Grieg: Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16
By Edvard Grieg
Level: Advanced
Item: 00-PC-0007333
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Description
The Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16, by Edvard Grieg (1843--1907), was written in 1868, and was the only concerto Grieg completed. It is one of his most popular works and among the most popular of all piano concertos. This score is for two pianos, four hands, with the second piano part being a reduction of the orchestral score. Two copies are needed for full performance. 65 pages.
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Additional Details
Series:
Kalmus Edition
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
64
SKU:
00-PC-0007333
More about this title
About the Composer: Edvard Grieg
Edvard Grieg (1843–1907) was a Norwegian composer who became one of the defining voices of Romantic nationalism. Though he trained in Leipzig and Berlin, Grieg rooted his musical language in Norwegian folk melodies, harmonies, and dance rhythms, creating works that felt distinctly Norwegian while speaking to international audiences. His catalogue spans art songs, piano works, chamber music, and orchestral pieces, but the Piano Concerto in A minor stands as his most enduring contribution to the keyboard repertoire.
Grieg completed this concerto in 1868 at age 24, and it remains the only full concerto he wrote despite his mastery of form and orchestration. The work synthesizes the dramatic architectures of the Classical concerto tradition with the harmonic richness and lyrical warmth that define his compositional voice. For music educators, Grieg's writing offers pianists a pathway into Romantic concerto literature that rewards both technical command and interpretive sensitivity.
Why we love this
This two-piano reduction opens the Piano Concerto to collaborative pianists who want to engage with one of the Romantic era's most rewarding scores without requiring an orchestra. The orchestral reduction captures Grieg's brilliant instrumentation convincingly, allowing two advanced pianists to experience the full dramatic arc of the work together. Programming this piece signals serious musical ambition and offers a recital highlight that audiences recognize and celebrate.
What to expect
The concerto opens with an urgent, cascading theme that establishes both virtuosity and emotional depth. Grieg's harmonic language moves between moments of crystalline lyricism and richly colored, almost orchestral textures. The work pulses with the rhythmic vitality of Scandinavian dance while maintaining the grand scale and emotional scope of 19th-century concerto form.
Who it's for
Advanced pianists seeking substantial duo repertoire that preserves the scope and ambition of a major concerto. This is ideal for advanced students preparing for conservatory auditions, professional duos building their recital programs, or master classes exploring Romantic keyboard literature.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the first piano's lyrical passages against the second piano's orchestral color; resist the temptation to have either part dominate consistently.
- Pay close attention to Grieg's dynamic markings and expressive indications. The concerto relies on subtle gradations of tone rather than extremes.
- Work with your partner to shape the large harmonic progressions across both instruments; this requires sensitive listening and agreement on phrasing architecture.
- The cadenza sections demand clarity of articulation from the first piano while the second provides supportive figuration; rehearse these passages separately before combining them.
How to use it
This concerto works beautifully as a recital centerpiece or as the anchor of a Romantic-era program. You might pair it with smaller character pieces by Grieg for contrast, or with other Scandinavian composers to explore the Romantic nationalism movement. Consider programming it mid-season when your advanced pianists have had time to prepare thoroughly.
Skills your students will build
- Ensemble communication across two pianos and coordinating independent musical lines
- Interpreting Romantic-era harmony and rubato within a structurally demanding form
- Balancing solo and accompaniment roles while maintaining equal musical authority
- Reading complex textures that combine keyboard writing with implied orchestral color
- Managing stamina through extended passages of rapid figuration and sustained lyricism