Piano Concerto (Grieg)

The Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16, is a landmark work of classical music.

Composed by Edvard Grieg in 1868, it remains his most famous achievement. While Grieg wrote other music, this was the only concerto he ever completed. It is a major piece within the concerto genre, which features a solo instrument playing with an orchestra. A standard performance of this work lasts approximately 30 minutes. It serves as a powerful example of how folk traditions can blend with classical structures.

The concerto is organized into three distinct movements. The first movement uses sonata form, a structured way of organizing musical themes. It begins with a timpani roll, which is a rapid stroke on the drums. This leads to a dramatic piano flourish before the main theme starts. The music then shifts to the key of C major for a secondary theme. Later, this theme returns in the key of A major during the recapitulation. The movement ends with a virtuosic cadenza, a solo passage that shows off the pianist's skill.

The second movement, titled Adagio, is a lyrical section set in D major. It follows a ternary form, which means it has an A–B–A structure. The B section moves between D major and F major before returning to the original piano theme. The third movement is much faster and more energetic. It features an Allegro moderato section influenced by the Norwegian Halling, a traditional folk dance. This movement also includes a Quasi presto section and an Andante maestoso conclusion. The final part provides a dramatic rendition of the second theme in A major.

To perform this work, a large orchestra is required to support the solo pianist. The instrumentation includes two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, and two bassoons. The brass section consists of four horns, two trumpets, and three trombones. The percussion is provided by the timpani. Finally, the string section includes violins, violas, cellos, and double basses. An earlier version of the piece used only two horns and a tuba instead of a third trombone.

Grieg composed this masterpiece in 1868 while staying in Søllerød, Denmark. He was only 24 years old at the time. He was heavily influenced by the German composer Robert Schumann. Grieg had heard Clara Schumann play Robert Schumann's piano concerto in Leipzig in 1858. He also learned piano from Ernst Ferdinand Wenzel, a friend of Schumann. The concerto also draws deeply from Norwegian culture. The opening piano motif uses a falling minor second and a falling major third. These intervals are typical of Norwegian folk music. The third movement even imitates the sound of the Hardanger fiddle, a traditional Norwegian instrument.

The history of the concerto is full of notable figures and events. It premiered on April 3, 1869, in Copenhagen, conducted by Holger Simon Paulli. The pianist Edmund Neupert performed the solo part. Although Grieg was an excellent pianist, he could not perform because of work in Christiania. The Russian pianist Anton Rubinstein attended and provided the piano for the premiere. In 1870, the famous composer Franz Liszt heard the piece and gave Grieg positive feedback. In 1909, Wilhelm Backhaus made the first recording of the concerto. Because of recording technology, that version was abridged to only six minutes.

Grieg revised the orchestration at least seven times. These changes resulted in over 300 differences from his original version. One notable change involved moving a theme from the cello to the trumpet. The version we hear most often today is the one he finished shortly before his death. The piece has also appeared in many different parts of modern culture. It has been used in films like Intermezzo and The Seventh Veil. It even appeared in the 1961 pop hit "Asia Minor" by Jimmy Wisner. From video games like Civilization V to comedy sketches, the music continues to reach new audiences.