Edvard Grieg
Nocturne
in C Major, Op. 54 No. 4
from Lyric Pieces

This soothing, ethereal night piece combines Grieg's signature folksong flavoring with an impressionistic mood, suspending time and evoking the Nightingale's call.

ID: 657
Edvard Grieg - Lyric Pieces:

Nocturne
Op. 54 No. 4

Key: C Major
Year: 1891
Level: 5
Period: Early Romantic
piano sheet music Piano score: Scanned score Download
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Notes wafting out of a window at 2 a.m.

Grieg's Nocturne, or “Notturno” evokes a mood of sneaking up to the pianist’s window at 2 a.m. to listen to a wonderfully poignant expression of emotion waft out of that open window. Grieg composed it sometime between 1889 and 1891. Grieg had matured since his first forays into piano composition as a teenager. One can hear the subtle changes in harmony and style that came from his expanded worldview but also still hear the same kind of quirkiness that endeared him to many listeners.

Background

The 66 Lyric Pieces span the whole of Grieg’s compositional career and were published in 10 volumes from 1867 to 1901. Grieg himself called these efforts “an intimate life story”, and they are considered a prime example of the inventiveness and slight wryness that made his keyboard music so enchanting. Several composers, too, have created orchestral arrangements for the Lyric Pieces. This piece was one of four of this set that Anton Seidl set to orchestral music in the “Lyric Suite,” which he put together in about 1894.


Forum posts about this piece:

Grieg's Notturno trills question by dorfmouse
Should the trills start on the principal note or on the note above? I find it slightly easier to fit them in against the bass when starting ...

Notturno-Grieg by ivoryplayer4him
[glow=red,2,300][font=Verdana][color=Orange][b]I am wondering if anyone can give me any helpful hints on this piece.  I am playing it f...


Member's recordings of piece:

Grieg Nocturne Op.54 by adodd81802
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjwkzZFj-O0&feature=youtu.be...

grieg - nocturne op.54 no.4 by holden4
Not the best sound recording. Have a listen and let me know where you think I can improve. Am I rushing the song? I know my trills are terr...


Members who like this piece have also downloaded:

Classical piano sheet music by Grieg to download: Nocturne Op. 54 No. 4 in the key of This piece has difficulty level 5 in the category Piece
Nocturne Op. 54 No. 4 in C Major, a composition by the early romantic composer Edvard Grieg who was born in 1843 and died in 1907. It was composed during the Early Romantic period and is part of Grieg's Lyric Pieces.