Norwegian Embassy Holds Grieg Concert
By Yoon Won-sup
Staff Reporter
The Norwegian Embassy in Seoul held a concert at the Gyeonggi Arts Center in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Sunday, commemorating the 100th anniversary of Norwegian composer and pianist Edvard Grieg's death, featuring the Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra and Maestro Gum Nan-se.
On the program were some of Grieg's most well-known works including From Holberg's Time, Peer Gynt suites No. 1 and 2, and his most renowned piece, the piano concerto in A minor. Gum conducted and soprano Seo Gyeong-suk sang with pianist Chi Eu-gnen.
``The year 2007 marks one hundred years since the death of Edvard Grieg. Grieg was an artist whose music, words and ideas are still relevant today,'' Norwegian Ambassador Didrik Tonseth told The Korea Times.
The ambassador said that the Grieg Year 2007 has sought to draw attention to Grieg as a humanist and defender of freedom, democracy, justice and the rule of law. In fact, Grieg was an artist who used art as a means of expressing identity and solidarity, and he believed artists had a key role to play in the fight against discrimination and exclusion.
``First and foremost, however, Grieg was a composer of great music. Edvard Grieg became one of the most respected composers of his time,'' he said. ``His artistic legacy has made him one of Norway's most important ambassadors.''
Tonseth has a good reason to regard Grieg as an ambassador because he is one of the most well-known artists from Norway.
The audience was able to feel Norwegian nature because Greig's works were mostly inspired by nature. Actually, the great composer regularly visited mountains and rivers in summer to write songs.
This year has seen many events organized worldwide to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Grieg's death, under the initiative not only of Norwegian embassies but also private groups.
The ambassador said that the embassy plans to hold another major event to honor Grieg next year, alongside playwright Henrik Ibsen, who introduced the modern realistic drama.