Edvard Grieg
Piano Transcriptions of Songs

About Edvard Grieg's Piano Transcriptions of Songs

With the piano transcriptions of twelve Songs, Op.41 and Op. 52, Grieg follows common procedure among Romantic composers: to rework their own, or other people's, songs into expressive and brilliant piano pieces.
These collections were at least partly an attempt to satisfy the public's increasing appetite for new pieces by Grieg. Both sets include some of his finest and most popular songs, such as "I love thee" and "Solveig's Song", but also lesser known ones.
In these arrangements, Grieg made only minor changes to the melody and harmony of the songs, but gave several of them a richer and more varied texture, so that some, such as The Princess, appear as completely new and quite virtuoso pieces.

The Two Melodies, Op. 53, are reworkings of the songs Fyremål, Op. 33, No. 12, and Det første møte, Op. 21, No. 1. They were also published in a version for string orchestra, as were the Two Elegiac Melodies, Op. 34, transcriptions of two tragic songs from Opus 33. The Wounded Heart is a tragedy, conveyed by harsh dissonances and chromatic notes, while The Last Springis in a mood of sad resignation.

ID:226
Preview TitleKey Year Level
Heart's Wounds Op. 34 No. 1 in C Minor by Grieg piano sheet music AAB Heart's Wounds Op. 34 No. 12 C Minor 1881 5
Last Spring Op. 34 No. 2 in G Major by Grieg piano sheet music AAC Last Spring Op. 34 No. 223 G Major 1881 5
Lullaby Op. 41 No. 1 in B Major by Grieg piano sheet music AAD Lullaby Op. 41 No. 135 B Major 1884 6
Little Haakon Op. 41 No. 2 in A-flat Major by Grieg piano sheet music AAE Little Haakon Op. 41 No. 227 A-flat Major 1884 6
I Love Thee Op. 41 No. 3 in C Major by Grieg piano sheet music AAF I Love Thee Op. 41 No. 31 C Major 1884 7
She Is So White Op. 41 No. 4 in E Minor by Grieg piano sheet music AAG She Is So White Op. 41 No. 414 E Minor 1884 6
The Princess Op. 41 No. 5 in D Minor by Grieg piano sheet music AAH The Princess Op. 41 No. 58 D Minor 1884 8
To Springtime Op. 41 No. 6 in B Major by Grieg piano sheet music AAI To Springtime Op. 41 No. 635 B Major 1884 6
A Mother's Grief Op. 52 No. 1 in B-flat Minor by Grieg piano sheet music AAJ A Mother's Grief Op. 52 No. 134 B-flat Minor 1890 7
The First Meeting Op. 52 No. 2 in D-flat Major by Grieg piano sheet music AAK The First Meeting Op. 52 No. 26 D-flat Major 1890 6
The Poet's Heart Op. 52 No. 3 in F-sharp Minor by Grieg piano sheet music AAL The Poet's Heart Op. 52 No. 320 F-sharp Minor 1890 7
Solvejg's Song Op. 52 No. 4 in A Minor by Grieg piano sheet music AAM Solvejg's Song Op. 52 No. 430 A Minor 1890 6
Love Op. 52 No. 5 in D-flat Major by Grieg piano sheet music AAN Love Op. 52 No. 56 D-flat Major 1890 6
The Old Mother Op. 52 No. 6 in B Minor by Grieg piano sheet music AAO The Old Mother Op. 52 No. 636 B Minor 1890 7
Norwegian Op. 53 No. 1 in G Major by Grieg piano sheet music AAP Norwegian Op. 53 No. 123 G Major 1891 7
The First Meeting Op. 53 No. 2 in C Major by Grieg piano sheet music AAQ The First Meeting Op. 53 No. 21 C Major 1891 6