Edvard Grieg

Funeral Music

The funeral music from the melodrama Bergliot consists of two orchestral fragments illustrating dramatical events happening in the melodrama. The monologue is recited by Bergliot, the wife of Einar Tambarskjelve, leader of the Norwegian farmers. The latter goes to King Harald's castle in order to request political rights for the farmers yet he is trapped by the king who cowardly kills both Einar and his son. Bergliot's monologue, relating these tragic events, is a mixture of anger, revolt and resignation. Funeral Music takes the main themes for Einar and his son creating a dramatic work here arranged by Johan de Meij. On the centenary of Grieg's death this would be a greataddition to any performance.