Composer

:

Edvard Grieg

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Romance

Compose Date

:

1864 - 1868

Publication Date

:

1868

Average_duration

:

3:24

"A Mother's Grief, Op. 15/4" is a piano piece composed by Edvard Grieg in 1866. It is part of his Lyric Pieces, a collection of short piano pieces that showcase Grieg's talent for creating evocative and expressive music. The piece is in the key of E minor and is marked "Andante doloroso" (slow and mournful). It is a deeply emotional work that captures the intense grief of a mother who has lost her child. The opening melody is simple and haunting, with a descending line that conveys a sense of sadness and despair. The piece is divided into three distinct sections. The first section is marked by the mournful melody and a simple accompaniment that emphasizes the sense of loss and emptiness. The second section is more agitated, with a faster tempo and more complex harmonies that suggest the mother's inner turmoil and anguish. The final section returns to the opening melody, but with a sense of resignation and acceptance. Throughout the piece, Grieg uses a variety of techniques to create a sense of emotional depth and intensity. He employs chromaticism to create a sense of tension and dissonance, and he uses dynamic contrasts to emphasize the shifts in mood and emotion. The piece is also notable for its use of pedal, which creates a sense of resonance and sustain that adds to the overall emotional impact. "A Mother's Grief, Op. 15/4" premiered in 1867, and it quickly became one of Grieg's most popular works. It has been performed and recorded by countless pianists over the years, and it remains a powerful and moving tribute to the universal experience of loss and grief.

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