Grieg in Denmark - Festival Concert at Holmens Church

Edvard Grieg spent nearly ten years of his life in Denmark, and Copenhagen proved decisive for his artistic development. Here he met Rikard Nordraak, who inspired him to find his own musical voice rooted in Norwegian culture and folk music. It was also in Copenhagen that his famous Piano Concerto in A minor premiered in 1869, performed by pianist Edmund Neupert. In the summer of 1868, the 25-year-old Grieg stayed in Søllerød north of Copenhagen, where he found the peace to complete the piano concerto - a work that today ranks among the most performed piano concertos in the world.

This festival concert at Holmens Church concludes the Danish-Norwegian cultural project Grieg in Søllerød and celebrates the close historical and cultural ties between Norway and Denmark. Through brief narratives, the audience is guided through the story of Grieg's years in Denmark and the significance of his stay for his artistic development. An intimate evening of beautiful music, featuring Grieg's immortal piano concerto in a chamber music version alongside the Holberg Suite and works by Tchaikovsky and young Danish composer Veronika Voetmann.

Program: Pyotr Tchaikovsky: Andante cantabile for cello and strings; Veronika Voetmann: A Distant Mirror for solo piano; Edvard Grieg: From Holberg's Time - Suite in Old Style for strings; Edvard Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor - chamber version for piano and string ensemble.

Performers: Pål Eide, piano; Tobias van der Pals, cello and artistic director; Grieg Strings. The concert is arranged by Musica Polaris in collaboration with the Norwegian Embassy.