Edvard Grieg

Haugtussa op. 67

Grieg’s Haugtussa Song Cycle Op. 67 is one of the masterpieces of his song oeuvre. It is 8 settings from the epic self-titled poem by Arne Garborg, about a shepherd girl. Known as ‘Haugtussa’ (‘hill troll girl’) due to her clairvoyance and deep connection to nature and mythical beings, she must overcome societal exclusion through courage and self-reflection. Grieg was not only fascinated by the natural mysticism of this poem, but also by the musicality of the then newly established Norwegian written language, which he described as a ‘world of unborn music’. The edition presents the song cycle in its original form with Norwegian lyrics; the melodic inflection of this language shapes the distinctive character of the composition. The work, scored for medium voice and piano, lasts around 26 minutes and is suitable for intermediate level singers. This edition includes introductory texts by Johannes Holtmon (Curator of Music, Kode) and Martje Vande Ginste (editor, singer), literal translations, and pronunciation guides. All songs are also available to download as audio files, both sung and spoken.