Edvard Hagerup Grieg (1843-1907) was the most famous and representative nationalistic composer, pianist, and conductor of the 19th century in Norway, often referred to as the “Norwegian national musician.” His works had a distinctive style, often drawing inspiration from his homeland, natural landscapes, and literary works, exhibiting a unique nationalistic character.

In 1884, Grieg published the piano version of his composition “Holberg Suite, Op. 40” and the following year, he personally adapted it into a version for string orchestra. Interestingly, the adapted version became more popular, and even today, many composers arrange it based on the string orchestra version for various ensemble performances. This prompted the author to explore why this piece, the “Holberg Suite, Op. 40” is primarily performed by ensemble groups. Therefore, it is worth investigating whether insights from the string orchestra version can provide inspiration for the piano interpretation, enriching the musical colors, phrases, and overall performance of the piano version.

As a result, the author will perform Grieg's original piano version during the graduation recital and compare it with the adapted version for string orchestra. This analysis aims to identify expressive markings and interpretive techniques that can be transferred from the string orchestra version to enhance the piano performance. The findings will be organized in this thesis to provide interpretive references for solo pianists.

This thesis is divided into five chapters: Chapter 1: Introduction - provides an overview of the overall research direction of this thesis. Chapter 2: Biography of Grieg - introduces the life of Grieg, delving into the historical background of the era he lived in and examining the people and events that influenced his creations. Chapter 3: Overview of Grieg's musical style and important musical works - provides an overview of Grieg's musical style and highlights his significant compositions. Chapter 4: Comparative analysis of Grieg’s “Holberg Suite, Op. 40” in piano version and string orchestra version - compares and analyzes the piano version and the adapted version for string orchestra, exploring elements such as the composition's sonic structure, melodic lines, and performance interpretation. Chapter 5: Conclusion - summarizes the research conducted in the previous chapters and offers conclusions and recommendations for performers and listeners in terms of interpretation and appreciation.