Two Elegiac Melodies, Op. 34: “The Wounded Heart;” “To Spring”

• Grieg composed his To elegiske melodier (Two Elegiac Melodies): 1. “Hjertsår” (The Wounded Heart) 2. “Siste vår” (Last Spring) for strings in 1880.¹
• Both melodies are based on songs from Grieg’s 12 Songs op.33. The librettist was Aasmund Olavsson Vinje (1818-1870).² Grieg gave new titles to the instrumental versions, to reflect the meaning of the poems³ (because the audience doesn’t get to hear the text in the instrumental version!)

“The Wounded Heart” ENCO Cut # 18336

• Mvt. 1, “Hjertsår” (The Wounded Heart) is based on Grieg’s song Op.33 no.3, “Den Særde” (“Wounded”)⁴

“To Spring” ENCO Cut # 16348, 18337

• Mvt. 2, “Siste vår” (Last Spring) or “Til Våren” (To Spring) is based on Grieg’s song Op.33 no.2, “Våren” (“Spring”).⁵
  • Full text (trans. English)
  • This movement is often sung or played at funerals in Norway. The poem reflects the transitory nature of life.⁶

1. John Horton and Nils Grinde, “Grieg, Edvard,” Grove Music Online (2001), accessed October 16, 2019, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000011757.
2. “12 Songs, Op. 33 (Grieg, Edvard),” IMSLP, accessed October 16, 2019, https://imslp.org/wiki/12_Songs%2C_Op.33_(Grieg%2C_Edvard).
3. Bjarte Engeset, liner notes to Edvard Grieg: Music for String Orchestra – Lyric Suite, Malmō Symphony Orchestra, Bjarte Engeset, Naxos 8.572403, CD, 2011.
4. “12 Songs, Op. 33 (Grieg, Edvard),” IMSLP.
5. Ibid.
6. Bjarte Engeset, liner notes to Edvard Grieg: Music for String Orchestra – Lyric Suite.