Program Notes (Cont'd): Movement 1: Ungersvennen - "The Swain" This movement is based on No. 2 from Grieg's Op. 17 A Swain is a childhood friend or young lover. In this movement, you can hear a certain yearning in Grieg's flowing melody, and my dark and moody orchestration. It begins with strings and slowly adds woodwinds and brass in an orchestrated crescendo, until the music begins to diminish again and the movement concludes with a brief viola solo. Movement 2: Springdans - "Spring Dance" This movement is based on No. 3 from Grieg's Op. 17 This one is more self explanatory, it's a Norwegian couples dance most commonly practiced in the spring! The movement begins with the main theme played on a solo oboe, with a harp accompanying. The two main melodies are traded between all the sections of the orchestra. Something I tried to do with this movement is to have very stark and sudden changes between softer sections, and louder boisterous sections. I feel that it helps drive the energy for the piece! At the very end of the movement, the horns sustain the final chord while everybody else cuts out, and a cadence plays into the third movement. Movement 3: Når mitt øye - "Religious Song" This movement is based on No. 9 from Grieg's Op. 17 Being a Religious song, I wanted to use delicate chorale textures in the strings and brass to sound like a soft organ playing a hymn. The movement opens with a lush string chorale. The chorale then goes to a Horn soli section, with low stings on pedal notes. The movement ends with a sustained woodwind chord, very much resembling an organ, and the strings join the chord to add depth to it. Cellos and Basses hold the low G over into the next movement, where they then crescendo to start the fourth movement. Movement 4: Kjempevise - "Heroic Ballad" This movement is based on No. 11 from Grieg's Op. 17 This movement was one of my favorites to orchestrate. It begins with a majestic fanfare but then leads into a sweeter melody, punctuated by sforzati bass tremolos (a recurring mark in this movement). In this movement, I play a lot with countermelodies, more subtle texture changes, and the use of percussion. The movement ends with the glorious plagal cadence that has already been heard many times in the movement. Movement 5: Eg veit ei lita jente - "I Know a Little Maiden" This movement is based on No. 16 from Grieg's Op. 17 Though this movement is very centralized on brass, solo flute and clarinet play the opening figure of this movement, immediately after the final chord of the previous movement ends. This movement is a very stark contrast from the previous one. Something about this melody is so dreadfully sad to me. After the solo woodwind intro, The first brass chorale plays. The main melody, on a high solo Horn. The chords underneath are played by three trombones. at the end of the phrase, the strings take over with the same melody, but different chords underneath. When the strings finish the phrase, the brass take it back and revisit the chorale from the beginning. This time, with two horns and tuba on the chords, and an incredibly lyrical trombone solo carrying the melody. The movement ends with the solo trombone holding the final note as the harp plays the final cadence. Movement 6: Kleggen og fluga - "the Gadfly and the Fly" This movement is based on No. 17 from Grieg's Op. 17 This movement focuses a lot on soloists. It opens with solo flute and clarinet (keeping with that theme from the previous movement), but a violin solo quickly takes over, accompanied by a harp. Two horns play a brief horn call before the melody then trades off to a solo flute. The strings end the movement with dark, textured chords. the strings then play pizzicato chords to end the movement. The pizzicato transitions nicely into the baseline of the next movement. Movement 7: Hølje Dale This movement is based on No. 19 from Grieg's Op. 17 I was not able to find an accurate translation on this movement, but I have asked around, and will update as soon as I can! Pizzicato strings carry over from the previous movement to accompany a solo bassoon with the main theme of this movement. A brief brass chorale plays, then the woodwinds take over the accompanying figure and a solo cello plays the melody. The movement ends with a descending chromatic bassline with a solo violin playing the melody one last time. the double basses hold on to the final A, and carry it over to begin the final movement. Movement 8: Finale, Halling This movement is based on No. 20 from Grieg's Op. 17 A Halling is probably the most famous traditional Norwegian dance. the movement opens with scurrying violas, and an exciting ostinato played by the timpani. Cellos and Basses introduce the bassline, and violins take over with the melody. This movement is all about excitement and forward motion. Various soloists play the quieter B theme, most notably the oboe, but the flute and clarinet also play the B theme as a solo at some point in the movement. The music suddenly drops down very softly, leading to a monumental buildup to the climax of the piece, which is a fortissimo recapitulation of Ungersvennen - "The Swain" from the very first movement. Several of the other movements are also referenced in this section, most notably by the trumpets. (Difficult to hear in the MIDI). The previous movement I reference are Springdans - "Spring Dance", Når mitt øye - "Religious Song", and Kjempevise - "Heroic Ballad". This section then brings you to a false ending, as after when you think the final chord stops, the timpani continues rolling with a sudden diminuendo and low strings and contrabassoon play a repeated A note. As it quiets down, It recapitulates the Halling from the start of the movement, as the entire piece ends with the final plagal cadence from the Halling. I hope you enjoy! -Vincent Giza
Program Notes (Cont'd):
Movement 1: Ungersvennen - "The Swain"
This movement is based on No. 2 from Grieg's Op. 17
A Swain is a childhood friend or young lover. In this movement, you can hear a certain yearning in Grieg's flowing melody, and my dark and moody orchestration. It begins with strings and slowly adds woodwinds and brass in an orchestrated crescendo, until the music begins to diminish again and the movement concludes with a brief viola solo.
Movement 2: Springdans - "Spring Dance"
This movement is based on No. 3 from Grieg's Op. 17
This one is more self explanatory, it's a Norwegian couples dance most commonly practiced in the spring! The movement begins with the main theme played on a solo oboe, with a harp accompanying. The two main melodies are traded between all the sections of the orchestra. Something I tried to do with this movement is to have very stark and sudden changes between softer sections, and louder boisterous sections. I feel that it helps drive the energy for the piece! At the very end of the movement, the horns sustain the final chord while everybody else cuts out, and a cadence plays into the third movement.
Movement 3: Når mitt øye - "Religious Song"
This movement is based on No. 9 from Grieg's Op. 17
Being a Religious song, I wanted to use delicate chorale textures in the strings and brass to sound like a soft organ playing a hymn. The movement opens with a lush string chorale. The chorale then goes to a Horn soli section, with low stings on pedal notes. The movement ends with a sustained woodwind chord, very much resembling an organ, and the strings join the chord to add depth to it. Cellos and Basses hold the low G over into the next movement, where they then crescendo to start the fourth movement.
Movement 4: Kjempevise - "Heroic Ballad"
This movement is based on No. 11 from Grieg's Op. 17
This movement was one of my favorites to orchestrate. It begins with a majestic fanfare but then leads into a sweeter melody, punctuated by sforzati bass tremolos (a recurring mark in this movement). In this movement, I play a lot with countermelodies, more subtle texture changes, and the use of percussion. The movement ends with the glorious plagal cadence that has already been heard many times in the movement.
Movement 5: Eg veit ei lita jente - "I Know a Little Maiden"
This movement is based on No. 16 from Grieg's Op. 17
Though this movement is very centralized on brass, solo flute and clarinet play the opening figure of this movement, immediately after the final chord of the previous movement ends. This movement is a very stark contrast from the previous one. Something about this melody is so dreadfully sad to me. After the solo woodwind intro, The first brass chorale plays. The main melody, on a high solo Horn. The chords underneath are played by three trombones. at the end of the phrase, the strings take over with the same melody, but different chords underneath. When the strings finish the phrase, the brass take it back and revisit the chorale from the beginning. This time, with two horns and tuba on the chords, and an incredibly lyrical trombone solo carrying the melody. The movement ends with the solo trombone holding the final note as the harp plays the final cadence.
Movement 6: Kleggen og fluga - "the Gadfly and the Fly"
This movement is based on No. 17 from Grieg's Op. 17
This movement focuses a lot on soloists. It opens with solo flute and clarinet (keeping with that theme from the previous movement), but a violin solo quickly takes over, accompanied by a harp. Two horns play a brief horn call before the melody then trades off to a solo flute. The strings end the movement with dark, textured chords. the strings then play pizzicato chords to end the movement. The pizzicato transitions nicely into the baseline of the next movement.
Movement 7: Hølje Dale
This movement is based on No. 19 from Grieg's Op. 17
I was not able to find an accurate translation on this movement, but I have asked around, and will update as soon as I can!
Pizzicato strings carry over from the previous movement to accompany a solo bassoon with the main theme of this movement. A brief brass chorale plays, then the woodwinds take over the accompanying figure and a solo cello plays the melody. The movement ends with a descending chromatic bassline with a solo violin playing the melody one last time. the double basses hold on to the final A, and carry it over to begin the final movement.
Movement 8: Finale, Halling
This movement is based on No. 20 from Grieg's Op. 17
A Halling is probably the most famous traditional Norwegian dance.
the movement opens with scurrying violas, and an exciting ostinato played by the timpani. Cellos and Basses introduce the bassline, and violins take over with the melody. This movement is all about excitement and forward motion. Various soloists play the quieter B theme, most notably the oboe, but the flute and clarinet also play the B theme as a solo at some point in the movement. The music suddenly drops down very softly, leading to a monumental buildup to the climax of the piece, which is a fortissimo recapitulation of Ungersvennen - "The Swain" from the very first movement. Several of the other movements are also referenced in this section, most notably by the trumpets. (Difficult to hear in the MIDI). The previous movement I reference are Springdans - "Spring Dance", Når mitt øye - "Religious Song", and Kjempevise - "Heroic Ballad". This section then brings you to a false ending, as after when you think the final chord stops, the timpani continues rolling with a sudden diminuendo and low strings and contrabassoon play a repeated A note. As it quiets down, It recapitulates the Halling from the start of the movement, as the entire piece ends with the final plagal cadence from the Halling.
I hope you enjoy!
-Vincent Giza