Song of Norway (film)
Song of Norway is an American biopic from 1970 and is based on the Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg . It is based on the musical of the same name from 1944.
action
The young composer Edvard Grieg is at the beginning of his career. Against the resistance of her father, the young heiress Therese Berg Grieg invites to a house concert in her parents' house, which, however, is sabotaged by Therese's father. Nevertheless, Grieg is subsequently given the opportunity to organize a recital. However, the budding love between him and Therese has no chance, as her father has already arranged her marriage to another candidate.
Although Niels Wilhelm Gade judged Grieg's music negatively, Grieg drew new hope a little later when, through Ms. Thoresen's mediation, he met the young composer Rikard Nordraak . The two men decide to develop a national music for Norway. They visit Grieg's cousin Nina Hagerup ; she should sing songs that Grieg wrote on the basis of poems by Hans Christian Andersen . Grieg's settings find Andersen's favor.
Grieg writes other songs for Nina as an interpreter; both fall in love. Grieg proposes marriage to Nina, which is opposed by Nina's mother. At Nordraak's mediation, who has contacts to Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson , Grieg gets a job as a conductor in Christiania . In a letter from Therese, Grieg learns that her father has died and that she has broken off her engagement; With her fortune she could support him and enable him to stay in Rome to further his career. Nevertheless, Grieg marries Nina.
In Christiania, however, Grieg learns that the conductor's post has meanwhile been filled elsewhere. Reluctantly, he has to make a living for himself and Nina with piano lessons. Nordraak arranges for Grieg a number of subscription concerts at the Musical Society; at the same time he has to say goodbye to Grieg and Nina because he was given the opportunity to continue his studies in Berlin. But Grieg's hopes for the concerts also fail because of the resistance of the Musical Society to reduce Grieg's hall rent.
Nina wants to buy a piano for her husband from dealer Krogstad and sells the long-family-owned carriage to finance it. Krogstad thinks a noble patron might be of use to Grieg. At the same time, Therese Bjørnson made a donation for the Musical Society, but successfully linked it to the condition of making Grieg's concerts possible. Bjørnson proposes to Grieg the composition and performance of an opera; Bjørnson wants to write the libretto.
Grieg organizes a recital in which Nina sings Grieg's compositions. In the meantime, he had the opportunity to go to Rome after sending Franz Liszt a violin sonata he had composed. On this occasion Grieg sees Therese again, who unsuccessfully offers him her financial help. Therese orders a piano from Krogstad as a present for Grieg, which arouses Nina's jealousy. Grieg tells her about Therese's offer at the time, which he turned down shortly before his wedding to Nina. A conversation with Krogstad can also calm Nina.
Thanks to a letter of invitation from Franz Liszt, the city council agrees to financially support Grieg's trip to Rome. Because of the low level of support, Grieg has to travel to Rome alone; Nina wants to return to her parents during his stay in Rome. On the way to Rome, Grieg visits his friend Nordraak in Berlin and learns that he has tuberculosis. Since Grieg urgently has to travel to Rome, he promises to come back to Berlin in two weeks.
In Rome, Grieg meets the writer Henrik Ibsen . Grieg accepts Ibsen's offer to set his piece Peer Gynt to music and gives up Bjørnson's opera project in return. Nordraak's health deteriorated, but Grieg was unable to keep the promise he made in Berlin, as he was able to meet Franz Liszt at this time and perform his violin sonata. After the successful concert, Grieg learns from Krogstad that Nina never left Christiania and lived on the money with which she wanted to buy Grieg's piano. A little later Therese realizes that it is Nina who loves Grieg.
In the mail, Grieg received Bjørnson's opera libretto, which he had sent to Rome before Grieg was rejected. He learns from Nordraak's father that his friend Rikard has since passed away. Rikard's father expresses his disappointment that Grieg did not keep his promise. When Grieg feels that he has disappointed everyone, she reassures him that he still has the opportunity to make Nordraak's dream come true.
After his return from Rome, he and Nina are happy to finally see each other again.
Web links
- Song of Norway in the Internet Movie Database (English)