Grace Mayell

June 23, 2020

Survey of String Repertoire
Summary/Transfer TRG

I selected a summary/transfer of Heart Wounds and Last Spring, Op. 34 by Edvard Grieg

because the work is in the music library at the school I teach at although I have had ensembles

read through the piece, I have never actually programmed it. Admittedly, I have never researched

the piece so I am responsible for the failure to consider the piece fully. As I listen to the

composition again and read Laurie Scott’s article, the following thoughts come to mind:

● The piece is 7-8 minutes in duration. It would be possible to program this for one of the

orchestra classes in the Fall or Spring, paired with a contrasting piece.

● I think the reason why I have yet to program this work is because I read it through with

the mid-level group half-heartedly. We maybe read it through once or twice in one

session and did not commit to the overall mood and timbre of the piece. I also did not

push these students to execute the extreme changes in dynamis Grieg so clearly writes in

the score. Sometimes if the students do not feel interested in a piece, I prematurely put it

away.

● By working through the TRG presentation and reading this chapter, I am reminded of the

importance of “suggested listening”. Perhaps listening to some of these suggestions and

stretching out the time the students get to know a piece by gradually opening up their

interest would help them understand a new composition better.

Scott, L. (2003). Heart wounds and last spring, op. 34 Edvard Grieg. In D. Littrell (Ed.),
Teaching music through performance in orchestra​ (Vol. 2, pp. 513-517). GIA
Publications.