ABSTRACT
In 1900 when Edvard Grieg was in Copenhagen, he became enthusiastic again about Danish poetry. Grieg himself thought well of the songs, feeling that he had taken a step forward. Several of the songs are through-composed, and there is much influence of Wagner and the Germanic music theater style, with dense orchestral writing for the piano, and great dramatic sweeps for the voice. The style is in marked contrast to the compact expressiveness and intimacy of the Norwegian songs, more suited to the concert hall than to the salon. The songs have never found great favor with either performers or audiences, and critics and historians have commented on their mediocrity and cliche-laden compositional technique. Grieg has nonetheless managed to craft a delightful song, and by shifting modalities in the second verse he is able to bring some depth and meaning to an otherwise frivolous little poem.
