Edvard Grieg (1843–1907)

Norwegian composer and pianist. He first met Dvořák in 1895 during his visit to Vienna. The taciturn Dvořák didn’t make a great impression on him to begin with, as suggested in a letter Grieg wrote to another Norwegian composer, Iver Holter: “I spent much time with Brahms. He was friendly and in high spirits. I could not say the same of Dvořák, whom I have nevertheless met only superficially.” It was only in 1903 that Grieg was given the opportunity to get to know Dvořák better. He had come to Prague to appear before the public as a conductor of his own works. Dvořák attended the concert and visited his Norwegian colleague in his dressing room; Grieg likewise attended a performance of Rusalka at the National Theatre and went to see the Dvořáks in their flat. This time he had a different impression of Dvořák, as conveyed in his correspondence: “My time spent with Dvořák was very pleasant. If I might put it delicately, he has his own temperament, but he was very kind.” After Dvořák’s death in 1904 Grieg published an article in the Norwegian magazine Verdens Gang, in which he applauded Dvořák both for his music and as an individual.