Countless
composers throughout time have found influence in folk music. During the 19th
century in particular, a rise in nationalism played a large role in many
composers’ musical output. Seeking to display a sense of national pride,
composers often used the folk music of their homeland as inspiration for
creating national themes in their work. Over the next few weeks, let’s look at
several countries where folk has played a significant role in the classical
music world.
Let’s
begin with Norway and Edvard Grieg (1843–1907). Known for his Peer Gynt Suite, Grieg also has many
other works that contain folk influences. Though brought up in a middle-class
Norwegian family, Grieg was not exposed to folk until he was in his twenties!
At that time, Danish influences dominated society traditions, speech, and even
music.
When
Grieg met Rikard Nordraak in 1864, he gained exposure to this idea of
nationalism and decided to become a nationalist composer for his homeland.
Nordraak is another famous Norwegian composer, primarily known for composing
the country’s national anthem. Grieg’s first attempt to use folk in his own music
can be heard below in his Humoresque,
Op. 6:
Striving
to promote Scandinavian music, Grieg helped found a society named Euterpe. He
also helped begin the Norwegian Academy of Music, all the while finding ways to
incorporate folk or nationalist qualities in his work. The Lyric Pieces, Op. 12, for instance, contain nationalist titles
includes “Norwegian,” “Folktune,” and “National Song.” Many of his works
contain folk-like qualities including modal melodies and harmonies, folk dance
rhythms, and the use of drones reflecting drone strings found on Norwegian folk
instruments.
Below you can listen to Grieg’s Slatter, Op. 72. This work is a
collection of peasant dances arranged for the piano from transcripts of country
fiddle playing. It uses folk dance rhythms and the way Grieg uses dissonance
resembles the double-stopping technique of the folk Hardanger fiddle. Not sure
what I mean by double stop? This is a technique used by bowed string
instruments in which the musician plays two notes at the same time.
Want
to hear more Norwegian music? Join me next time as we discuss Johan Svendsen,
the man for whom Grieg dedicated his Second Violin Sonata.
