Grieg's NOTTURNO Op. 54 no. 4 - Analysis

In this close look at Grieg's Notturno from Lyric pieces book 5, we explore some of the typcial romantic harmonic tropes, put to effective use by Grieg. Half-diminished chords, extensions and tritone shifts among others. Henrik Kilhamn plays and explains along the way.
0:00 About
2:13 Analysis
8:39 Middle section
12:50 Return
(No performance in this video)
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Edvard Grieg: No. "Notturno" from Lyric pieces Op. 54 (1891)
📄 Score: Peters edition, ca 1891, editor: Adolf Ruthardt, imslp.org
Emoji artwork provided by JoyPixels, joypixels.com

[@brendanward2991]

The nocturne always seems to bring out the best in composers.

[@SonataSecrets]

Indeed!

[@PianoDawg1620]

I've played this before and it's the most marvelous thing ever. Good to see someone appreciates Grieg.

[@benrolfe8490]

Playing this piece was the highlight of my college piano lessons. I wasn’t a piano major by any means, but I had enough skill to get here and it is just… so rewarding, musically, harmonically, it’s wonderful.

[@MrMoman7]

I played the piano for ~17 years but always with very shallow theoretical knowledge.
Only through listening, rhythm and emotion (not being able to think about the pieces in technical terms keeps some sort of magic, at least)
Learning new complex works is so inefficient without any theoretical comprehension.. but your explanations really helped me get into music theory!
Thank you so much for sharing Henrik!
While I'm at it: your whole way of communicating is very pleasant and enjoyable I'd may say. You are a great teacher, very sympathetic.. and your enthusiasm really comes through.
Okokok enough with the flattery and thanks again!

[@SonataSecrets]

Flattery appreciated :) I'm happy to see the channel grow.

[@isaacgreenwood4230]

This was such a great analysis, and I can't believe you remembered my request I really appreciate it. Although I finished this piece almost a year ago I still play it every so often, I'll probably bring it back to a higher standard though because I love it so much.

[@diogoxavier7675]

I requested it too

[@SonataSecrets]

I try to go through requests of well known pieces, it's just long planning times for scheduling...

[@MarianoStatelloPiano]

Thank you so much! amazing channel!

[@keithbetts3648]

Really insightful analysis. It’s so hard to commit this piece to memory without an understanding of how the harmony works.

[@911aDay]

Thank you so much for this!

[@nomsodka]

this helps a lot, thank you for your video again! i’m sad your channel is so underrated

[@masamune81]

The first variation of the motive is also the begining of the piano concerto, same notes. That's why it sounds so much like Grieg.
Thank you for your videos, very interesting thoughts

[@SonataSecrets]

That's how I recognise it!! I haven't played the piano concerto so I didn't make the connection (it's also more firmly in minor in the concerto). Thanks for the comment!

[@n.s.3410]

I love this video!

[@danf8172]

Such a beautiful piece. I was trying to analyze it myself but was getting stuck, thank you for the illuminating analysis!!

[@randyedward1]

Wow, your piano sounds GOOD! And, of course, your beautiful playing...

[@SonataSecrets]

Thanks! Yeah, I tried to mix in a little bit more room sound in this one, might actually have helped with over-all piano sound...

[@randyedward1]

@@SonataSecrets Must be the secret!😉

[@aliediskasoglu7998]

Great video!

[@musicalintentions]

I love your video, and I love this piece.

[@caterscarrots3407]

One of my favorites by Grieg. He makes it sound like it is still in C major despite the chromaticism. At least to my ears it is all chromatic harmony in C major and not really modulations. I can't do that. When I use any bit of chromaticism in C major, I get the urge to modulate at the exact point where I am out of the C major scale. And different notes urge me to modulate to different keys, like this:
C#: D major, B minor, Db major, Bb minor
Eb: Eb major, C minor, Bb major, E major
F#: G major, D major, E minor, F# major, Gb major, Eb minor
Ab: A minor, A major, Ab major, Ab minor, F# minor, F minor
Bb: F major, D minor, Bb major, G minor, B major
That's including the enharmonic pitches of Db, D#, Gb, G#, and A#

[@StyzeSoulmaker]

The "quicksand" harmony part is related to the chromatic line in the opening theme

[@ThomasSyre65]

More Grieg pls

[@margarethansen7480]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@gerbs139]

I hear (and try to bring out in playing) the final chords not merely as the C-G6-C progression but as one last chromatic melodic line C-B-C.

[@caseym8385]

It is Grieg at his most Scriabin-esque!

[@ericthecuberspeedcuber]

Can you do Mozart k545 mvt 2 and 3?