Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

The Father of Norwegian Music

Donald Macleod introduces music from Grieg's final years including a funeral march he wrote for a young friend forty years earlier and his last great unaccompanied choral work.

Much of Grieg's time was spent away from home, touring and giving concerts across Europe despite his worsening health. Not long before his death he befriended the young pianist and composer Percy Grainger in whom Grieg found the perfect interpreter of his piano music. Donald Macleod introduces a selection from Grieg's penultimate collection of piano works - widely regarded as some of his most innovative writing, Grieg's last great unaccompanied choral work and the moving funeral march he wrote for his friend Rikard Nordraak forty years earlier and which was played at Grieg's own funeral.

Summer's Eve, Op.71 No.2 (Lyric Pieces Book 10)
Håkon Austbø (piano)

Evening in the Mountains, Op.68 No.4; Lullaby, Op.68 No.5 (Lyric Pieces Book 9)
WDR Symphony Orchestra
Conductor Elvind Aadland

Norwegian Peasant Dances Op.72 (selection)
Håkon Austbø (piano)

Funeral March for Rikard Nordraak
Gothenberg Symphony Orchestra
Conductor, Neeme Järvi

Four Psalms Op.74
The Norwegian Soloists' Choir
Conductor, Grete Pedersen

Producer Deborah Preston.

1 hour

Last on

Fri 11 Aug 2017 18:30

Music Played

  • Edvard Grieg

    Lyric pieces - book 10 Op.71 - Sommeraften [Summer evening]

    Performer: Haakon Austbo.
    • BRILLIANT : CLASSICS-94046.
    • BRILLIANT.
    • 13.
  • Edvard Grieg

    Lyric pieces - book 9 Op.68

    Orchestra: South West German R S O. Conductor: Eivind Aadland.
    • Audite : 92671.
    • Audite.
    • 9.
  • Edvard Grieg

    Slatter Op.72 [norwegian Peasant Dances]

    Performer: Haakon Austbo.
    • BRILLIANT : CLASSICS-94046.
    • BRILLIANT.
    • 27.
  • Edvard Grieg

    Funeral march for Richard Nordraak

    Performer: Gothenburg S O.. Conductor: Neeme Järvi.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOP : 427-321 2.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOP.
    • 25.
  • Edvard Grieg

    4 Psalms Op.74

    Choir: Norwegian Soloists Choir. Conductor: Grete Pedersen.
    • BIS: SACD1661.
    • BIS.
    • 10.

Broadcast

  • Fri 11 Aug 2017 18:30

Vaughan Williams Today

Vaughan Williams Today

Programmes, concerts and features celebrating Vaughan Williams's 150th anniversary.

Beethoven Unleashed – the box set

Beethoven Unleashed – the box set

The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.

What was really wrong with Beethoven?

What was really wrong with Beethoven?

Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems

Composers A to Z

Composers A to Z

Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.

Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week

Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week

The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod’s best stories from the last 20 years

Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem

What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?

A man out of time – why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...

The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.

Composer Help Page

Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.