Episode Details

Edvard Grieg's Piano Concerto in A Minor is one of the most beloved pieces in classical music. Grieg himself grew to despise it, calling it dated and wishing he could rewrite it from scratch. The tension between public adoration and private dissatisfaction defined his entire career.

This episode follows Grieg from his childhood in Bergen through his studies in Leipzig, his mission to create a distinctly Norwegian musical identity, and his struggles with chronic illness.

• He openly expressed hatred for his own Piano Concerto despite its enormous popularity
• He drew heavily on Norwegian folk music to create a national musical identity
• He suffered from a collapsed left lung since childhood and battled respiratory illness his entire life
• Peer Gynt, composed as incidental music, became far more famous than the play itself