Edvard Hagerup Grieg (15 June 1843 – 4 September 1907) was a Norwegian comp… Read Full Bio ↴Edvard Hagerup Grieg (15 June 1843 – 4 September 1907) was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is widely considered one of the leading Romantic era composers, and his music is part of the standard classical repertoire worldwide. His use and development of Norwegian folk music in his own compositions put the music of Norway in the international spectrum, as well as helping to develop a national identity, much as Jean Sibelius and Antonín Dvořák did in Finland and Bohemia, respectively.

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.

Med en vandlilje
Edvard Grieg Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Du Vårens milde skjønne Barn
Tag Vårens første Blomme
Og kast den ej fordi du ved
At Somrens Roser komme

Ak vist er Somren lys og smuk
Og rig er Livets Høst
Men Våren er den dejligste

Med Elskovs Leg og Lyst

Og du og jeg min ranke Mø
Står jo i Vårens Rødme

Så tag da min Blomst
Men giv igjen dit unge Hjertes Sødme

Overall Meaning

In Edvard Grieg's song "Med en vandlilje," the lyrics convey a sense of yearning and appreciation for the beauty and joy of springtime. The song begins by addressing the listener as "Du Vårens milde skjønne Barn" (You gentle, beautiful child of Spring) and urges them to "Tag Vårens første Blomme" (Take Spring's first flower). This line suggests the invitation to seize the opportunity to embrace the delights that the season brings.

The following line, "Og kast den ej fordi du ved, At Somrens Roser komme" (And do not throw it away because you know that Summer's roses will come), implies the recognition that although the first flower of Spring may be cherished, it should not be discarded prematurely in anticipation of the beauty that Summer will bring. It encourages the listener to fully appreciate the present rather than constantly longing for what lies ahead.

The second verse reflects on the charms of Summer, acknowledging its brightness, beauty, and the abundance of life's harvest. However, the lyrics emphasize that Spring is the most delightful time with its playfulness and the joys of love. This suggests that while Summer may bring its own pleasures and fulfillment, the enchantment of Spring, with its youthful vitality and romantic fervor, holds a special place in the heart.

The lyrics then address a beloved, using the phrase "du og jeg min ranke Mø" (you and I, my slender maiden). It highlights the shared experience of being immersed in the blush of Spring, symbolized by the phrase "Står jo i Vårens Rødme" (We stand in the blush of Spring). Here, the listener is invited to take the offered flower, which could represent the love and affection bestowed upon them, while reciprocating by giving back the sweetness of their young heart.

Overall, "Med en vandlilje" captures the essence of Spring's allure, urging the listener to seize the moment, cherish the beauty of the season, and embrace the delights of love and romance. It reminds us of the fleeting nature of time and encourages us to appreciate the present and the precious connections we form during this vibrant season of rebirth and growth.

Line by Line Meaning

Du Vårens milde skjønne Barn
Oh, you gentle and beautiful child of Spring

Tag Vårens første Blomme
Take Spring's first flower

Og kast den ej fordi du ved
And do not throw it away because you know

At Somrens Roser komme
That Summer's roses will come

Ak vist er Somren lys og smuk
Oh, surely Summer is bright and beautiful

Og rig er Livets Høst
And bountiful is the harvest of life

Men Våren er den dejligste
But Spring is the most delightful

Med Elskovs Leg og Lyst
With the play and joy of love

Og du og jeg min ranke Mø
And you and I, my elegant maiden

Står jo i Vårens Rødme
Surely stand in the blush of Spring

Så tag da min Blomst
So take my flower