The A minor Piano Concerto (Grieg)

Edvard Grieg

Title: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16

Composer: Edvard Grieg

Composed in 1868

First premiered by Edmund Neupert on April 3, 1869 in Copenhagen, 

with Holger Simon Paulli conducting

The work is among Grieg's earliest important works, written by the 24-year-old composer in 1868 in Søllerød, Denmark, during one of his visits there to benefit from the climate, which was warmer than that of his native Norway.

Grieg's concerto is often compared to the Piano Concerto of Robert Schumann — it is in the same key, the opening descending flourish on the piano is similar, and the overall style is considered to be closer to Schumann than any other single composer. Incidentally, both wrote only one concerto for piano. Grieg had heard Schumann's concerto played by Clara Schumann in Leipzig in 1858 (1859 is given by alternative sources), and was greatly influenced by Schumann's style generally, having been taught the piano by Schumann's friend, Ernst Ferdinand Wenzel. Compact disc recordings often pair the two concertos.

Additionally, Grieg's work provides evidence of his interest in Norwegian folk music; the opening flourish is based around the motif of a falling minor second (see interval) followed by a falling major third, which is typical of the folk music of Grieg's native country. This specific motif occurs in other works by Grieg, including the String Quartet No. 1. In the last movement of the concerto, similarities to the halling (a Norwegian folk dance) and imitations of the Hardanger fiddle (the Norwegian folk fiddle) have been detected.

Music

Instrumental

• 2 flutes
• 2 oboes
• 2 clarinets in A and B flat
• 2 bassoons
• 2 horns in E and E flat
• 2 trumpets in C and B flat
• 2 trombones
• tuba
• timpani
• I & II violins
• violas
• cellos
• double basses
• Grieg later added 2 horns and changed the tuba to a third trombone.

Form

The concerto is in three movements:

1 Allegro molto moderato (A minor)

2 Adagio (D-flat major)

3 Allegro moderato molto e marcato - Quasi presto - Andante maestoso (A minor/F major/A minor/A major)

The first movement is noted for the timpani roll in the first bar that leads to a dramatic piano flourish. The movement is in the Sonata form. The movement finishes with a virtuosic cadenza and a similar flourish as in the beginning.

Beginning of the Piano Concerto

The second movement is a lyrical movement in D-flat major, which leads directly into the third movement.

The third movement opens in A minor 4/4 time with an energetic theme (Theme 1), which is followed by a lyrical theme in F major (Theme 2). The movement returns to Theme 1. Following this recapitulation is the 3/4 A major Quasi presto section, which consists of a variation of Theme 1. The movement concludes with the Andante maestoso in A major, which consists of a dramatic rendition of Theme 2 (as opposed to the lyrical fashion with which Theme 2 is introduced).

Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor (Full Movement) video:

Grieg Piano Concerto In A minor (Composer's Manuscript) pdf file:

http://imslp.org/imglnks/usimg/f/fb/IMSLP116898-PMLP03728-Grieg_Pianokonsert_NB67_part.pdf