Troldhaugen in Bergen

Highlights of Troldhaugen

Ever since 1928, admirers of Grieg's music and music lovers have visited the composers' home on Troldhaugen by Nordåsvannet south of Bergen city centre. Grieg loved this property and was particularly proud of it. It was designed by his cousin Schak Bull, and Edvard and Nina Grieg were responsible for the decor, which is preserved in its original form. So when you look around the living room, dining room and the other rooms on the first floor, which are open to the public, you are getting a true and intimate sense of the musician couple.

The most striking object is the Steinway grand piano, which was the composer's own. According to both pianists and music lovers, the playability and sound are surprisingly good for such an old instrument, and it is regularly used for concerts. Grieg himself spent as much piano time in Komponisthytten as possible, a small wooden building on the slope down to the water's edge, which can barely accommodate more than the piano, the piano stool and a desk. It has a lovely view over Nordåsvannet. The purpose of this cabin is clear to everyone who visits: A place where the composer could be at peace to write music.

Famous composers often have a flashy burial monument, but that is certainly not the case for Edvard Grieg. The funeral procession in 1907 was a major event - it is said that fifty thousand people showed up - but the burial site itself is almost camouflaged in a rock wall, marked with a simple inscription in roughly carved letters in the boulder that covers the cave where his and Nina's urns stand.

The Troldsalen concert hall and the museum building

Close to Komponisthytten is the Troldsalen concert hall. It has a large glass wall behind the podium where the musicians play, and is located on the same grounds so that the audience is able to see both Komponisthytten and Grieg's view of Nordåsvannet while listening to the concert. The acoustics are also very good, making it a particularly special place to experience Grieg's music. Despite its size, the building doesn't spoil the feel of the area. This is largely due to its camouflaged turf roof and its location behind an embankment close to the house.

The building also houses a café and a small museum room, which displays treasures such as Grieg's lucky frog and a lock of Grieg's hair, cut the day before he died. You can also see Grieg's diaries and sketches, photographs and paintings, while being immersed in Grieg's music from so-called 'audio showers.'

Worth knowing about Troldhaugen

A major attraction at Troldhaugen are the many concerts in Troldsalen concert hall. Throughout the summer season from May to October, lunch concerts with highly talented musicians are held here. The program is naturally dominated by Grieg's compositions. The concert hall is relatively small, so concerts are usually limited to chamber music or solo piano concertos. Perhaps the most distinctive of these is the music Grieg wrote for song and piano, with performances from his extensive musical compositions to poems by Norwegian and foreign poets. A concert ticket also gives you free entry to the museum and the residence.

In the summer, you can buy package deals with entrance tickets and transportation from Bergen city centre. You can also take a bus or light rail, but the nearest stop is Hop, which is about 25 minutes walk from Troldhaugen, so a bike or automobile are just as good alternatives.