Today is the 175th anniversary of the birth of Norwegian pianist and composer Agathe Backer Grøndahl. Backer, from a well-to-do, art-loving family, studied music in Christiana, Berlin, and Florence. Among her teachers were Theodor Kullak and Hans von Bülow.

She made her professional debut in Christiana in 1868, as soloist in Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto, with Edvard Grieg on the podium. Of course, she was also a celebrated interpreter of Grieg’s own piano concerto. In fact, the two artists enjoyed a close friendship. She was also guided by Ole Bull, the famed Norwegian violinist, who recommended teachers and had a special piano constructed for her.

In 1873, she became part of Franz Liszt’s circle at Weimar, and she took lessons with him. She herself was to become an influential teacher. George Bernard Shaw praised her as one of the greatest piano virtuosos of the century.

She married Olaus Andreas Grøndahl, a vocal teacher, in 1875. A mother of three, Backer Grøndahl yet managed to compose more than 400 works for piano, voice, and orchestra. Over 70 of these were published in her lifetime. She died in 1907 at the age of 59.

Her sister was the painter Harriet Backer.

Sara Aimée Smiseth talks about and plays Agathe Backer Grøndahl. Smiseth recorded an album of Grøndahl’s works for the Grand Piano label.

Geir Henning Braaten plays Grøndahl’s 3 Morceaux, Op. 15. The opening “Serenade” is among her most frequently performed works.

Lubov Timofeyeva plays a Grøndahl assortment

More about Grøndahl’s sister, Harriet Backer

https://www.norwegianamerican.com/harriet-backer-a-gifted-determined-artist/

PHOTOS: Agathe Backer Grøndahl, top, and at center, at an 1898 music festival in Bergen. To her left (our right) are some of the most famous names in Norwegian music: Edvard Grieg, Christian Sinding, Johan Svendsen, and Johan Halvorsen.