1957-09-04 — Page 4

The pavilion where Grieg worked in the grounds

of his home Troldhaugen near Bergen, .. Edvard Hagerup Grieg was born June 15, 1843 in Bergen on the west coast of Norway; died in Bergen September 4, 1907. Descended from the Scottish merchant Alexander Grieg, who had emigrated to Bergen from Aberdeen in 1779.

Grieg studied for several years in Leipzig from 1858, later in Copenhagen and Rome: settled in Norway Married in 1867 his cousin Nina in 1866. Hagerup (1845-1935), known as a singer and an ingenious interpreter of her husband's songs. Edvard Grieg was stimulated by Franz Liszt to a new Conductor study tour to Rome, 1869-1870.

of the Philharmonic Society, Olso, founder and director of the Music Society, 1871. From 1874 Grieg spent his time partly abroad, partly in Norway. Conductor of the Harmonien Music Society in Bergen 1880-1882. Cave concerts, as a conductor or as a pianist, in London, Bir- mingham, Copenhagen, Paris, Leipzig. Munich, Amsterdamit, Vienna, Warsaw, Prague, Kiel and other places. A music festival was arranged on Grieg's Initiative in Bergen, 1898, with inter- national participation.

Grieg was awarded honorary doctor's degrees

at

various centres of learning, and was from 1874 in receipt of an annual artists' grant from the Norwegian state. Since 1953, annual festivals, largely devoted to the music of Grieg, are held in his native Bergen,

On the air tonight

RADIO HONGKONG at 10.15 pm

"This week's composer-Grieg" Orchestra

A

Minor Concerto and Peer Gynt selection. Kirsten Flagstad (soprano) sings "The Swan." And Arturo Rubenstein (piano) plays Shepherd

Boy.

THE CHINA-MAIL; WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1957.

Norway's Scottish Bard

FOR two generations Edvard Grieg, was the central

figure in the history of Norwegian music, symbolising ita very spirit and setting, a standard by which other composers have been measured. Only in the last two decades have young composers struck out in other directions and shown that other ways and means" than those employed by Grleg can also be used to express the innately national kenge of melody. Today their music is felt to be just as Norwegian as that of Grieg.

No one has hitherto attempted

of music

any

Pro-

as that of

samo difficul) Neblko. And even I Cher is ten in the form of free variatious. ties AR those suffering a temporary eclipse, on a folic tune from Valdres. It facing contan- owing to the repetion agaiosi is a telf-revealing work, testify- porary com remantlelsm, his plencer working to an intento inner struggle. posers abroad. will remain an important and with great dramatic power ho enduring contribution to the builds up to a climax; then the His music emancipation of harmony in arrived at the the 19th century.

the

of

composer returns in resignation to the theme in its original Tight time; the musical public Grieg seldom fackled the

simplieity. In ten volumes of. was just in the larger musical forms. A sym- ively

lyrical pieces Grieg has given à mood for

panorama, mainly phony written in his youth re- Norweglari scenery and country CX- mained

In manuscript form, fe. These became Execeding- Grig's music, with his own written instruc- ly popular, and in the last years on lines al- tion on the score "Must never of his life Grieg was sonicwhat

reluctantly ready ploneer be performed". ta his thirties duce more, to satisfy his pubile

compelled to pro E by other

in co-operation with Bjornal- and his

sentiments pressed

was

1 A

Composers. Ho

like breath of fresh mcuntain air

።

from the North, with

his per- feet blend of national

expression and natural mysti cism presented with the cmo-

lo define what exactly is covered by the term "Nor been pinyed and sung in con- cert halls and homes" nil over wegian musical fooling", - nor

the world.

Norwegian Few con we point to

apesifie

have spread 20 far. factors which give us the im- names

Euch mediate Impression that a piece abroad or made peculiarly Nor. found Impression weglon. But it is a fact that Grig. bell Grieg and more recent

His success on a composer of composers have been alrong international status really began influenced by Norwegian folk with a series of concerts which music. A typical Grieg Inter- he gave in London In 1888 and val-Griese lending note"- ever since he has appealed

the ketave, reventh and fifth-is a greatly to English and feature of many Norwegian Americans, less to the Latins, folk-lutes. In a letter to Johan and-In spite of good contracts Halvorsen written on Decem with the publishing hours of 1 1901, Geka wrileny Peters in Leipzig-least to the "Tuls' remarkable G sharp in D' Teutonic peopics, at any rate in the major (in the 'stat airs) was his life time, though la what turned my head com- years after his death there have pletely in 1871. Of course, I been algns of growing popular- promptly stole it for my pleturca lly in the Germanie countries, of folk life" The Hardanger- At the time of his London the world. fiddle airs held ແກ absorbing concerts Grieg had already faccination for Grieg, though he completed the bulk of his pro did not discover the complete duction-the piano secret of the mystery until the be ballad, tho quartet for against romanticism set la. His letter to Finck, "The realm of inst few years of his life. Every string and the Ibsen and Vinje are still printed in their thon, harmony has always been any artist of genius sets his per- Kongs. A few yours before zands today and the lyrical dream-world, and my own sente somal seal on the impulses, he these concerts, he had arranged pieces are stock favourites of it has mystified even myself. rectives, and Grieg's music is parts of the Peer Gynt musle among amateur performers In

floral intensity demanded by ite age. which mere then any other of

In one sphere Grleg opened his compositions have made his up fresh felds and Influenced name known and loved all over the trend of European music- that of harmony. Here too he He maintained his popularity fek music. He admits, in

has borrowed from Norwegian

the concerto, unl

natural reaction

Just as much steeped in his in the two orchestrol aultes, every country. But his name is

in-

श

own original personally ag in the spirit of Norwegian folk mule in n way li correct to consider Grieg os prototype of Norwegian musical feeling hut his musle enjoys such a strong position that unill the last few years the terin "Norwegian music" has been synonymous with bis form of expression.

Common Tongue ·

In his youth. Grieg mado Il his aun to present Norwegian folk music, the Norwegian countryside and the Norwegian- national characteristics in # mustent language that would understood throughout Europe. This Grieg achieved- In the piano concerto and the ballad, in many of the lyrical

pitees, in the songs and the quartet for strings. These have

be

1926-1957

For 1 years the best waterproof wat

THE WORLD'S FIRST WATERPROOF WATCH CASE

This is the Violan Oyster match e morn by Merendes Clolice when the sent the Brelih Channel. Rolex «massend this foot to the world on Neo, 26, 1977. The match losde chaczy men, but Lhmi i may nằmovi xẻ vracia.

in the world

Interior of the composer's pavilion,

THE WORLD'S FINEST WATERPROOF WATCH CASE

The Rolex Oyster can today, 12 js unconditionally quarantieed pront against scaler, dust, dirt, conden- sation, and pressure to a depth of 16 feet (50 m.) under water. The crystal is unbreakabls and earity polished. The back can only be opened by a spedal Oyster kay; it cannat de abured by unauthorised matchmakers. The crystal has mo tracion; it cannot crackle'er craze.

Rolex celebrate the 31st anniversary of the Oyster case

In 1926 Rolex invented the Oyster case, the world's first truly waterproof watch case. To the trade at the `time it seemed a joke, a “gimmick" that had nothing to do with timekeeping. But Mr. Wilsdorf, the chairman of Rolex, and his colleagues et Roler, knew that it vesa a revolution.

For the point of the waterproof watch is protre- tion, not just against water, but against dust, sand, gris, and all other elements that can damage the moverment and clog the vital eil.

The Oyster has come a long way since Mercedes Claitze mado world headlines în 1937 by swimming the English Channel with an Oyster an her wrist. Perhaps even Mr. Wilsdorf did not dreamin 1927

Roles would develop Oystery that can go doren scherever man can go. Yet they have. "Vitness the fact that the Navies of three great nations use Rolex for special underwater activities.

Rolex have such unshakable confidence in thes present Oyster case that they guarantee it uncondi- tionally-against everything hit brute force.

Very briefly, any Rolex Oyster is guaranteed proof against water, gas, dust, dirt, powder, con- densation, and premure to a depth of 165 fret(50m.) under water, (except for the new, ultra-flat dress Oystermodels, whichreguaranteedtoß&ft.(zoni.)), It provides complete protection for the fine and incredibly accurate movençat it contains.

ROLEX

A landmark in the history of Time

measurement

n

I have found that the obscure

depth of our folk tunes is due

to their undreamed-of capacity for harmony. In my treatment of them I have tried to express my sense of the hidden monks of our folk airs,”

her-

publisher. He has

AA Grieg meguseript-score-dated December 1860st"

by

A Grieg manuscript-score dated December 1880,

on rounded off the collection jerne Bjornson he worked the idea of writing an opera on taking the same melody for the The theme of the national hero last picce us for the first, har- Olav Trygvason. But poet and

composer fell out, and all that monising it in a new way that enine of the plan was a sketch revents the development he had of HIS HARMONY describing the struggle between undergone during the span

the old pagan worship of the 34 years which separates the Vikings and Christianity, One two pieces. Touson for his disagreement

Grieg delighted in giving his with Bjornson was that Grieg In his songs he puts his harmonies new and surprising had been asked by Honrik round combinations. He aften been to write the musle for finger unerringly on the maki introduces a bass moving in Peer Gynt. Grieg was not very thought and sentiment in ench diatonic or chromatic steps, enthusiastle; he considered Peer poem, and presents ils essence combines different types

of Gynt the most unlikely musical in a simple melodie phrase. On

chords, uses parallel afths and subject he could Imagine. sevenths. In the major key he Nevertheless he accepted, and shows a predilection for a after much toll the score was bi-triple chord, and blends rendy within a year and a half, major and minor most in The musle was received with gerously. The chords often used purely for their performance, and hos sinec, in colour effect. In many ways countless arrangements, Chicg is a forerunner of im- och ved fame all over the pressionism.

world,

are enthusiasm at its frat publie

The Plano Concerto In A minor Opus 16 ranks highest of all Grieg's orchestral composi-

no longer found so often in con- It is true that Debussy made cert programmes. Opinion of strong personal attacks on the true worth of his nehleve Grieg. But his musle owes tions. It was written during a ment as a composer has had great deal to the Norwegian stay at Sollerod in Denmark in many ups and downs, both in master. Ravel has declared the summer of 1888. With lis Norway and abroad. But he that he never wrote a work rhythmical flexibility, and the still remains the unchallenged thut WOR not Influenced by intense feeling for nature that head and heart of the youthful Grieg. arıd Grleg has also pervades 1, it has become

The tomb of Edvard and body of Norwegian musical meant a great deal to com- favourite among planista, The Ning Grieg at Troldhaugan. history.

posers so diverse in their work same lyrical freshness is cx- 03 Delius, MacDowell

and pressed in the string quartet bis own confesilon he felt the

which he com posed while urge to write his own feeling staying at into his romances and his choleo Lofthus, Hate of text-was-always-dependent danger, In the en ta personal experience. winter of 1877- The early songs bear the mark

Grieg's music wafted like cool breeze over the musical le of Europe during the last nineteenth

| few decades of the

century, with

new melodicy

and dew-fresh cadences, bulmy with enthralling harmonics. Their fascination lay in ,their Norwegian flavour as well the the composer's own bold per- sonal touch.

FOLK MUSIC

new

There

nothing WOR In exploiting a country's felic music. Chopin, Glinka, Mussorgsky, Smetana, Dvorak. Blzet and many others had done it as well.. Already in Nor- way, while Grieg was mi a student at the Leipzig Conser- valory, Otto Winter-Hjelm had Used Norwegian folk tune in a symphony. Hilfdan Kjerult had made an attempt to weave his Norwegian melodies into songs and Rikard Nordraak, with his inspiring visions of the possibilities of his native music had shown Grieg the way ho must go

In Norway Grieg realised the ideas which during his youth were gaining ground in other the European countries, same basis and overcoming the

Cumming

on

Edvard and Nina Grieg,

TEL Here he bronks awny

of German Romanticism but from the tradi- coon, in Opus 5 "The Heart's Uonal poly Melodies", written to the text phionle style of ef Huns Christian Andersen and quartet music, including "I love you", we car bursting the note the influence of Gade- restricted Hartmann's Nordle tone. In dynamic range his music written for Blomson's of

chamber

music with

almost orches

tral soucrity.

In

A

sonata

in the ro

poems In the early 1870's wo thees the real Norwegian touch romances too. The high of his song compositions is

Ibsen

songs Opus Grieg 25,

25, including "A Swan",

"With a

tid: of

reached in the pinno

adheres to the Wate: Lily", "A Bird Sung", and traditional the Vinje songs, opus 33. A new sonato form, peak is reached with the Haug- while the three fussa songs to the text of Arno vlolin sonatas Garborg, where Grieg has are more caught the soft subdued "under- episodic in ground" mood of the poet's structure and words. In a class of its GWI

their singda "The Enchanted", where cohesion to the text is Д folk poem single basic.describing a mortal who has wood.

lost his way into the enchanted Grieg's main forest and is trying in vain to pland work is find his way out again. It is the Ballade one of Grieg's, most gripping opus 24, writ- works,

owe

THE

FRANC

MARK

'We shall fight them on the bourses, In the banks, and in the casinos.

We shall never surrender.""