In the 1800’s there was a large movement in music called “Nationalism”. Before this time, most music fell into two styles - Italian or German. Nationalist composers wanted to create styles that were unique to other countries in Europe. One of the ways they did this by using melodies from the folk music of their particular country. The great Nationalist composer of Norway was Edvard Grieg.   

 

These days Grieg is famous for only two pieces: his Piano Concerto in A, which is one of the most popular pieces for pianists to play with an orchestra, and the music he wrote to accompany the play Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen, Norway’s most famous playwright.