Holberg suite imslp

Grieg's Holberg Suite is a collection of delightfully fresh baroque-style dances, inspired by a famous 17th century Norwegian playwright.

The Suite is actually called "From Holberg's Time".

Grieg created it as a personal tribute for the 200th anniversary of Ludwig Holberg.

History

Holberg was a Danish-Norwegian playwright, born in Bergen (like Grieg) in 1684.

Inspired by the Enlightenment, he was a considerate philanthropist.

He wrote books encouraging people to think for themselves, and his comedies became very highly regarded.

As professor of subjects like Metaphysics and History at the University of Copenhagen, Holberg helped to establish Danish as a literary language. But he never forgot his upbringing in Norway, and celebrated it in his writings...

So in 1884, 200 years after Holberg was born, the city of Bergen wanted to host a spectacular outdoor celebration. They asked Grieg, by then Norway's most famous compose