Edvard Hagerup Grieg (Norwegian: Edvard Hagerup Grieg; June 15, 1843, Bergen, Norway - September 4, 1907, ibid.) is a Norwegian composer of the Romantic period, musician, pianist, conductor, founder of the Norwegian professional composition school.

The composer's full name is Edvard Hagerup Grieg. He was born in the city of Bergen on June 15, 1843 in the family of the British vice-consul Alexander Grieg and the pianist Gesina Hagerup. The father was the third in the dynasty of representatives of Great Britain, which was started by his grandfather, a wealthy merchant who moved to Norway in 1770. Edward's mother had excellent musical abilities: she graduated from the conservatory in Hamburg, despite the fact that only young men were admitted to this educational institution. It was she who contributed to the development of the musical talent of all five children in the family. In addition, piano lessons were part of the mandatory education program for the heirs of respectable families. At the age of 4, Edward sat down at the piano for the first time, but then no one would have guessed that music would become his destiny.

Interesting facts about Grieg

Edward did not seek to get an education in a regular school, avoiding classes with all his might. According to the stories of some of his biographers, he sometimes wet his clothes on purpose, as if he had been caught in the rain, so that he would be sent home to change. It was a long walk to the house, and Edward just skipped class.

Grieg made his first attempts to compose music at the age of 12.

One day, Edward took a notebook with his first works to school. The teachers, who liked the boy for his inattentive attitude to studies, made fun of these records.

While living in Copenhagen, Grieg met and befriended Hans Christian Andersen. The composer wrote music for several of his poems.

Edward proposed to Nina Hagerup on Christmas Eve 1864, in the company of young cultural figures, presenting her with a collection of his love sonnets called "Heart Melodies".

Grieg always admired the work of Franz Liszt, and once they had a personal meeting. In a difficult period of Grieg's life, Liszt attended his concert, and then approached him and wished him not to stop and not to be afraid of anything. Edward saw this as a kind of blessing.

Grieg's favorite home was an estate near Bergen, which the composer nicknamed "Trollhaugen" - "Troll Hill".

Grieg actively participated in the opening of the Music Academy in Christiania in 1867.

According to Grieg's biography, in 1893 the composer was awarded the title of Doctor of Cambridge University.

Grieg had a peculiar talisman - a clay statuette of a frog. He always took her with him to concerts, and before going on stage he had a habit of rubbing her back.

Grieg's biography says that in 1887 Edward and Nina Hagerup met Tchaikovsky. A correspondence began between them, and for many years Grieg shared his creative plans and personal experiences with him.

Grieg's visit to Russia never took place due to Edward's illness and the Russo-Japanese war, in the conditions of which he considered it inappropriate to visit one Tchaikovsky.

Henrik Ibsen himself asked Grieg to compose music for his play "Peer Gynt", writing a letter to the composer in early 1874. Ibsen promised him to divide the received fees in half, as between equal co-authors. The playwright attached such great importance to music.

At one of his concerts in Christiania, Grieg without warning replaced the last number with a composition by Beethoven. The next day, the critic, who disliked Grieg, published a devastating review, especially noting the lack of talent of the last work. Edward was not confused, called this critic, and declared that he is the spirit of Beethoven, and he is the author of the same work. The critic had a heart attack.

The king of Norway was an admirer of Grieg's talent, and ordered him to be awarded one honorary order. Edward, finding nothing better, put the order in the back pocket of his tailcoat. The king was told that Grieg handled his award in a very unnecessary way, which the monarch was seriously offended by.

Edvard Grieg and Nina Hagerup are buried in the same grave. Despite the difficulties in their life together, they still managed to remain the closest people to each other.