The Dutch Tenors & Queen - Performing our favourite Queen songs LIVE - C...

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Check out the compilation of our favourite Queen covers! Songs in this compilation: Queen - Show Must Go On Queen - Barcelona (in duet with Wendy Kokkelkoren) Queen - Somebody To Love This amazing orchestra: ‪@TheMaestroEuropeanPopOrchestra‬ Check out their channel as well! *************** The Dutch Tenors consist of four young tenors. Originally from The Netherlands, performing their Classical Pop repertoire worldwide. Each member of the quartet has received extensive vocal education. Their repertoire includes a mix of classical pop hits, timeless opera favorites, powerful film music and contemporary songs, reimagined with their unique style and flair. The Dutch Tenors have quickly made a name for themselves in the music scene, thanks to their distinctive approach to classical pop music.

The BEST Women Singers You'll Ever Hear!

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Most Watched Videos:    • Most Watched Videos   Get ready to be blown away by the top 10 hottest women on X Factor Ukraine! With their incredible voices, extremely seducing stage presence, these beautiful women will take your breath away. Don't miss this must-see and insane compilation of beautiful women singers and watch now to experience the talent on X Factor Ukraine! #gottalent #singer Subscribe now to ensure you don't miss the most electrifying auditions, golden buzzer highlights, and championship performances that everyone is talking about! Judges: Vladyslav Yama Slava Frolova Hector Jimenez-Bravo Viacheslav Uzelkov

BEST OF THE BEST! Filipino Songs That Sound Like Foreign/International |...

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Filipino Songs Sounds like International or Foreign List

Ordinary Song By Marc Velasco

Don't know what To say by Ric Segreto

Forever Blue By Cacai Velasquez 

Closer You and I By Gino Padilla

Someones always saying Goodbye by Allona

beautiful Girl by Jose Mari Chan

you are the reason by Ketama

Till My heartaches end by Ella Mae Saison 

You made me live again by Janet Basco

Parting Time by Rockstar 

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No.1 Leonard Bernstein /Wiener Ph ベートーヴェン：ピアノ協...

Music's Impact: Emotions, Brain, and Culture (III)

Filipino music in general was introduced to me by my wife Rossana. What does music really mean to Filipinos? It simply tells them where they've been and where they could go. It tells a story that everyone can appreciate and relate to, which is why it's a big part of every Filipino culture.

During the 1980s, Rossana was the lead dancer of the Manisan Cultural Dance Troupe. I got to know about  gong music which can be divided into two types: the flat gong commonly known as gangsà and played by the groups in the Cordillera region and the bossed gongs played among the Islam and animist groups in the southern Philippines. The kulintang ensemble is the most advanced form of ensemble music with origins in the pre-colonial epoch of Philippine history and is a living tradition in southern parts of the country.

Very quickly, it pleased me another popular medium for light classical muse -  the rondalla. Its repertoire consists mainly of native folk tunes, ballroom music as well as arrangements of classical pieces such as opera overtures. Bayani de Leon and Jerry Dadap have written more serious music for the rondalla.  Rondalla is a traditional string orchestra comprising two-string, mandolin-type instruments such as the banduria and laud; a guitar; a double bass; and often a drum for percussion. The rondalla has its origins in the Iberian rondalla tradition and is used to accompany several Hispanic-influenced song forms and dances.

Tinikling and  Cariñosa inspired me more and more. The Tinikling is a dance from Leyte which involves two individual performers hitting bamboo poles, using them to beat, tap, and slide on the ground, in coordination with one or more dancers who step over and in between poles. It is one of the more iconic Philippine dances and is similar to other Southeast Asian bamboo dances. The Cariñosa (meaning "loving" or "affectionate one") is the national dance and is part of the María Clara suite of Philippine folk dances. It is notable for the use of a fan and handkerchief in amplifying romantic gestures expressed by the couple performing the traditional courtship dance. The dance is similar to the Mexican Jarabe Tapatío, and is related to the Kuracha, Amenudo, and Kuradang dances in the Visayas and Mindanao Area.

In the first few years of my life as an expat in the Philippines, it looked like I had forgotten about my classical music from Europe. I focused more and more on Himig ng Pilipinas - the  musical performance arts in the Philippines or by Filipinos composed in various genres and styles. The compositions are often a mixture of different Asian, Spanish, Latin American, American, and indigenous influences.

Notable folk song composers include the National Artist for Music Lucio San Pedro, who composed the famous "Sa Ugoy ng Duyan" that recalls the loving touch of a mother to her child. Another composer, the National Artist for Music Antonino Buenaventura, is notable for notating folk songs and dances. Buenaventura composed the music for "Pandanggo sa Ilaw".

The leading figures of the first generation of Philippine composers were Nicanor Abelardo, Francisco Santiago, Aontonio Molina, and Juan Hernandez. 

But one composer and his works fascinated me the most:  Francisco Buencamino. He belonged to a family of musicians. He was born in San Miguel de Mayumo, Bulacan, on November 5, 1883.  In 1930, he founded the Academy of Music of Buencamino. His musical styles were Kundimans and Sarzuela.

Francisco first learnt music from his father. At age 12, he could play the organ. At 14, he was sent to study at the Liceo de Manila. There, he took up courses in composition and harmony under Marcelo Adonay. He also took up piano-forte courses under a Spanish music teacher. He did not finish his education as he became interested in the sarswela.  Some of the sarswelas he wrote are: "Marcela" (1904), "Si Tio Celo" (1904) and "Yayang " (1905). In 1908, the popularity of the sarswela started to wane because of American repression and the entry of silent movies. Francisco Buencamino then turned to composing kundimans.  

For a time, Francisco Buencamino frequently acted on stage. He also collaborated on the plays written and produced by Aurelio Tolentino. One of his earliest compositions is "En el bello Oriente" (1909), which uses Jose Rizal's lyrics. "Ang Una Kong Pag-ibig", a popular kundiman, was inspired by his wife.  In 1938, he composed an epic poem which won a prize from the Far Eastern University during one of the annual carnivals. His "Mayon Concerto" is considered his magnum opus. Begun in 1943 and finished in 1948, "Mayon Concerto" had its full rendition in February 1950 at the graduation recital of Rosario Buencamino at the Holy Ghost College. "Ang Larawan" (1943), also one of his most acclaimed works, is a composition based on a Balitaw tune. The orchestral piece, "Pizzicato Caprice" (1948) is a version of this composition. Many of his other compositions were lost during the Japanese Occupation, when he had to evacuate his family to Novaliches, Rizal.  

I would say that the "Pizzicato Caprice" is my favorite. I was so lucky to experience it during an awesome performance with the Manila Symphony Orchestra. 

 In my opinion: outstanding groups include not only the Manila Symphony Orchestra, but also the Filipino Youth Symphony Orchestra, the U.P. Symphony Orchestra, the Manila Concert Orchestra, the  Quezon City Philharmonic Orchestra, the Artists’ Guild of the Philippines, the Philippine Choral Society, the U.P. Madrigal Singers, the U.P. Concert Chorus among others.

These are extraordinary treasures of Filipino culture which one hears and experiences far too little about these days.

The music of my life started at the age of 6. During my first steps on the piano with Beethoven's  "Für Elise", I remember my very first LP (Long Play) on my birthday gifts table: Serge Prokofieff's ' "Peter and the wolf". 

In an autobiographical sketch, the Russian composer described the three chief qualities of his complex work as: a classical or rather classicist rendencityan emotional vein and  grotesque element, which the composer detected as "fun, laughter, satire". "A symphonic tale for children '' awoke my dream of classical music.  

In spite of this drastic sound-painting  portrayal, the general effect produced is not that of a musical jest, but - thanks to Prokofieff's artistry and skill - one of singular poetry.

There are few musicians with such eloquence and improvisational skills as Sergei Prokofieff, the Russian composer of many different talents, some of which included the piano and keyboards. Born to a financially well-off family in 1891, Prokofieff’s first exposure to music was through his mother, who would spend two months a year learning the piano while also playing a few sonnets every evening. Prokofiff began learning the piano instantly, and became so proficient that he was then composing his first piano composition, under the watchful supervision of his mother. Before the age of 10, he had also shown interest in opera music and started work on his first opera, called The Giant.

In his early years, Prokofieff’s parents were adamant on providing him with theory lessons, so as to clarify his conceptual frameworks as far as the piano and composition went. However, they soon began having second thoughts about their young son pursuing a music career at such a delicate age, and therefore, decided to enroll him in the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. Here, he worked and learned the piano and other instruments under the auspices of renowned composers such as Alexander Winkler, Nikolai Tcherepnin and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Before his father’s death in 1910, he had started performing in local clubs and other music venues like the St. Petersburg Evenings of Contemporary Music, performing some of his early Piano Sonatas such as Four Etudes for Piano, Op 2(1909). All through the early 1910s, Prokofieff had been experimenting with a wide variety of genres, one of which was ballet music. While he may have succeeded in a number of other music compositions, he always seems to have a hard time with ballet music, with the likes of Chout becoming subject to intense modifications in the 1920s.
 
Having received menial works in the 1930s due to the Great Depression, Prokofieff decided to move to Russia in 1936. The period post-1936 was a completely different time for Prokofieff, and set in motion some of his most impressive works. Bearing in mind the hostile reality of the time, most of the themes covered in his works such as his orchestral piece Russian Overture (1936) and War Sonatas embraced war-related topics and disregarded true musical passion. However, Prokofiev managed to retain his incredible ingenuity with compositions such as Peter and the Wolf, Alexander Nevsky and Romeo and Juliet, all of which were received well on an international scale. Some of these compositions were Sergei Prokofiev’s most valuable works, and are still widely performed today.

The war and post-war years saw the likes of some impressive compositions, such as War and Peace, The Ballet Cinderella and various violin sonatas, encompassing the true remarkability that Prokofieff deserves large-scale appraise for. It becomes important to realize the tremendous contributions this great artist made to the classical music world, despite the troubles he so often had to face.

Because of Prokofieff, my world of classical music first opened up to Russia. Yes, not to Germany or Austria. Not to (sorry Maestro!) Beethoven or Liszt, Mozart or whomever.  Suddenly, fell in love with Tschaikowsky. His first piano concerto in b-minor kept me speechless and full of tears at any stage play, I was blessed during my whole life. 

The very first bars of this piano concerto are so distinctive that they will remain in the listener's memory forever. Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 is recognizable and catchy. Charismatic piano virtuoso Martha Argerich lends an elegant lightness to this impressive piece. Conducted by Charles Dutoit, Argerich performed with the Verbier Festival Orchestra at the Verbier Festival in 2014.

(To be continued!)

(To be continued)

[Nicanor Abelador]

[Francisco Santiago]

[Juan Hernandez]  

[Juan Hernandez]

Writing in a Rush: Mozart’s Turkish Violin Concerto No. 5

by Maureen Buja

Written for his time at the Salzburg court, Mozart’s five violin concertos were all produced between 1773 and 1775, probably with himself as the intended conductor. The final three (k. 216, 218, and 219) were all completed in just a few weeks at the end of 1775.

Anonymous: Wolfgang Amadé Mozart with a diamond ring, gift of Maria Theresa, ca 1775 (Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum)

Mozart’s concertos are built on dialogues – a constant conversation between the soloist and the orchestra. This is true of his piano concertos as of his violin concertos. Most follow the same pattern: in the first movement, the orchestra presents most (but not all) of the thematic material with an additional theme being left for the soloist to present. The first movements, in sonata-allegro form, also have short development sections, but ones that can be full of surprises in terms of harmonies and themes. Themes may vanish for the development section, only to reemerge in the recapitulation to a greater effect.

Slow movements are built around long, singing, and often complex melodies. The soloist takes the fore, but the orchestra still has a valuable role to play, particularly in the development sections.

The rondo finales are where Mozart lets himself loose. Dance music of the day is used, or perhaps even a traditional melody (Violin Concerto No. 3 introduces a melody called the Straßburger) and in the fifth concerto, an ordinary minuet is disrupted by a Turkish dance scene. One writer referred to these as ‘burlesque inserts’ and saw them as appropriate for the Salzburg scene but not the more refined Parisian music scene. The interjection of the ‘temperamental and gruff’ in a minor key really breaks up the introspection of the minuet.

The Turks had first menaced Vienna in 1529, in their first unsuccessful siege of the city, which was barely defeated by the Viennese. Winter and epidemics helped to defeat the besieging Turks. The Second Turkish Siege of 1683 held Vienna in thrall for 2 months, until the Polish army under King John III Sobieski pushed the Turks out again. The Ottoman wars with southern Europe (Venice and Vienna included) didn’t end until the early 18th century. Although Mozart was writing some 60 years later, the Turks were still a concept to be reconciled with, albeit perhaps only as an uncultured figure of fun, here interrupting a civilised minuet.

These works are Mozart’s last compositions as a violinist. Following this, the new fortepiano caught his attention, and he changed instruments. At one point, in discussing a return to Salzburg, he made it a condition to return as a keyboardist and not a violinist.

This recording was made in 1952, with Marina Kozulupova as soloist, performing with the Soviet State Orchestra under Nikolaï Anossov.

Marina Kozulupova (1918–1978)

Russian violinist Marina Semyonovna Kozolupova studied at the Moscow Conservatory and, in 1937, was awarded fifth prize at the International Ysaÿe Violin Competition in Brussels. She’s noted for her recordings of Beethoven and Bach. She taught at the Moscow Conservatory and became a professor there in 1967.

Nikolai Pavlovich Anosov

Russian conductor Nikolai Pavlovich Anosov (1900–1962) also studied at the Moscow Conservatory, although as an external student in composition. He made his debut as a conductor in 1930 and was active in more remote parts of the Soviet Union, being chief conductor of the Rostov Philharmonic Orchestra (1938–1939) and the Baku Philharmonic (1939–1940). In addition, during these years, he taught at the Azerbaijan Conservatory. Finally, he returned to Moscow in 1940 and taught opera and symphony conducting at the Moscow Conservatory. One of his students was his son, Gennady Rozhdestvensky. He was an active promoter of 20th-century foreign music and Russian music of the 18th and 19th centuries.

Performed by

Marina Kozulupova
Nikolaï Anossov
Soviet State Orchestra

Recorded in 1952

Official Website

Pachelbel - Canon in D-dur

23,023,520 views Dec 30, 2014

Nippon New Philharmonic Orchestra / Conductor:Takashi Ueno. Arr/T.Ueno. 日本ニューフィルハーモニック管弦楽団　指揮：上野隆史　編曲：上野隆史

How Did Pachelbel’s Canon Become So Popular?

by Emily F. Hogstad

Pachelbel’s Canon in D is one of the most recognisable pieces of classical music ever written, heard in countless films, on streaming playlists, and at weddings.

But the Canon wasn’t always so famous. For generations, it languished in obscurity, just waiting to be rediscovered.

Today, we’re looking at the life of Johann Pachelbel, his close connection to the Bach family, how his Canon was once lost to history, what it took to be rediscovered, and how pop music helped to cement the Canon’s place in modern pop culture.

The Life of Johann Pachelbel

Johann Pachelbel

Johann Pachelbel was born in September 1653 in Nuremberg.

In 1677, he moved to Eisenach in present-day Germany and took a job as court organist. While there, he met Johann Sebastian Bach’s father and even tutored some of the Bach family children.

The following year, he became an organist in the city of Erfurt. He remained close to the Bachs and continued teaching the kids.

One of his students was Johann Christoph Bach (Johann Sebastian Bach’s oldest brother and his music teacher). This made Pachelbel one of Johann Sebastian Bach’s pedagogical “grandfathers.”

In October 1694, Johann Christoph Bach got married, and he invited Pachelbel to provide the music. It is believed this would have been the only time that Johann Sebastian Bach (who would have been nine) would have had the chance to meet him.

Pachelbel died in 1706.

The Origin of Pachelbel’s Canon

Pachelbel’s most famous work is known today as “Pachelbel’s Canon.”

That Canon is part of a larger work, the “Canon and Gigue for 3 violins and basso continuo.”

Johann Pachelbel – Canon and Gigue in D (c. 1700) 

Scholars don’t know the exact date of its composition, but believe it was written sometime after 1680.

Some scholars have theorised that it was written for Johann Christoph Bach’s 1694 wedding. It’s a great story, especially since the Canon is so popular at weddings today, but we have no solid proof to back that theory up.

The earliest surviving manuscript version of the Canon and gigue dates from around 1840, long after Pachelbel’s death, so there’s a limited amount that the score can tell us about the work’s origins.

Germany’s Rediscovery of Baroque Music

Fast forward two centuries.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, there was a renewed interest in historical composers, especially in Germany. (Brahms was just one of the German composers who was fascinated and influenced by Baroque music.)

This interest was so strong that in 1912, German composer Max Reger wrote an entire concerto grosso in a Baroque style, calling it his “Concerto in the Old Style.”

Max Reger: Konzert im alten Stil, Op. 123 

Clearly, there was persistent – and growing – interest in this era of music. The pump was primed for a work by a Baroque composer like Pachelbel to make a comeback.

Gustav Beckmann’s Rediscovery of Pachelbel’s Canon

Johann Pachelbel’s Canon

Musicologist Gustav Beckmann was born in 1883 in Berlin. He studied philology and musicology, graduating with his doctorate in 1916.

In 1918, Beckmann wrote an article about Pachelbel for a journal called Archive for Musicology, which included the score of Pachelbel’s Canon. The following year, he published the music separately from the article.

In 1929, musicologist Max Sieffert published the score to both the Canon and gigue.

Sieffert included articulation and dynamic markings that Pachelbel had left to the performers’ discretion, making the work more approachable for modern musicians.

The First Recording of Pachelbel’s Canon

The Canon was recorded for the first time in 1938 by violinist Hermann Diener and His Music College.

At the time, Diener was a 41-year-old German violinist.

A few years later, in 1944, Diener would secure a position on Hitler’s famous Gottbegnadeten list (the “God-gifted” list), which listed artists considered vital to upholding Nazi culture. Over 1000 figures were on the list, including Richard Strauss, Carl Orff, and Herbert von Karajan. 

The Famous Paillard Pachelbel Recording

Jean-François Paillard, 1958

Thirty years later, in June 1968, the Jean-François Paillard chamber orchestra recorded a new version of the Canon.

Jean-François Paillard was a French conductor, born in 1928, with a special interest in Baroque repertoire.

This new version boasted a considerably slower tempo from Diener’s recording, and a more sentimental, Romantic style of playing.

Jean-François Paillard: Pachelbel Canon in D major 

This version was packaged by the Musical Heritage Society, a mail-order record label that had been founded in 1962. Recordings on this label were sent all around the world, creating a worldwide audience for the work.

Aphrodite’s Child Uses Pachelbel

Almost simultaneously, in July 1968, the Greek band Aphrodite’s Child released a reimagination of Pachelbel’s Canon on a track they called “Rain and Tears.”

Aphrodite’s Child – Rain and Tears 

The record became a hit in Europe. Other bands, including Pop-Tops and Parliament, also used the Canon in their own songs between 1968 and 1970.

Pachelbel’s Canon Becomes Famous

The Paillard recording, along with the Canon’s appearance in pop music, kicked off a decade of popularity.

In 1970, a radio station in San Francisco broadcast the Paillard version of the Canon. Local record stores were immediately overrun with music lovers seeking to buy their own recording to have on hand.

Record companies scrambled to issue new recordings. In 1974, London Records reissued an old recording by the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra from their back catalogue to help meet demand.

In 1979, one record store manager from Philadelphia told Knight-Ridder News, “It sold as well as a major rock album.”

Pachelbel Canon Appears in Pop Culture

In 1980, the piece was prominently featured in the soundtrack for the film Ordinary People, directed by Robert Redford and starring Donald Sutherland and Mary Tyler Moore.

Ordinary People (1980) 

In 1980, the Canon appeared in Carl Sagan’s thirteen-part PBS documentary series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, which became one of the most-watched PBS shows of all time.

In 1981, Prince Charles and Princess Diana used the “Prince of Denmark’s March” by composer Jeremiah Clarke as their processional. The Clarke piece was written in 1699, around the same time as Pachelbel’s Canon. This helped to contribute to the popularization of Baroque music, especially at weddings, and meant that Pachelbel’s Canon would be heard more than ever before.

Pachelbel’s Canon Today

Today, Pachelbel’s Canon is one of the most popular pieces of classical music in the world. Some people love it, while others have come to hate it.

Pro-Canon listeners point to its soothing character and joyful connotations with weddings, while anti-Canon listeners point to its repetitive cello part and the way it has oversaturated pop culture.

But whatever you think of Pachelbel’s Canon, it’s undeniable that the resurrection of this obscure piece of Baroque music has made a huge impact on music history.

And one thing’s for sure: that’s an outcome no one in the 1690s could have predicted!

Edvard Grieg’s Greatest Hits - 10 Most Beloved Compositions

by Hermione Lai

Edvard Grieg was born on 15 June 1843. So let’s have a little party for Norway’s musical maestro, who sprinkled fjord-flavoured magic into everything he wrote. Grieg had a giant imagination, and he gave us melodies that dance to the northern lights and tug at your heartstrings like Vikings pulling a longship.

Edvard Grieg, 1858

From the foot-stomping fun of Peer Gynt to the soulful sighs of his Lyric Pieces, we have rounded up the 10 most beloved compositions that will make you yodel in a meadow or waltz with a troll.

If you are ready for a Nordic musical adventure, let’s jump straight in and explore the quirky and catchy genius of Grieg’s greatest hits!

Peer Gynt Suite 

It’s only fitting that we start with one of the Peer Gynt Suites. Grieg submerges us into the wild and whimsical world of Henrik Ibsen’s play through his vibrant orchestral music. Composed in 1875, and he did write 2 different suites, Grieg captures the adventurous spirit of the roguish “Peer Gynt.”

Henrik Klausen as Peer Gynt at Christiania Theater

You surely know such iconic pieces as “Morning Mood,” which paints a serene sunrise, or “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” a thrilling, mischievous romp. Infused with Norwegian folk melodies, these suites are among Grieg’s most beloved works, bursting with drama and charm.

These suites are like a musical Netflix series, each movement a new episode packed with thrills and chills. Whether you’re a classical newbie or a seasoned listener, Peer Gynt is Grieg at his storytelling best.

Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 

Edvard Grieg cooked up his piano concerto in 1868. This piece is a wild ride, almost like a Nordic roller-coaster that starts with a thundering drumroll and the piano diving in like a Viking raid.

The first movement struts a catchy melody, and Grieg blends stormy passion with moments so tender you’ll want to hug a pine tree.

But the epic doesn’t stop there, with the second movement sounding like a cosy fireside chat, and the third with a dance so lively, you’ll swear you’re at a Scandinavian hoedown. No wonder it’s one of the most famous piano concertos ever.

Holberg Suite 

The Holberg Suite is a snappy little number from 1884, that’s basically a love letter to the 18th century, but with a Norwegian twist. Grieg wrote it to celebrate the 200th birthday of Ludvig Holberg, a Danish-Norwegian writer who was like the Shakespeare of Scandinavia.

Originally written for piano, Grieg jazzed it up with strings, giving us five movements that prance around like a Baroque dance party. And the opening “Praeludium” is like a caffeinated squirrel sprinting through a fjord.

The good times keep on rolling with movements like the Sarabande, a Gavotte, and a slow Air, ending with a foot-stomping Rigaudon. Grieg was a genius by taking old-school Baroque vibes and spiking them with his Nordic charm.

Lyric Pieces 

Did you know that Grieg wrote 66 short piano works that are like musical selfies of the Norwegian psyche? Each piece paints a mood, with some dreamy, some cheeky, and some vivid like a troll dodging through the forest.

These pieces are Grieg at his most playful, wrapping Nordic folklore, nature, and heart-tugging emotion into mini masterpieces. Whether you’re a beginning pianist or just an appreciative listener, the Lyric Pieces are like a box of musical chocolates.

Every single one is a sweet surprise, and trust me, you’ll want to savour them all.

Cello Sonata in A minor, Op. 36 

The Grieg Cello Sonata is a masterpiece that’s like a musical bear hug between a cello and a piano. It sounds like Grieg channelled all his passion into this piece, which was actually written for his buddy, the cellist Wilhelm Sinding.

Edvard Grieg’s Cello Sonata

It’s got three movements of pure drama, starting like a Viking longship hitting choppy waters. It’s big and bold with the cello telling a saga of lost love. This is Grieg at his most cinematic, basically composing the soundtrack for a romantic comedy.

The second movement sounds like a cosy fireside chat, and the third crashes in like a Nordic festival. The cello and piano chase each other like kids playing tag in the meadow. This sonata is a rollercoaster that will make you laugh, cry, and maybe even yodel along.

String Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op. 27 

In his first string quartet, Grieg packs an entire Norwegian fjord into four string instruments. It basically sounds like a soap opera for two violins, viola, and cello. The opening movement is highly dramatic, intense, and passionate. It’s full of Grieg’s signature folk-inspired melodies, like a fiddling elf sitting on your shoulder.

Then we find a dreamy and heart-tugging waltz, with strings swaying under the northern lights and whispering sweet nothings to each other. The cheeky little intermezzo sounds like a goat going to a barn dance, and the concluding movement will leave you breathless.

This string quartet shows Grieg at his most adventurous, blending raw emotion with a folky flair, like a musical stew. It’s rich, bold, and totally unforgettable.

Violin Sonata No. 3 in C minor, Op. 45 

Here comes another romantic comedy for violin and piano written by Grieg in 1887. His 3rd violin sonata is a masterpiece, a delightful Viking saga with plenty of cheeky charm. It opens with a fiery thunderstorm, the violin belting out a stormy tune and the piano tossing in sparkly chords.

If the opening movement sounds like a Nordic epic, the second will melt your heart. Grieg exchanges his Viking helmet for the beret of a poet. The violin sings a tender lullaby, and the piano sprinkles in delicate notes like fireflies on a summer night.

But don’t get too comfy as the final movement bursts in like a barn dance on caffeine. It’s a Norwegian hoedown for sure, with plenty of foot-tapping energy and a triumphant finish. It’s perfect for classical music fans or anyone ready to fall in love with a fiddle-fuelled adventure.

Haugtussa, Op. 67 (The Mountain Maid) 

Grieg’s song cycle Haugtussa, based on poems by Arne Garborg, is like a musical fairy tale. It’s all about a clairvoyant shepherdess named Veslemøy, and in eight songs, Grieg is channelling his inner Nordic mystic into music.

Surrounded by goats and fjords, the dreamy farm girl imagines herself in a magical forest. However, things get juicy, as she falls in love with a hunky farm boy. Sadly, the boy is not really interested, and Veslemøy casts a musical hex.

Grieg’s genius is blending haunting Nordic vibes with catchy folk tunes, making Haugtussa feel like a campfire story told by a bard who’s had too much to drink. This cycle is a quirky emotional ride and ends with the maid finally finding solace in nature.

Ballade in G minor, Op. 24 

Composed in 1874-5, the Ballade in G minor is a deeply personal set of variations on a Norwegian folk tune. Don’t be fooled, however, as this is no simple campfire ditty, with the theme rolling in all sombre and brooding.

Grieg then spins the melody into a rollercoaster of moods, from stormy tantrums to twinkly moments that feel like sunlight bouncing off a glacier. As the Ballade rolls on, Grieg flexes his compositional muscle, tossing in variations that range from angry to dreamy.

Written during a tough time in Grieg’s life, as his parents had just passed away, this piece feels like a musical diary. It feels raw and heartfelt, but in the end, it comes to a triumphant if bittersweet conclusion. It certainly is an emotional and wild ride that proves that Grieg could turn a single tune into a complete story.

Four Psalms, Op. 74

Edvard Grieg

Written for mixed choir, Grieg composed his Four Psalms in 1906; they would be his final works. Based on Norwegian hymn tunes, these serene and spiritual pieces radiate simplicity and warmth, with lush harmonies reflecting Grieg’s deep connection to his faith and heritage.

Each psalm has its own flavour and its own personal devotion. With soaring melodies, Grieg dials up the drama, with the set wrapping up with a serene glow, like a lullaby to the stars. These beautiful pieces are raw and heartfelt, blending folk roots with spiritual depth.

It’s a quiet farewell, offering a moving glimpse into the composer’s contemplative side. He captures the essence of each work while keeping the tone approachable and engaging.

Bonus Track: Norwegian Dances, Op. 35 

It’s time to wrap up this little feature on the 10 most beloved compositions of Edvard Grieg by featuring his Norwegian Dances, Op. 35. Originally written for piano four-hands, they are a set of four foot-stompers that make you want to grab a partner and twirl through a fjord.

Each dance is a mini-adventure, packed with rustic charm and cheeky energy. They range from flirty waltzes at a village fair to full how-downs, like you’re galloping along like a herd of reindeer on a sugar rush. These Norwegian Dances are a rollicking romp, and you’ll want to two-step around your living room very soon.

Edvard Grieg’s ten most beloved compositions, from the whimsical charm of Peer Gynt to the heartfelt lyricism of his Lyric Pieces, continue to captivate listeners with their vibrant Norwegian spirit and timeless emotional depth. These works not only celebrate his genius but also invite us all to dance, dream, and wander through the enchanting landscapes of his musical imagination.

 

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