Folklore, love of nature and nationalism embody the music of Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg. He’s esteemed as the country’s most famous composer and his pieces will be performed tonight at the Snow Recital Hall by adjunct piano faculty member Marsha Bjornn.
Starting at 7:30, audience members will hear Grieg’s music which is based on Norwegian folk songs and dances. He is one of Bjornn’s favorite composers and she will explain the history and significance of the pieces as well as insights into how Grieg wrote his music. She hopes the audience will connect to the pieces and their unique styles.
“I hope they feel the love of the nature for the country and the style. I hope they can sense that it's a little bit different and Grieg’s love for that,” Bjornn said.
Bjornn started performing piano concerts over 30 years ago. She performs every two years on the piano and organ. The Experience Norway project has offered her the opportunity to connect with her ancestry as well as the country.
“I just thought I'd really want to know more about this composer because I really liked him and because really a lot of it was because of the Norwegian ancestry,” Bjornn said. “And I did find out a lot about the country of Norway. My husband's ancestry is Norwegian, and mine combines in that a little bit. I've been to Grieg’s home, and it's just a beautiful country.”
Bjornn encourages audience members to discover more about their ancestry from watching the concert.
“I hope they go away with an interest in the country of Norway, and especially if they have any Scandinavian ancestry,” Bjornn said. “Maybe they'll want to look into it a little bit more and see where their ancestors are from, even if they're not from Norway, just to look and see where their own lineage comes from.”
The free concert will also be available as a live stream. For more information, visit byui.edu/music.