83
DOI: 10.4312/mz.57.2.83-103
UDK 785.1Grieg E.:780.614.3:781.63 
Grieg and Violins:  
An Immersion into the String Orchestra
Rytis Urniežius
Vilnius University Šiauliai Academy
ABSTRACT
Violin was Edvard Grieg’s favourite orchestral instrument. This affinity expanded to other 
string family instruments and a string orchestra. The article aims to characterise Grieg’s 
two-movement cycles of miniatures for string orchestra, emphasizing the features of their 
orchestration. The analysis revealed that these cycles should be considered as original and 
creative orchestral compositions where the composer efficiently employs the possibilities of 
string instruments.
Keywords: Edvard Grieg, string orchestra, orchestral miniatures, two-movement cycles, 
orchestration
IZVLEČEK
Violina je bila najljubši orkestralni instrument Edvarda Griega, naklonjen pa je bil tudi 
drugim inštrumentom iz družine godal in godalnemu orkestru. Članek želi opredeliti Gri-
egove dvostavčne cikluse miniatur za godalni orkester, s poudarkom na značilnostih njihove 
orkestracije. Analiza je pokazala, da bi te cikluse morali obravnavati kot izvirne in ustvarjalne 
orkestralne kompozicije, pri katerih skladatelj učinkovito izkorišča možnosti, ki jih ponujajo 
godalni instrumenti.
Ključne besede: Edvard Grieg, godalni orkester, orkestralne miniature, dvostavčni ciklusi, 
orkestracija
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Introduction
Edvard Grieg considered orchestration a very important component of his 
music. His articles and letters contain, although sparse, yet insightful outgivings 
about the orchestration of other composers, such as Johan Svendsen, Richard 
Wagner, Richard Strauss, and Claude Debussy.1 But almost throughout all 
of his creative life, Grieg complained about the lack of his own orchestration 
knowledge. He referred to the Leipzig conservatoire (Grieg studied there 
in 1858–1862) as the first and foremost culprit of such imperfection. In his 
autobiographical essay, My First Success, Grieg wrote:
In my last year at the Conservatory I had lessons in composition from Carl 
Reinecke. […] As an illustration of how things went on in these lessons, 
I will mention just the following: I, who had presented myself as one who 
did not have the slightest understanding of either musical form or of string 
technique, was immediately required to write a string quartet. […] What 
Reinecke failed to teach me I tried to pick up from Mozart and Beethoven, 
whose quartets I diligently studied on my own initiative.2
Further experience was even more perplexing:
After the negative success that proved to be the lot of my first string 
quartet, Reinecke said: “Now write an overture!” I, who had no 
knowledge of orchestral instruments or of orchestration, was supposed to 
write an overture! […] It seems incredible, but there was no class at the 
Conservatory in which one could get a grounding in these things. […] 
It was fortunate for me, however, that in Leipzig I got to hear so much 
good music, especially orchestral and chamber music. This made up for the 
knowledge of compositional technique which the Conservatory failed to 
give me.3
It can be stated that Grieg was self-educated in the sphere of orchestration. 
Yet this education was grounded on music by the greatest European masters.
Only occasional remarks about individual musical instruments appear in 
Grieg’s writings. Violin is the only exception: numerous pages written by Grieg 
1 See Finn Benestad and William H. Halverson, eds., Edvard Grieg: Letters to Colleagues and Friends 
(Columbus, Ohio: Peer Gynt Press, 2000). See also Edvard Grieg, “Johan Svensen’s Concert,” 
280–283; id., “My First Success,” 67–89; id., “Richard Wagner and The Ring of the Nibelung,” 
290–320, all published in Edvard Grieg: Diaries, Articles, Speeches, eds. Finn Benestad and William 
H. Halverson (Columbus: Peer Gynt Press, 2001).
2 Grieg, “My First Success,” 83.
3 Ibid., 84.
R. Urniežius: Grieg and Violins: An Immersion into the String Orchestra
85
are devoted to this instrument.4 But an affinity for violin was overshadowed by 
the lack of self-confidence concerning his skills in writing for it. Grieg mentions 
his assumed inability to compose for the violin even in the mature period of his 
creative life. In 1878 he wrote to violinist Robert Heckman: “Just think if I had 
been able to play the violin a little!!! Damn that Leipzig Conservatory! What 
I am able to do I did not learn there – that is a fact.”5 Of course, this outburst 
of emotions cannot be taken as a manifestation of undisputed truth, however, 
Grieg’s words once again certify that Leipzig conservatoire staff neglected or-
chestration discipline. Such lack of self-confidence in writing for strings last-
ed for many years and had its positive side: Grieg made every attempt to gain 
knowledge of writing for violin and other string instruments, and eventually, his 
mastery in this field became prominent. Perhaps string parts in Grieg’s scores 
could be treated as the most obvious indicator of his progress in orchestration 
technique.6
It appears natural that Grieg’s fondness for violin extended to other string 
family instruments. Consequently, this liking evidently manifested in a) chamber 
compositions for strings, b) treatment of the string section of a symphony 
orchestra, and c) compositions and arrangements for string orchestra.
Subtle individuality of string instruments technique and expression is 
vividly implemented in chamber compositions for strings. Grieg wrote five such 
works: three violin sonatas (op. 8, 1865; op. 13, 1867; op. 45, 1886–1887), Cello 
Sonata (Op. 36, 1882–1883) and String Quartet No. 1 in G minor (Op. 27, 
1877–1878). In a letter to Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (16 January 1900), Grieg noted 
that his violin sonatas could be treated as landmarks of his creative biography: 
“[…] these three works are among my best compositions and represent periods 
in my development: the first, naive, reflecting many antecedents; the second, 
national; and the third, with its wider horizons.”7
The place of the String Quartet among Grieg’s chamber works is equally 
important. In his letter to Gottfred Matthison-Hansen (13 August 1877) 
referring to String Quartet Grieg once again expressed doubts in his ability to 
write for string instruments: “The next composition that you will see from me will 
be a work for string instruments. I’m in the middle of it, but God knows when I 
will finish. Just now I am once again experiencing numbing incompetence that 
4 Affinity for violin (and string instruments in general) likely came to Grieg in his early years. The 
world-famous violinist and a relative of Grieg’s mother Ole Bull had a significant and diverse 
influence on the future composer. Grieg admired Bull as a virtuoso violinist and as a performer of 
Norwegian folk melodies. However, the instrumental folk music performed on Hardanger fiddle 
is a specific chapter in Grieg’s creative legacy and will not be discussed here.
5 Benestad and Halverson, Edvard Grieg: Letters, 371.
6 It seems strange that Grieg mentioned woodwind and brass instruments very seldom and never 
complained about insufficient knowledge of these instruments.
7 Benestad and Halverson, Edvard Grieg: Letters, 137.
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must be violently attacked.”8 But the work on Quartet became a significant step 
towards successful handling of strings and a higher self-confidence in composing 
for them. The intention to accomplish all technical details of his Quartet perfectly 
is reflected in Grieg’s correspondence with German violinist Robert Heckmann. 
This correspondence discloses how diligently and particularly Grieg worked on 
every part. Heckmann’s consultations were helpful from a practical point of view 
and psychologically encouraging. The violinist was very fond of the Quartet and 
expressed his high opinion concerning Grieg’s competence in composing for 
string instruments: “[…] one can hardly talk in terms of failure of your power 
of inventive imagination, such as for example any lack of experience in handling 
string instruments. You have a correct sense of the various instruments’ tone-
colour that is the main thing; practical considerations, bowing and the like, can 
easily be adjusted.”9
Namely, the work on the String Quartet preceded a creative period dur-
ing which many of Grieg’s compositions for string orchestra were created. In a 
letter written to Heckmann on 4 July 1878, Grieg made a remark, which dis-
closes an important feature of his manner in writing for strings: “It irritates me 
that the chords in the whole pizzicato passage have to be played arpeggio. If I 
had been writing the piece for string orchestra, I would have divided the parts 
(divisi).”10 This remark is important for understanding the specificity of another 
important layer of Grieg’s creative legacy – his compositions for string orchestra.
The further analysis is focused on Grieg’s miniatures (piano pieces and songs) 
arranged for the string orchestra and merged into two-movement cycles.11
General Characteristics of String Orchestra Two-movement Cycles
String orchestra was not a very widely used medium in the nineteenth cen-
tury. In this regard, Grieg stands out against the majority of contemporary 
composers. The share of compositions for string orchestra in Grieg’s cre-
ative legacy is significant. Some of Grieg’s contemporaries, late-Romantic 
composers, created occasional works for string orchestra. For example, at 
least five composers of that time – Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Antonín Dvořák, Ed-
ward Elgar, Carl Reinecke (Grieg’s teacher at Leipzig conservatoire) and 
Mieczysław Karłowicz composed cyclic works named Serenade for Strings. 
However, compositions for string orchestra by Grieg’s contemporaries 
8 Ibid., 500.
9 Bjarne Kortsen, “Grieg’s String Quartet and Robert Heckman,” Music & Letters 49, no. 1 (1968): 
22.
10 Benestad and Halverson, Edvard Grieg: Letters, 370.
11 The usage of the string section in symphonic creations is a specific subject and will not be dis-
cussed in this article. Also, the most important string orchestra work, suite From Holberg’s Time 
will not be analysed: this suite would demand special attention because of its scope and excep-
tional stylistic features.
R. Urniežius: Grieg and Violins: An Immersion into the String Orchestra
87
appear as solitary experiments within their vast musical legacy. Meanwhile, 
Grieg was much more attracted to string orchestra by its multiple possibili-
ties: technical flexibility, variety of timbre tinges, and at the same time, ho-
mogeneous sounding of the whole.
Grieg’s first compositions for strings were “Aase’s Death,” “Anitra’s 
Dance,” and “Solveig’s Cradle Song” (scored for voice, strings, and harp) from 
Peer Gynt, Op. 23, (1875); also, a short cantata The Mountain Thrall, Op. 32 
(1878) composed for string orchestra, two horns, and baritone. These works 
already manifest orchestration features peculiar to Grieg’s compositions of 
later years. The most significant creations for string orchestra were composed 
between 1878 and approximately 1895.12 Suite From Holberg’s Time, Op. 40 
(1885) is the largest-scale work for the string orchestra of this period and 
Grieg’s legacy in general. Accompaniments for two out of Six Songs with 
Orchestra, EG 177 (1895) are also scored exclusively for strings. The orches-
tral version of “Shepherd’s Boy” (1905) that became the first movement of 
Lyric Suite (four orchestrated movements from Lyric Pieces V, Op. 54, 1891) 
is scored for strings and harp: this is the latest Grieg’s composition for string 
orchestra.
Four two-movement cycles of songs and piano pieces arranged for string 
orchestra (opuses 34, 53, 63, and 68) were created between 1880 and 1898. 
The first cycle, Two Elegiac Melodies, Op. 34 (1880), contains pieces “The 
Wounded Heart” and “Last Spring,” which are the transcriptions of Grieg’s 
songs on poems by Aasmund Vinje. The cycle Two Melodies for String Or-
chestra, Op. 53 (1890), is also based on transcriptions of two songs: the first 
piece called “Norwegian” is an arrangement of a song The Goal (text by Vinje) 
meanwhile the second piece retains the actual name of the song “The First 
Meeting” (text by Bjørnsterne Bjørnson). Cycle Op. 63 (1895), is titled Two 
Nordic Melodies. Its first movement, “In Folk Style,” is a composition based on 
a melody that Grieg received from Swedish-Norwegian ambassador Fredrik 
Due.13 The second movement consists of two pieces: “Cow Call and Peasant 
Dance” is based on Grieg’s piano pieces “Cattle Call” (No. 22) and “Comic 
Dance” (No. 18) from his cycle 25 Norwegian Folk Songs and Dances, Op. 17. 
This cycle could be treated as an original composition but not an arrange-
ment: there is no predecessor (piano piece or song) of the first movement. On 
the other hand, themes of the second movement were significantly elaborated 
and thus became more complex than short pieces on folk tunes from Grieg’s 
early work op. 17. Two Lyric Pieces for piano from album IX Op. 68, “Even-
ing in the Mountains” (its score includes oboe and horn) and “At the Cradle,” 
were orchestrated in 1899.
12 Rytis Urniežius, “The Development and Periods of Edvard Grieg’s Orchestral Style,” Studia UBB 
Musica 2 (2018): 165–186, http://studia.ubbcluj.ro/download/pdf/1190.pdf.
13 Benestad and Halverson, Edvard Grieg: Letters, 643.
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Table 1: Compositions for string orchestra by Edvard Grieg14
Name of the composition Created Orchestrated Instrumentation
Peer Gynt, incidental 
music to Ibsen’s drama, 
Op. 23.
1875 “Aase’s Death” and “Anitra’s Dance” 
are scored for string orchestra, 
“Solveig’s Cradle Song” for strings 
and harp.
The Mountain Thrall, Op. 
32.
1878 Baritone, string orchestra, and two 
horns.
*Two Elegiac Melodies for 
String Orchestra, Op. 34.
1880** String orchestra.
From Holberg’s Time, Op. 
40.
1884 1885 String orchestra.
*Two Melodies for String 
Orchestra, Op. 53.
1890** String orchestra.
Six Songs with Orchestra, 
EG 177.
1894–
1895**
Accompaniments of songs arranged 
for string orchestra (“Solveig’s 
Cradle Song” – from Op. 23, No. 26).
*Two Nordic Melodies, Op. 63. 1895** String orchestra.
*Two Lyric Pieces from 
Lyric Pieces IX, Op. 68.
1898–
1899
1899** String orchestra (the score of the first 
piece “Evening in the Mountains” 
includes oboe and horn).
“Shepherd’s Boy” from 
Lyric Pieces V, Op. 54.
1891 1905 The first movement of the Lyric Suite 
(1904–1905), for strings and harp.
American musicologist Henry Theophilus Finck describes Grieg’s 
compositions for string orchestra as works of exceptional orchestration:
There are several other works in which Grieg has revealed his rare gift for 
refined orchestral colouring. They are Two Elegiac Melodies for String 
Orchestra (“The Wounded Heart” and “Last Spring”), Op. 34; Two 
Melodies for String Orchestra, Op. 53 (versions of his songs “Norwegian” 
and “First Meeting”; and Two Nordic Melodies for string orchestra, Op. 
63 (“Im Volkston” and “Cowkeeper’s Tune and Peasant Dance”). These songs 
have become more widely known in their beautiful orchestral garbs than 
Lieder, yet they ought to be played ten times oftener in concert halls than they 
are. There is more substance and beauty in them than in most symphonies.15
14 The dates in the third column indicate the instances when the original work was initially not com-
posed for orchestra and was orchestrated later. The dates of the works orchestrated immediately 
after the creation of the piano version coincide with the date of their creation (second column). – 
*Cycles analysed in this article are marked with an asterisk. – **Two asterisks mark the date when 
the orchestral cycle was created: the predecessors of these cycles (piano pieces or songs from vari-
ous opuses) were composed earlier in different periods.
15 Henry Theophilus Finck, Edvard Grieg (New York: John Lane Company, 1906), 94–95.
R. Urniežius: Grieg and Violins: An Immersion into the String Orchestra
89
Strangely, Finck did not mention op. 68 that had been already composed 
before he wrote his book about Grieg. Also, it is arguable if the original song 
The First Meeting is now less popular than its orchestral transcription: this 
song is among Grieg’s best-known vocal compositions. But in general, Finck’s 
assertions seem correct even nowadays.
As early as 1888, the anonymous author of The Musical Times specified the 
Elegiac Melodies as an expressive conveyer of the Nordic spirit: “There is in it a 
sombre northern tone, a grave northern utterance which, somehow, appears to 
bring up before us the pineclad hills and deep-shadowed fiords of Norseland.”16 
Obviously, even during Grieg’s lifetime, these compositions attracted not only 
Norwegian but also foreign (English in this particular case) musicologists.
On 17 October 1883, Grieg wrote to Frantz Beyer about the great success 
of “The Wounded Heart” and “Last Spring” in Weimar. According to Grieg, 
Franz List, who attended the concert, expressed strong satisfaction while lis-
tening to the compositions.17 Grieg described the same performance in a letter 
to Johan Christie (28 December 1883) more explicitly and personally:
The first time I conducted this music for a German audience was in Weimar, 
and I do not remember many times in my life when I have been so moved. 
I hardly knew where I was, in the palace theatre in Weimar or out in the 
sombre, brooding Norwegian mountains. The truth is that I was in neither of 
these places but rather on the ethereal wings of harmony in outer space. And 
what a performance! The eyes of the musicians followed my every movement, 
and I saw this strangely supportive cast in their expression that let me know 
what they were thinking and feeling.18
Obviously, Grieg was very fond of these arrangements and willingly 
included them in his concert programmes. In a letter to Finck (17 July 1900) 
Grieg characterised the same Two Elegiac Melodies:
Of the songs I have mentioned, No. 38, “Spring” [Op. 33, No. 2] and No. 39, 
“The Wounded One” [Op. 33, No. 3] have also been published in a version for 
string orchestra under the title Two Elegiac Melodies (Op. 34). In this form 
they have achieved wide popularity outside my homeland. The profound wistful-
ness in these poems is the background of the solemn character of the music, and this 
led me in the arrangements for string orchestra, where the poems are not read-
ily at hand, to clarify their content by giving them more expressive titles: “Last 
Spring” and “The Wounded Heart.”19
16 “Edvard Grieg,” The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular 29, no. 540 (1888): 73–76. https://
www.jstor.org/stable/3359405; https://doi.org/10.2307/3359405.
17 Benestad and Halverson, Edvard Grieg: Letters, 34.
18 Ibid., 194.
19 Ibid., 232.
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Presented comments show that Grieg himself highly estimated his mini-
cycles for strings; other prominent musicians and the audience also were fond 
of them. The advantages of these pieces are grounded in their orchestration 
manner alongside other means of expression.
Features of Texture and Orchestration
Louis Coerne briefly and precisely characterized Grieg’s orchestration: 
“Grieg’s instrumentation is not conspicuously influenced by modern 
tendencies. Though he cannot be ranked as a great orchestrator, his 
writing for strings alone is of surpassing beauty, nor does his deployment 
of larger forces lack novelty and effectiveness.”20 Indeed, Grieg’s music is 
seldom represented in earlier and modern orchestration textbooks. Their 
authors usually took scores of prominent masters of orchestration (Berlioz, 
Wagner, Rimsky-Korsakov, Richard Strauss, Ravel, and others) as examples. 
However, Henry Theophilus Finck indicated that Ebenezer Prout presented 
at least two examples from Grieg’s works in his treatise The Orchestra 
(1899).21 Prout noted two versions of the “Prelude” from Holberg Suite as 
a demonstrative example of idiomatic writing for both piano and string 
orchestra and of accommodation of the texture to the specificity of each 
medium: “a comparison of two versions will show how much alteration may 
sometimes be necessary in orchestral transcription of pianoforte music.”22 
Prout characterized a climax passage from “Aase’s Death” in another chapter: 
“Here we have five-part harmony; and a strange and very unusual effect is 
obtained by the f and ff of the muted strings. The mutes are almost invariably 
employed only for quiet passages. [...] the volume of tone, even with a large 
orchestra, will be very greatly diminished, first by the division of the parts, 
and secondly by the employment of the mutes.”23 “Aase’s Death” is the first 
piece created by Grieg for purely string orchestra however it appears as an 
already mature attempt of writing for strings.
The Mountain Thrall is another Grieg’s early work in which the features of 
his string orchestra manner began to reveal themselves. The division of string 
parts, which later became an indispensable trait of Grieg’s string orchestra 
works, is fully represented. The texture is diverse and freely handled. As Beryl 
Foster noted, “The string writing throughout, as so often with Grieg in this 
medium, is excellent, and the divisi chords […] are particularly effective.”24
20 Louis Adolphe Coerne, The Evolution of Modern Orchestration (New York: The Macmillan Com-
pany, 1908), 180.
21 Finck, Edvard Grieg, 86–87.
22 Ebenezer Prout, The Orchestra (London: Augener, 1903), 2: 254.
23 Ibid., 20–21.
24 Beryl Foster, The Songs of Edvard Grieg (Woodbridge, Suffolk: The Boydell Press, 2007), 120.
R. Urniežius: Grieg and Violins: An Immersion into the String Orchestra
91
Grieg exploits string orchestra in diverse ways. His works reflect most 
achievements of orchestration technique and variety of expression of string 
instruments in the nineteenth century. First of all, the means of creating 
texture are remarkable: all grades of textural richness from the exposition of the 
theme in a single voice to dense combinations of multiple layers can be found 
even within one composition (“In Folk Style,” “Evening in the Mountains”). 
Homophonic texture is certainly predominant in Grieg’s creations,25 but 
in some episodes voices are fairly individual and move by conditionally 
independent lines (Example 1). Changes in the texture are dynamic and 
flexible: episodes of polyphonically combined melodic lines are in many cases 
followed by progressions of chords (“In Folk Style,” successive episodes from 
measure 63). Thus, although the general sounding of Grieg’s string orchestra 
is predominantly homogeneous, the flexible contexture of parts is lively and 
expressive in many places.
Example 1: Edvard Grieg, “In Folk Style” from Two Nordic Melodies, Op. 63, mm. 63–66.
In his scores, Grieg concentrates the melodic voices mostly in one particu-
lar tessitura. The most common conveyers of melody are the first violins: they 
play either in unison or are divided in octaves. In the latter case, the upper voice 
(sometimes the lower as well) of the divided second violins often interferes be-
tween the melody octave, but in all cases, melody in the first violins remains 
concentrated and prominent (Example 2).
25 Fin Benestad and Dag Schjelderup-Ebbe, Edvard Grieg: The Man and the Artist (Lincoln and 
London: University of Nebraska Press, 1988), 401.
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Example 2: Edvard Grieg, “Last Spring” from Two Elegiac Melodies for String Orchestra, 
Op. 34, mm. 43–46.
Melodies in cellos appear much less frequently and are usually not doubled 
in an octave (an exception could be seen in measures 49–52 of “In Folk Style”). 
The usual role of violas and second violins is filling the middle voices (often 
fairly expressive), short episodes of the main melody appear only in “In Folk 
Style.” These middle voices are usually distributed according to tessituras by 
juxtaposing divided second violins parts over divided violas parts. The practice 
of dividing the parts of the second violins to play in octave and interlock with 
violas parts (similarly doubled in octave) is not typical. As a result, middle parts 
are most often placed in similar registers of instruments thus increasing the 
cohesiveness of the texture and homogeneity of the whole.
Grieg was not fond of appointing the main melody to the first violins in 
octave with cellos – an expressive mean well-liked by many other composers 
(e.g., Sibelius). There are only several short passages of such doubling: in “Nor-
wegian,” measures 35–46 and in climax episode of “In Folk Style,” measures 
94–97. The melody of first violins in octave with violas appears only in several 
measures of “Peasant Dance.” But violas, second violins, and cellos are em-
ployed as parallel voices of the violins’ melody at different intervals.
Intense tuttis are often interchanged with transparent sections of divid-
ed violins (rehearsal mark B in “The Last Spring,” central episode of “The 
First Meeting”). “Peasant Dance” contains a short but vigorous violin solo. 
Altogether different, soft, and smooth solos of con sordino violin and violon-
cello succeed one after another in the middle episode of “Norwegian.” Grieg 
R. Urniežius: Grieg and Violins: An Immersion into the String Orchestra
93
efficiently employs the possibilities of the string orchestra: effective crescendos 
from soft pianissimo to powerful fortissimo appear during a short period of 2–3 
measures (e.g., “The Wounded Heart,” mm. 10–12 and 39–41). Sometimes 
crescendo is achieved by crystallization of the texture, adding parts one after 
another in descending order, thus covering lower tessituras step by step from 
violins to double-basses (“Last Spring,” episode from measure 35) or in the op-
posite direction (first measures of “Norwegian,” see Example 3).
Example 3: Edvard Grieg, “Norwegian” from Two Melodies for String Orchestra, Op. 53, 
mm. 1–4. Condensed score.
Means of timbre expression are also diverse. Dark, sombre mood demands 
low strings, e.g., sustained low G of the second violin and low strings of all 
other instruments at the beginning of “The Wounded Heart.” The darker hue 
of the second sentence of the theme is deepened by indicating sul G in meas-
ures 8–11 of “The First Meeting” (also see melody sul G in violas, measures 3–6 
of “In Folk Style”). On the contrary, the subtle soft colouring of “At the Cra-
dle” is enhanced by applying con sordino for instruments playing in middle and 
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higher registers. Eight measures of sul ponticello in the “Last Spring” provide 
the melody with a chilly Nordic hue (mm. 35–42). Sul ponticello tremolo of ac-
companying second violins divided into four parts is equally effective (“Nor-
wegian,” rehearsal mark D, mm. 87–108). Of interest is the fact that although 
Grieg frequently used string tremolo in his symphonic creations, “Norwegian” 
is the only composition among all four mini-cycles (measures 25–28, 30–33 
and 87–108) containing tremolo. It could be explained by the character of the 
piece that it is the most energetic and goal-oriented (remember the title of the 
original song!) of all movements of mini-cycles. Grieg uses tremolo not only in 
forte level: he employs sweeping crescendo and subito piano (slight diminuendo 
is used only once), thus creating effective dynamical waves.
Luxuriant means of expression used in Grieg’s creations for string orches-
tra demanded a large number of players. Bjarte Engeset indicates that Grieg’s 
“string works were conceived for a large group of musicians, around 60, with the 
special fullness, fusion, power and depth of sound this brings.”26 These expecta-
tions are reflected in numerous letters to concert organizers. Before the upcom-
ing performance of Two Elegiac Melodies in Warsaw, Grieg corresponded with 
the director of the Warsaw Philharmonic Alexander Rajchmann to ensure a 
sufficient quantity of strings: 
“their discussion turned to the makeup of the string orchestra for the 22 April 
concert, which according to Rajchmann included fourteen violins I, ten violins 
II, eight violas, seven cellos, and seven contrabasses. Evidently, Grieg preferred a 
different distribution: in his response on 20 March, he added two each addition-
al violins I, violins II, and violas, as well as one each additional cello and bass.” 27 
Grieg understood that dividing of each part into two or even more voices di-
minishes the strength and intensity of each of these voices. Consequently, only a 
large number of performers could ensure sufficient massiveness and expressive-
ness. Obviously, Grieg’s compositions for string orchestra would not have the 
intended impact if played by a “chamber” orchestra.
Division of each part (except double-basses) in two and even more voices 
is an especially characteristic trait of Grieg’s orchestration for strings. Louis 
Coerne wrote that “his writing for strings alone is of surpassing beauty, with 
its multiple division of parts, its polyphonic voice-leading, and its impassioned 
deployment of violas and violoncellos.”28 In the forte episodes, multiple stores 
26 Bjarte Engeset, “Edvard Grieg’s Orchestral Style: Conductor’s Point of View,” Keynote Presenta-
tion at the Grieg Conference in Copenhagen, August 13, 2011, 3, http://griegsociety.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/08/Paper-Bjarte-Engeset-2011.pdf. 
27 Anna E. Kijas, “‘A Suitable Soloist for My Piano Concerto’: Teresa Carreño as a Promoter of Ed-
vard Grieg’s Music,” Notes 70, no. 1 (2013): 57, http://opencommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.
cgi?article=1053&context=libr_pubs.
28 Coerne, The Evolution, 151.
R. Urniežius: Grieg and Violins: An Immersion into the String Orchestra
95
of divisi create a broad multi-layer texture. For example, in measures 59–60 of 
“Norwegian,” the number of simultaneous sounds is thirteen; multiple stops add 
even more density (Example 4). In most scores, each string orchestra section 
(the first and second violins, violas, and cellos) is supplied with two staves from 
the beginning. This fact does not imply that these parts are always divided. 
However, if any of them merges into unison, the notation is not changed to 
one staff. It shows that divisi is an inherent quality of the composer’s concept 
but not a temporary deviation from the usual assignment of parts.
Example 4: Edvard Grieg, “Norwegian” from Two Melodies for String Orchestra, Op. 53, 
mm. 59–60.
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Grieg was concerned about the particularity of the performance. Preparing 
for the concert in Paris in 1903 and being aware that only one rehearsal with 
the orchestra would be available, Grieg wrote to the French conductor Édouard 
Colonne: “I would be very grateful if you would arrange to have my bowings 
marked in the orchestral parts and used in the preliminary rehearsals.”29 
Apparently, Grieg’s experience in writing for strings and his consultations with 
Robert Heckmann while writing String Quartet helped him develop a deep 
understanding of string instruments’ specificity.
Relationship with Original Compositions
String orchestra versions of analysed compositions differ from original piano 
pieces and songs in various aspects. Not only texture and timbre but also har-
mony and form of the pieces are sometimes modified compared to original 
compositions. For example, in measures 19–21 of the “Cattle Call,” the piano 
original (measures 15–17) is reconsidered and diversely elaborated, including 
modification of harmony (see Examples 5a and 5b; measure numbers in these 
two excerpts do not coincide because of the four-measure introduction com-
posed for the string orchestra version).
Example 5a: Edvard Grieg, “Cattle Call,” No. 22 from 25 Norwegian Folk Songs and Dances, 
Op. 17, mm. 15–17.
29 Benestad and Halverson, Edvard Grieg: Letters, 202.
R. Urniežius: Grieg and Violins: An Immersion into the String Orchestra
97
Example 5b: Edvard Grieg, “Cow Call and Peasant Dance” (“Cow Call”) from Two Nordic 
Melodies, Op. 63, mm. 19–21.
In most cases, the form of string orchestra versions is modified. In “The 
Wounded Heart,” there are three differently scored stanzas, while the original 
song contains two stanzas with almost identical material. The single stanza of 
“The First Meeting” is expanded to two differently orchestrated stanzas. Other 
pieces are also expanded and sometimes complemented with additional con-
junctive and conclusive episodes. “Peasant Dance,” “Evening in the Moun-
tains,” and “Norwegian,” in general, correspond to the structure of originals. 
Indicated features of Grieg’s string orchestra arrangements of his piano com-
positions and songs show that these works should be regarded as creative tran-
scriptions but not as merely orchestrations of piano and vocal pieces.
Probable Influences and Relationships
Likely, complex texture, multiple divisi, and some other features of orchestra-
tion in Grieg’s works for strings emerged and developed under Johan Svend-
sen’s influence. Grieg’s constant interest in Svendsen’s music and particularly in 
his orchestration began early and was confirmed more than once. As early as 
1867, in his essay Johan Svendsen’s Concert, Grieg mentioned the performance of 
Steenberg’s Minuet arranged by Svendsen, who “allows the full string orchestra 
to sing out the beautiful, melodic secondary theme.”30 This concert (as well as 
many other occasions to hear and admire Svendsen’s orchestration for strings) 
had a significant impact on Grieg’s manner. Svendsen’s Two Icelandic Melodies 
for string orchestra were composed in 1874, i.e., approximately a year before 
30 Grieg, “Johan Svendsen’s Concert,” 282.
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Grieg finished Peer Gynt.31 It is most likely that he was familiar with these 
pieces and took them as an example of proper string orchestra style. Merging 
compositions for string orchestra into mini-cycles was perhaps also influenced 
by Svendsen’s “pairs” – Two Icelandic Melodies (1874) and Two Swedish Melo-
dies (1876–1878). Of course, Grieg’s mini-cycles could be regarded merely as 
a manifestation of the general Romantic tendency to merge miniatures into 
cycles. Yet, it was difficult to identify any other predecessors of Grieg’s two-
movement opuses except Svendsen’s analogue. Svendsen divided each part of 
string orchestra (except double basses) in the same way Grieg later did in his 
scores. Delicate four-voice texture passages of divided violins typical of Grieg’s 
scores can be found, for instance, in Svendsen’s first Icelandic Melody, the second 
Swedish Melody, and arrangement of The Herdgirl’s Sunday by Ole Bull (1879).32
When comparing Grieg’s “In Folk Style” and the first of Two Icelandic 
Melodies, similar features can be traced (despite a time gap of twenty years that 
separates these cycles). Both pieces are composed in the form of variations on 
a sustained melody. Neither Grieg nor Svendsen modulates the theme: all five 
expositions of Grieg’s melody are in D minor; similarly, Svendsen’s melody is 
constantly in A minor (with a strong flavour of the Phrygian mode). The som-
bre colouring that conforms to the general mood of melodies is created by us-
ing low tessitura and low strings of instruments. Similar traits of Svendsen’s 
Icelandic Melodies and Grieg’s “In Folk Style” allow presupposing the influence 
of the former upon the latter. However, Grieg’s piece is more variably elabo-
rated using polyphony, rhythm, and harmony.
It would be interesting to compare the compositions for string orchestra by 
Grieg with the works for the same medium written by his contemporaries. For 
example, Serenade for Strings, Op. 22 by Antonin Dvořák was composed in 
1875.33 Thus, Grieg could have quite possibly been acquainted with this work be-
fore writing his first mini-cycle op. 34 in 1880. Some similitude between mu-
sic by these two composers can be indicated: both preferred homophonic style 
and both were outstanding creators of expressive melodies. Yet, the manner of 
orchestration does not show any influence. Dvořák’s orchestral polyphony usu-
ally manifests as simultaneous juxtapositions of the melodies or imitative re-
sponses. Grieg usually superimposes the main melody over the accompaniment 
based on reservedly polyphonic (and therefore dynamic) but essentially homo-
phonic voice leading. Dvořák applied multiple divisi mostly in episodes of com-
plex texture (both forte and piano) and climaxes, whereas other episodes contain 
31 However, it is most likely that the effect of forte tutti con sordini (also noted by Prout) was “in-
vented” by Grieg himself.
32 The arrangement of the folk song Last Year I was Tending the Goats (Op. 31, 1874) and also the 
arrangement of Evening Song by Robert Schumann (1892?) are also examples of Svendsen’s or-
chestration for string orchestra.
33 Nocturne Op. 40 for string orchestra was composed in the same year.
R. Urniežius: Grieg and Violins: An Immersion into the String Orchestra
99
many succeeding measures of transparent texture spread out in the usual five-
stave score. This is especially typical of the fast tempo episodes. Grieg, in turn, 
used multi-layers even in his pieces of lively character (“Norwegian,” “Peasant 
Dance”). Finally, Dvořák usually did not appoint separate staves for divided parts 
at the beginning of the composition, while this was customary for Grieg. Grieg 
thus preferred dense sounding versus light. Apparently, serenades and other 
string orchestra works by Dvořák (as well as by Tchaikovsky, Elgar, and Rei-
necke) could be performed by smaller orchestras than Grieg’s compositions.
Tracing how Grieg’s string orchestra treatment influenced contemporaries 
and successors is problematic. The scoring technique for string orchestra and 
the string section of a symphony orchestra eminently developed at the end of 
the nineteenth century – orchestration of other composers of that time (es-
pecially those considered virtuosos of orchestration) was more noticeable and 
influential than Grieg’s.
Conclusion
Grieg’s special talent was such that it was precisely in small piano pieces, 
songs and short orchestral works – preferably with some connection to folk-
music idioms – that he himself experienced the greatest satisfaction. The 
simple and concise – which nonetheless allow room for formal nuances of a 
most delicate kind – are embodied in these genres, and with such works he 
aroused a powerful response in his listeners.34
Works by Grieg composed for piano and later arranged for symphony 
orchestra are predominantly compositions of a larger scale (e.g. Old Norwegian 
Melody with Variations, Op. 51). Works for the theatre stage (Peer Gynt, Olav 
Trygvason) or related to it (Bergliot, Op. 42) were initially composed for piano 
but conceived as compositions for symphony orchestra: they would have 
sooner or later become orchestral. Meanwhile, small-scale piano compositions 
and songs, which Grieg decided to convert into orchestral pieces, are scored 
for string orchestra. The exception is Lyric Suite, yet three out of its four 
small-scale movements are re-orchestrated versions of earlier created Anton 
Seidl’s scores.35 The fourth movement – “Shepherd’s Boy” – was orchestrated 
34 Benestad and Schjelderup-Ebbe, Edvard Grieg: The Man, 396.
35 The Austro-Hungarian conductor Anton Seidl (1850–1898) worked as Richard Wagner‘s copyist in 
Bayreuth and conducted at several European opera theatres. Since 1885 Seidl became a conductor of 
the German opera company in New York and later at the New York Philharmonic. Approximately in 
1895, Seidl created orchestral versions of four movements from Grieg‘s Lyric Pieces V, Op. 54. This cy-
cle was called Norwegian Suite. In 1904–1905 Grieg reconstructed the cycle naming it Lyric Suite. For 
more data see Rytis Urniežius, “Two Orchestral Embodiments of Three Pieces from Op. 54 by Edvard 
Grieg,” Muzikološki zbornik 56, no. 1 (2020): 101–132, https://doi.org/10.4312/mz.56.1.101-132.
muzikološki zbornik • musicological annual lvii/ii
100
only by Grieg; Seidl’s version of this piece does not exist, which is why it 
is not surprising that it was orchestrated only for strings and harp. Here 
Grieg remained faithful to his principles: to orchestrate miniatures for string 
orchestra. For Grieg, the string orchestra (sometimes supported by oboe, horn, 
or harp) was the most suitable medium for small-scale pieces, personal, lyrical 
landscapes. Yet, the question of why Grieg chose these particular piano pieces 
and songs to orchestrate for string orchestra is intriguing but difficult to answer.
Paradoxically, Grieg envisioned these small compositions to be performed 
by a large string orchestra. Only a medium that is of considerable size and con-
tains a large number of performers would ensure a sufficiently powerful sound 
to convey the expression of Grieg’s creations. Thus, Grieg’s works for string or-
chestra are designed rather for a string section of a large symphony orchestra 
than for a chamber string group. In other words, these pieces could be treated as 
compositions for symphony orchestra, excluding the wind instruments.36
Modifications and complements of music material Grieg made while ar-
ranging songs and piano pieces for string orchestra do not expand these pieces 
to the category of large form compositions. Presumably, these complements 
were necessary to make original short piano pieces weightier and proportion-
ate for performances by a large string orchestra. For example, “Cow Call and 
Peasant Dance” is a kind of “mini-cycle inside mini-cycle”: merging these two 
melodies allowed displaying folk tunes of different moods inside one composi-
tion that is more voluminous than each of these melodies taken separately. The 
renewed and complemented structure of Grieg’s string orchestra arrangements 
endorses the viewpoint that these works should be regarded as creative tran-
scriptions, not merely as orchestrations of piano and vocal pieces.
Grieg’s string orchestra compositions are deeply profound in many senses. 
They contain broad, lush textures and multi-voice layers. The episodes of mod-
erate polyphony serve as a complement to a generally homophonic entirety. 
These compositions, of course, cause a significant emotional effect. It seems 
that Grieg treated string orchestra as a kind of peculiar piano with expanded 
technical abilities. It is generally monochrome but embraces a wide range of 
subtle timbre nuances. It can produce continuous sound, increase it in crescen-
do and expand the texture far beyond the capabilities of a pianist’s ten fingers, 
thus filling all tessituras with the necessary quantity of voices. Idiomatic writ-
ing for strings and attention to their technical details reveal a deep absorp-
tion into the peculiarity of the medium. Grieg’s mastery in writing for strings 
developed as years passed and ultimately manifested itself as fully mature and 
impressive art.
36 It can be assumed that Grieg’s most significant work for strings, suite From Holberg’s Time, also 
demands a similar type of string orchestra. Therefore a common practice of performing this work 
by chamber string orchestras seems disputable.
R. Urniežius: Grieg and Violins: An Immersion into the String Orchestra
101
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Artist. Lincoln and London: University of Nebraska Press, 1988.
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Colleagues and Friends. Columbus, Ohio: Peer Gynt Press, 2000.
Coerne, Louis Adolphe. The Evolution of Modern Orchestration. New York: The 
Macmillan Company, 1908.
“Edvard Grieg.” The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular 29, no. 540 
(1888): 73–76. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3359405.
Engeset, Bjarte. “Edvard Grieg’s Orchestral Style: Conductor’s Point of View.” 
Keynote Presentation at the Grieg Conference in Copenhagen, August 13, 
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Engeset-2011.pdf.
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Head; New York: John Lane Company, 1906.
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Press, 2007.
Grieg, Edvard. “Johan Svensen’s Concert.” In Edvard Grieg: Diaries, Articles, 
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Grieg: Diaries, Articles, Speeches, edited by Finn Benestad and William H. 
Halverson, 290–320. Columbus: Peer Gynt Press, 2001.
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context=libr_pubs.
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Letters 49, no. 1 (1968): 21–28.
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download/pdf/1190.pdf.
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POVZETEK
Grieg in violine: poglobitev v godalni orkester
Violina je bila najljubši orkestralni inštrument Edvarda Griega. Vse svoje ustvarjalno življenje 
si je po svojih najboljših močeh prizadeval kar se da dovršeno skladati za violino. Naklonjen 
je bil tudi drugim inštrumentom iz družine godal. Njegovo ustvarjalnost so seveda spodbujale 
tudi godalne sekcije simfoničnih orkestrov in godalni orkestri kot samostojni medij.
Članek želi opredeliti Griegove dvostavčne cikluse miniatur za godalni orkester, s poudar-
kom na značilnostih njihove orkestracije. Te kompozicije sicer ne spadajo med skladateljeva 
najbolj priljubljena dela, kljub temu pa velja omeniti njihova raznolika in učinkovita izrazna 
sredstva, izvirnost in umetniško vrednost. Griegovi ciklusi za godalni orkester odražajo 
dosežke orkestracije v 19. stoletju; po drugi strani pa ponazarjajo posebnosti Griegovega 
glasbenega jezika.
Analiza je pokazala, da teh ciklusov ne bi smeli obravnavati zgolj kot priredb Griegovih 
klavirskih del in skladb, temveč kot izvirne in ustvarjalne orkestralne kompozicije, pri katerih 
skladatelj učinkovito izkorišča možnosti, ki jih ponujajo godala. Umetniška izrazna sredstva 
v teh delih so raznolika. Partiture vsebujejo obširne in razkošne teksture ter večplastne gla-
sove. Zmerna polifonija služi kot obogatitev sicer homofone celote. Sredstva za ustvarjanje 
teksture so izjemna: v eni sami kompoziciji lahko najdemo vse stopnje teksturne bogatosti, 
od enoglasne ekspozicije teme do zgoščenih kombinacij mnogih plasti. Grieg na genialen 
način izkorišča registre inštrumentov in specifičnost njihovih zvočnih barv. In, seveda, ta dela 
sprožijo močne čustvene odzive.
Grieg si je zamislil, da bi te skladbe izvajali veliki godalni orkestri. Le zasedba z mnogimi 
nastopajočimi bi zagotovila takšno jakost zvoka, da bi lahko prenesla izraznost Griegovih 
stvaritev. Grieg je svoja dela zasnoval za godalni orkester, ne pa zgolj za sekcije velikih sim-
foničnih orkestrov ali manjše zasedbe. Griegovo mojstrstvo v skladanju za godala se je skozi 
leta razvijalo in kulminiralo v idiomatskem pisanju za godala, prav tako pa se je izmojstril 
v tehničnih podrobnostih, kar kaže na skladateljevo razumevanje specifičnosti godalnih 
inštrumentov.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
RYTIS URNIEŽIUS (rytis.urniezius@sa.vu.lt) studied wind band conducting at the 
Klaipėda Faculties of Lithuanian Conservatoire (now Lithuanian Academy of Music and 
Theatre). In 1993, he gained a doctoral degree in Musicology at this institution. He was a 
lecturer at the Music Academy of the Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas and is cur-
rently a professor at the Vilnius University Šiauliai Academy, Institute of Education. He was 
founder of the peer-reviewed scholarly journal The Spaces of Creation and was until 2016 also 
its editor-in-chief. Urniežius is also a member of the International Society of Research and 
Promotion of Wind Music (IGEB). His research interests are focused on wind band music, 
instrumentation, orchestration, and music history.
R. Urniežius: Grieg and Violins: An Immersion into the String Orchestra
103
O AVTORJU
RYTIS URNIEŽIUS (rytis.urniezius@sa.vu.lt) je na fakulteti Litvanskega konservatorija 
v Klaipėdi (sedaj Litvanska akademija za glasbo in gledališče) študiral dirigiranje. Leta 1993 
je prav tam doktoriral iz muzikologije. Med letoma 2012 in 2018 je poučeval na Akademiji 
za glasbo Univerze Vytautasa Magnusa v Kaunasu, trenutno pa je profesor na Pedagoškem 
inštitutu Akademije v Šiauliaiju, Univerza v Vilni. Je ustanovitelj znanstvene revije The Spa-
ces of Creation Univerze v Vilni, bil pa je tudi njen glavni urednik (2004–2016). Je tudi član 
Mednarodnega društva za raziskovanje in promocijo godbeništva (IGEB). Njegova interesna 
področja zajemajo glasbo za pihalne orkestre, inštrumentacijo, orkestracijo in zgodovino glasbe.