Symphony In Blue And Green

The conductor designate of the London Philharmonic Orchestra on the Norwegian sound

- Edward Gardner

BERGEN’S scenery—snowy peaks and aquamarine fjords—has inspired musicians and artists throughout the ages: Edvard Grieg composed Wedding Day at Troldhaugen and, more recently, the Norwegian city became the basis for the fictional Kingdom of Arendelle in Disney’s ‘Frozen’ films.

Resident ensemble the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) is one of the oldest of its kind. It was established more than 250 years ago—and once led by Grieg himself. Today, there’s a Briton at the helm: Edward Gardner, chief conductor since 2015.

Although artistic compatriots Edvard Munch and violinist composer Ole Bull feature heavily in tourist itineraries, Grieg is still Bergen’s most famous cultural export. Visitors make pilgrimages to neighbouring Troldhaugen, where the composer’s former home has been turned into a living museum. The Steinway piano he received as a silver-wedding anniversary present in 1892 is still in use, played in private concerts and events during the Bergen International Festival.

‘You get a real sense of Grieg’s spirit in those hills,’ says Mr. Gardner. ‘His music is so centered in the green and blue of Bergen; the dark winters and beautiful summers. You can really feel the impact of the natural surroundings in his music.’

Norwegians may tire of hearing Grieg—the Piano Concerto, in particular, is at risk of overexposure—but Mr. Gardner is pleased to have him as a musical anchor. ‘I remind the orchestra how lucky we are to have this great composer as an emblem. Many of them may have played that concerto hundreds of times, but I still can’t get enough of it.’