the second day of his visit, Grieg brought with him the manuscript of his Piano Concerto in A minor, which Liszt proceeded to sightread (including the orchestral arrangement). Liszt's rendition greatly impressed his audience, although Grieg gently pointed out to him that he played the first movement too quickly. Liszt also gave Grieg some advice on orchestration (e.g. to give the melody of the second theme in the first movement to a solo trumpet) as well as the encouragement to become a great composer.
In 1876, Grieg created incidental music for the premiere of Ibsen's play Peer Gynt, at the request of the author. Many of the pieces from this work became very popular in the form of orchestral suites or piano and piano-duet arrangements.
In 1888, Grieg met Tchaikovsky in Leipzig. Both men appreciated each other's works and were great friends, attending each other's concerts and writing each other letters. Their correspondence ended in 1888 for unknown reasons.
In the spring 1903, Grieg made nine 78-rpm gramophone recordings of his piano music in Paris; all of these historic discs have been reissued on both LPs and CDs and, despite limited fidelity, show his artistry as a pianist. Grieg also made live-recording player piano music rolls for the Welte-Mignon reproducing system, all of which survive today and can be heard.
Edvard Grieg died in the autumn of 1907, aged 64, after a long period of illness. His final words were "Well, if it must be so". The funeral drew between 30,000 and 40,000 people out on the streets of his home town to honour him. Following his wish, his own funeral march for Rikard Nordraak as well "Last Spring" were played in an orchestration by his friend Johan Halvorsen, who had married Grieg's niece. In addition, the famous funeral march from Frédéric Chopin's third movement from his Second Sonata were played. His and his wife's ashes are entombed in a mountain crypt near his house, Troldhaugen, which is near Bergen, Norway.
Hvad est du dog skön
Edvard Grieg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ja skjøn ja skjøn
Du allerlifgste Guds Søn
Du min Sulamit Sulamit
Ja mit ja mit
Alt hvad jeg har er også dit
Min Ven du est min
Så lad mig altid være din
Ja vist evig vist
Du min skal blive her og hist
Men tænk jeg er her
Ja her ja her
Iblandt såmange dragne Sværd
Så kom Due Kom Due
Ja kom Ja kom
I Klippens Rif er Ro og Rum
The lyrics of the song "Hvad Est Du Dog Skjøn" by Edvard Grieg are a testament to the beauty of love and devotion. The song is addressed to the "allerlifgste Guds Søn," or the most beloved Son of God, who is called Sulamit. The singer expresses that everything they have belongs to Sulamit, and that they want to always be in his presence.
The singer also speaks of their desire for Sulamit to always be with them, declaring, "Du min skal blive her og hist." The next stanza speaks of the difficulties and conflicts that the singer is faced with, but they call out for peace, asking the Dove to come and bring refuge in the "Klippens Rif," or the Rocks of the Rift.
Overall, the lyrics of this song convey a deep sense of devotion and love for Sulamit, who is seen as a divine figure. The singer acknowledges their own vulnerabilities and challenges, but remain steadfast in their faith that Sulamit will be with them always.
Line by Line Meaning
Hvad est du dog skjøn
You are incredibly beautiful
Ja skjøn ja skjøn
Yes, beautiful, beautiful
Du allerlifgste Guds Søn
You are God's beloved Son
Du min Sulamit Sulamit
You are my beloved Sulamit
Ja mit ja mit
Yes, mine, mine
Alt hvad jeg har er også dit
Everything I have is also yours
Min Ven du est min
My friend, you are mine
Ja min ja min
Yes, mine, mine
Så lad mig altid være din
So let me always be yours
Ja vist evig vist
Yes, forever true
Du min skal blive her og hist
You will always be with me, here and there
Men tænk jeg er her
But think, I am here
Ja her ja her
Yes, here, here
Iblandt såmange dragne Sværd
Among so many drawn swords
Så kom Due Kom Due
So come, dove, come
Ja kom Ja kom
Yes, come, come
I Klippens Rif er Ro og Rum
In the rifts of the rocks there is peace and space
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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