Sigurd Jorsalfar (Grieg)
Encyclopedia
Sigurd Jorsalfar is an orchestral suite by Edvard Grieg
, celebrating King Sigurd I of Norway
compiled in 1872 from incidental music
to a play by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
; it was revised by the composer in 1892. The incidental music was first performed in Christiania
on 10 April 1872. The suite was premiered in Oslo on 5 November 1892.
The suite is in nine parts, three of which (the only which are completely instrumental) are more widely known than the remainder. The first of these, titled "In the King's Hall", is a prelude in ternary form which opens with a bassoon
and clarinet
theme played against plucked strings. The musical material of the exterior sections comes from the trio of a gavotte
for piano that Grieg composed in 1867 and left unpublished.
The second, "Borghild's Dream", is an intermezzo
contrasting a sensitive string melody with an agitated section. The third, "Homage March", opens with trumpet
fanfare
s before presenting its main subject, a martial theme, on four cello
s. The middle part, again a trio, is dominated by a melody for the first violin
s; the work ends with a recapitulation of the movement's first section.
Full list:
Edvard Grieg
Edvard Hagerup Grieg was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is best known for his Piano Concerto in A minor, for his incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt , and for his collection of piano miniatures Lyric Pieces.-Biography:Edvard Hagerup Grieg was born in...
, celebrating King Sigurd I of Norway
Sigurd I of Norway
Sigurd I Magnusson , also known as Sigurd the Crusader , was King of Norway from 1103 to 1130. His rule, together with his brother Eystein I of Norway , has been regarded by historians as a golden age for the medieval Kingdom of Norway...
compiled in 1872 from incidental music
Incidental music
Incidental music is music in a play, television program, radio program, video game, film or some other form not primarily musical. The term is less frequently applied to film music, with such music being referred to instead as the "film score" or "soundtrack"....
to a play by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson was a Norwegian writer and the 1903 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. Bjørnson is considered as one of The Four Greats Norwegian writers; the others being Henrik Ibsen, Jonas Lie, and Alexander Kielland...
; it was revised by the composer in 1892. The incidental music was first performed in Christiania
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
on 10 April 1872. The suite was premiered in Oslo on 5 November 1892.
The suite is in nine parts, three of which (the only which are completely instrumental) are more widely known than the remainder. The first of these, titled "In the King's Hall", is a prelude in ternary form which opens with a bassoon
Bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
and clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
theme played against plucked strings. The musical material of the exterior sections comes from the trio of a gavotte
Gavotte
The gavotte originated as a French folk dance, taking its name from the Gavot people of the Pays de Gap region of Dauphiné, where the dance originated. It is notated in 4/4 or 2/2 time and is of moderate tempo...
for piano that Grieg composed in 1867 and left unpublished.
The second, "Borghild's Dream", is an intermezzo
Intermezzo
In music, an intermezzo , in the most general sense, is a composition which fits between other musical or dramatic entities, such as acts of a play or movements of a larger musical work...
contrasting a sensitive string melody with an agitated section. The third, "Homage March", opens with trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
fanfare
Fanfare
A Fanfare is a relatively short piece of music that is typically played by trumpets and other brass instruments often accompanied by percussion...
s before presenting its main subject, a martial theme, on four cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
s. The middle part, again a trio, is dominated by a melody for the first violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
s; the work ends with a recapitulation of the movement's first section.
Full list:
- Fanfare of Horns
- Prelude to act 1
- Borghild's Dream
- The Matching Game
- Northern Folk
- Homage March
- Interlude 1
- Interlude 2
- The Kings' Song