Visiting the home and studio of Edvard Grieg, as with any composer or artist, was a real treat. Henry and I both enjoy being in the environment of creativity, especially where music is concerned. Our first glimpse of the area was the tree-lined road we walked along as an approach to the Edvard Grieg Museum. It was in the auditorium of this contemporary, sod-roofed structure that we listened to an early morning concert of Grieg’s lyrical pieces, played by a pianist in formal Norwegian costume. Edvard Grieg’s compositions, including Hall of the Mountain King, Anitra’s Dance, and Dance of the Trolls, all revealed the beauty and magic of the Norwegian landscape that surrounded his house and studio where he worked. The house was built by Edvard and Nina Grieg in 1885, designed by his cousin Schak Bull. Troldhaugen, named after what  the area was called by local children, “Valley of the Trolls”, was the home of Edvard Grieg from April, 1885 until his death in 1907. Nina, a Danish-Norwegian lyric soprano married her first cousin, Edvard Grieg on June 11, 1867 in Copenhagen. The two performed concerts together in Europe, usually to rave reviews. Edvard considered her the best performer of his songs. After Grieg died, his wife moved to Denmark where she lived until her death  in 1935. Both their ashes rest inside a mountain tomb near the house. Troldhaugen, with its surroundings, is now a museum dedicated to the memory of Edvard Grieg. In 1995, a museum building was added, with a permanent exhibition of Edvard Grieg’s life and music, as well as photographs of the couple and their life together. In the villa’s living room, Victorian in architecture, stands Grieg’s Steinway grand piano, given to him as a silver wedding anniversary present in 1892. The instrument is now used for private concerts, special occasions, and intimate concerts held in connection with the Bergen International Festival.

PHOTOS: Left Column: 1.View of the Concert/Recital Hall at Troldhaugen. 2. Norwegian pianist wearing traditional Norwegian dress, performing Grieg lyrical pieces including: Hall of the Mountain King, Anitra’s Dance, Dance of the Trolls, plus his famous piano concerto for our tour group.  3. Portrait of Edvard Grieg in pencil and conté crayon. This framed portrait hangs in the wings onstage at the the concert hall. 4. View of Edvard Grieg’s studio where he composed music in the idyllic setting of nature. 5. The keyboard of Grieg’s piano in the living room of his house. 6. Grieg’s piano and his  Norwegian country styled bench. A photo of his wife stands on the piano, while portraits of each of these two concert musicians fill the walls of the room.  Center, Top: Edvard Grieg’s house. Center, Middle: Henry standing beside a life sized bronze sculpture of the diminutive Edvard Grieg. Center, Bottom: View from the top of the hill overlooking the modern Concert Hall and Museum buildings, each with a traditional Norwegian sod roof. Right Column: 1. Pink delphinium in the foreground of the property’s landscaped garden that overlooks the lake. 2. Desk and chair in Grieg’s studio where he composed his music. 3. Moss covered trees form an allée along the road to the house and museum at Troldhaugen.

Photo Credit: Left Column #3: courtesy of Henry Steinway Ziegler.

JOURDAN ARPELLE-ZIEGLER                                        BACK TO MAP  PAGE