Piano Concerto in A Minor was written in June 1867 and completed during the Griegs' summer holiday in Denmark in 1868. The concerto was first published in 1872 and was an immediate success. Despite this, Grieg was not entirely satisfied and kept making revisions to the work. The first movement: Allegro molto moderato is full of passion and tension. The movement begins with a striking drum roll crescendo and piano solo. The wonderful piano cadenza deals mainly with the 'march' like theme and the movement ends as it started, with a brilliant piano solo changing the mood as if the sun had come out from behind the clouds.

The second movement: Adagio illustrates clearly Grieg's romantic feelings and love for his country's beautiful scenery and national spirit. The piano takes over the melody from the strings and changes the mood to a proud statement. The solo horn underlines the solitude as the piano prepares for the finale. The third movement: Allegro molto moderato e marcato - quasi presto - andante maestoso is without doubt music reminisent of Norwegian mountain peaks, valleys and misty fjords and the piano climax leads into a beautiful finale of the most majestic proportions.

Peer Gynt. Although perhaps the most famous work of Grieg, it is a wonder that it ever came about. Grieg admired Henrik Ibsens's play but thought it completely unsuitable to write music to, and when the score was finally completed in September 1875, Ibsen was not happy, but reluctantly agreed that the music made his play easier to comprehend. The premier in Oslo, the 24th February 1876, was a great success but Grieg and Ibsen were noted for their absence. Still not satisfied, Grieg wrote the four movement instrumental Suite No. 1 Op. 46 in 1888 in which the order of the movements were entirely different to the play, and in 1891 he completed Suite No. 2 Op. 55. The two suites represent perhaps the best of Grieg's music.