Out of Death and Despair: Elements of Chromaticism in the Songs of Edvard Grieg Grieg's intriguing statement, ―the realm of harmonies has always been my dream world,‖ 1 suggests the rather imaginative disposition that he held toward the roles of harmonic
Ryan R. Weber · 2009
function within a diatonic pitch space. A great degree of his chromatic language is manifested in subtle interactions between different pitch spaces along the dualistic lines to which he referred in his personal commentary. Indeed, Grieg‘s distinctive style reaches beyond common-practice tonality in ways other than modality. Although his music uses a variety of common nineteenthcentury harmonic devices, his synthesis of modal elements within a diatonic or chromatic framework often leans toward an aesthetic of Impressionism. This multifarious language is most clearly evident in the composer‘s abundant songs that span his entire career. Setting texts by a host of different poets, Grieg develops an approach to chromaticism that reflects the Romantic themes of death and despair. There are two techniques that serve to characterize aspects of his multi-faceted harmonic language. The first, what I designate ―chromatic juxtapositioning,‖ entails the insertion of highly chromatic material within a principally diatonic passage. The second technique involves the use of b7 ^ (bVII) as a particular type of harmonic juxtapositioning, for the flatted-seventh scale-degree serves as a congruent agent among the realms of diatonicism, chromaticism, and modality while also serving as a marker of death and despair. Through these techniques, Grieg creates a style that elevates the works of geographically linked poets by capitalizing on the Romantic/nationalistic themes. At the same time, he also emphasizes more universal ideas by employing chromatic techniques that transcend national boundaries. This combination of influences finds provenance in a chromatic