Grieg Sigurd Jorsalfar op56 Sheet Music Program Notes and recordings

Music for a Crusader King

The collaboration between Edvard Grieg and the writer Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson was a partnership of two of Norway’s greatest cultural titans. Both were central figures in the national romantic movement, a powerful artistic and political effort to establish a Norwegian cultural identity independent from centuries of Danish and Swedish influence. Bjørnson, who would later win the Nobel Prize in Literature, wrote the poem that became Norway's national anthem, which Grieg set to music. Their 1872 collaboration on the play Sigurd Jorsalfar was a major national event. The play celebrated the historical saga of King Sigurd I, a 12th-century monarch who led the first European crusade to the Holy Land. While Grieg's collaboration with Henrik Ibsen on Peer Gynt explored the surreal and satirical side of the Norwegian character, his work with Bjørnson was a sincere and heroic celebration of the nation’s noble, saga-like past.

A Saga of Two Brothers The Story of the Play

Bjørnson's play is based on the Norse sagas. It tells the story of two brothers, Sigurd and Eystein, who co-rule Norway. Sigurd is the heroic man of action, the crusader who has traveled the world. Eystein is the wise ruler who has stayed home, building the nation's culture and prosperity. The drama centers on the conflict that arises between the two brothers upon Sigurd’s return, a conflict exacerbated by the scheming of their court. Grieg’s music, while not telling a literal story in the suite, brilliantly captures the epic and ceremonial atmosphere of this medieval royal court.

Movement I: Prelude (In the King's Hall) A Royal Court

This movement, which serves as the prelude to Act II of the play, is a stately and powerful piece that immediately evokes the atmosphere of a great medieval hall. It is not a conventional overture, but rather a grand, ceremonial introduction. The music is built on two main ideas. The first is a powerful, rugged theme announced by the strings and woodwinds, full of a stern, almost severe Nordic character. This is answered by a noble, fanfare-like theme in the brass. Grieg's use of stark, open harmonies and powerful, block-like orchestration gives the music a feeling of ancient grandeur. It is the sound of a royal court, full of pomp, ceremony, and the weight of history.

Movement II: Intermezzo (Borghild's Dream) A Moment of Introspection

The second movement provides a complete contrast in mood and scale. It is an intimate and ethereal piece of psychological music. In the play, it accompanies a dream sequence for the character Borghild, who is in love with a man who has been placed in a position of conflict between the two royal brothers. Her dream is a troubled one, and Grieg’s music captures this perfectly. A beautiful, sad, and folk-like melody is introduced by a solo oboe over a shimmering, almost ghostly accompaniment of muted, divided strings. The atmosphere is one of delicate fragility and deep melancholy. It is a moment of private feeling and introspection, a poignant human drama set against the epic backdrop of the saga.

Movement III: Homage March (Hyldningsmarsj) A Grand Procession

The final movement is the most famous part of the suite and a masterpiece in its own right. The "Homage March" is a grand and glorious processional, one of the finest ceremonial marches ever written. It is cast in a traditional A-B-A form. The main "A" section is a powerful and majestic march, led by the brilliant fanfares of the trumpets and horns. Its rhythm is strong and steady, a perfect accompaniment for a royal procession. The central "B" section, or trio, provides a wonderful contrast. The mood becomes more lyrical and gentle, as the strings introduce a broad, folk-like melody of great warmth and nobility. This beautiful tune is a classic example of Grieg’s gift for heartfelt lyricism. The march then returns, even grander than before, with a more brilliant orchestration featuring thrilling woodwind flourishes. A powerful coda, based on the trio's noble melody, brings the suite to a magnificent and triumphant conclusion. The "Homage March" has become a standalone classic in Norway, often used for state occasions and academic processions.