Holberg Suite

Edvard Hagerup Grieg (1843-1907) 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 folkmusic in his own compositions put the music of Norway in the international spectrum, as well as helping to develop a national identity. Grieg is regarded as simultaneously nationalistic and cosmopolitan in his orientation, for although born in Bergenand buried there, he traveled widely throughout Europe, and considered his music to express both the beauty of Norwegian rural life and the culture of Europe as awhole.

1884 was the bicentenary year of the birth of Ludvig Holberg (1684-1754)and as a part of the celebrations various Scandinavian composers were commissioned to write commemorative pieces. From Holbergs Time was one of Griegs contributions. It was first written for piano but in 1885 the composer transcribed it for stringorchestra. For his suite Grieg went back to some of the musical forms used by Holbergs contemporaries but although the forms and style may be rococo the contents are unmistakably characteristic of Grieg himself. Grieg gave the first performance ofthe piano version in Bergen, Holbergs birthplace, in December 1884.