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When Nina met Sally – the story of Nina Grieg’s ‘dagbok’

The little-known ‘dagbok’ or diary kept by singer and composer’s wife, Nina Grieg, was the topic of a talk and film preview given by Grieg Society of Scotland Honorary Director, Dr Sally Garden, in Edinburgh this spring. Society committee member, Eva Tyson, who attended the event hosted by the Norwegian Scottish Association, reflects on the significance of the diary as document of Nina’s experience, and the compelling sense of connection between researcher and historical subject her story has inspired.

Founder and Honorary Director of the Grieg Society of Scotland, Dr Sally Garden, gives a specially invited talk about her pioneering research on the ‘overlooked’ diary of singer and composer’s wife Nina Grieg. (image: Grieg Society of Scotland)

The enthusiastic Norwegian Scottish Association (NSA) in Edinburgh invited our Honorary Director Dr Sally Garden to give a talk focussing on Nina Grieg, instead of her famous husband Edvard. This was deliberate, because as a Grieg scholar, Sally realised that Nina, although an artist in her own right, lived in the shadow of her famous husband.

Anguish and insecurity

There is an array of archive material relating to Edvard Grieg’s life of music, so Sally was delighted when she came across a diary of Nina’s in the special archives of Bergens Offentlige Bibliotek. This diary covered the year 1896-97, when Nina, aged 51, stayed in Vienna in connection with planned concerts by her husband. This was indeed a treasure trove, said Sally, as the diary gave a behind the scene account of Nina’s anxiety over Edvard’s poor health, leading to cancellations of the performances. This series of concerts had been scheduled in order to cement Grieg’s musical reputation in Vienna, the music centre of Europe. Things were not going to plan, as Grieg’s health did not improve and the anguish and insecurity Nina feels at this time, is palpable on so many pages.

However, Nina worked hard behind the scene to keep Grieg’s name at the forefront among the Viennese cognoscenti, which included composers, musicians and leading public figures. Sally mentioned here that Nina met Johannes Brahms, Johann Strauss the waltz king and potentially, Fritz Kreisler, who was both violinist and composer. Grieg’s impresario was also hard at work rearranging concert dates, with Nina having sleepless nights worrying about her husband’s recovery.

Title screen of film preview.
Title screen of the Grieg Society of Scotland’s forthcoming short film on Nina Grieg’s Vienna diary. A preview of the film, due for release later in the year, was given by its researcher and maker, Dr Sally Garden, as part of her Grieg Society of Scotland talk for the Norwegian Scottish Association, held at the Royal Norwegian Consulate General, Edinburgh, in April 2025. (image: Grieg Society of Scotland)

Vienna success and ‘a shadow on every page’

Sally’s talk gave us an insight not only into Nina’s psyche, but her dedication in both nursing her husband and promoting Grieg’s standing in Vienna, a city playing such a pivotal role for success, whether as composer or musician. The audience was relieved to hear that the diary during this year 1896-97 had a happy ending. Grieg became well enough and the concerts were a runaway success.

The situation Nina coped with during this stressful time, can be summed up I think by Eugene Ormandy, famous conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra. I don’t know if Ormandy was referring to a musical score, when he said ‘there is a shadow on every page’, but I feel it describes Nina Grieg’s diary to perfection.

The warm applause for Sally was well deserved and several questions from the floor followed. The vote of thanks was given by Chairman of NSA, Karl Norman Weibye.

Vienna in sun and ‘shadow’ – the forthcoming Grieg Society of Scotland film telling the story of Nina Grieg’s Vienna diary features both historical and contemporary footage of the city and the streets that became a familiar part of Nina’s life during her short and difficult stay there. (image: Grieg Society of Scotland)

Author : Eva Tyson (Committee Member, Grieg Society of Scotland) (April 2025, published June 2025)

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Beautifully restored kirkyard gates greet Grieg visitors at Rathen

It took the patient removal of seven layers of paint and the careful removal of a splinter to bring the old kirkyard gates at Rathen, site of the Grieg ancestral gravestone, back to their former glory. But, for local volunteer and maintenance expert, Alex Buchan, it was worth it. And, thanks to his dedicated work, a Grieg Society of Scotland visitor signboard has a grand new home on the gates, too.

The gates to Rathen Old Kirkyard, beautifully restored by skilled local volunteer Alex Buchan, pictured here with a friendly troll gifted to his family by Norwegian visitors some years back. (images: kind permission Alex Buchan)

It all started when Alex, recently retired from working offshore in the North Sea, obtained permission from Aberdeenshire Council to mount our Grieg Society of Scotland signboard on the gates to St Ethernan’s kirkyard at Rathen, where composer Grieg’s paternal ancestors lie buried.

We had previously presented the signboard to the community at a little ceremony at Rathen West Parish Church, with the local primary schoolchildren and Troldhaugens Venner (Friends of the Edvard Grieg Museum, Bergen) in attendance. Now the sign was going to find its outdoor home.

Music, heritage and friendship – the children of Rathen Primary School, Troldhaugens Venner (Friends of the Edvard Grieg Museum, Bergen) and the Grieg Society of Scotland meet together in the inspirational space of Rathen West Parish Kirk in summer 2023. (image: Grieg Society of Scotland)

A major task

But what looked to Alex a simple job to fix the signboard to the gates turned into a major task. ‘I was dismayed at the condition of the gate coatings, they looked terrible’ Alex tells us. Years and years of Scottish weather had caused the paint to crust and peel. And so, resolving to remedy the situation, he set to work. But that meant the removal of 4 layers of black paint, 3 of green and 1 orange to get back to a good surface from which to begin repainting, a process that took, as Alex remarks ‘much longer than I anticipated’!

Magnificent result

It also cost him a small injury – a splinter of old paint necessitating surgical removal. But what a magnificent result! And thanks to Alex’s great practical skills, visitors to Rathen can now learn about Edvard Grieg’s local forebears and their gravestone in the kirkyard, all from our signboard.

It’s a job very well done. Yet it’s not the end of the story. More needs to be done, and soon, to conserve and develop the tiny north-east Scottish village’s unique cultural heritage and links with Grieg.

And that work involves major financial investment.

The gates to Rathen Old Kirkyard before and after restoration, plus the newly installed Grieg Society of Scotland signboard. Through the gates lie the ruins of St Ethernan’s kirk and the gravestone of composer Grieg’s paternal forbears. (images: with kind permission Alex Buchan)

An emerging new challenge

Alex, who hails from nearby Cairnbulg, has lived in Rathen for 25 years and not only takes an active interest in Rathen’s old kirkyard but was, up until this year, an Elder and also Fabric Maintenance Convener at Rathen West Parish Church, which the Grieg Society of Scotland has been privileged to use both as venue to welcome visitors and occasional base for its activities.

But the future of the building is uncertain, and that brings an emerging new challege.

The church, an imposing granite building with tall spire, stands on an elevated spot close by the old kirkyard. You can see it from the gates. Cherished by the community for over 150 years since its construction in 1870, when it replaced the old and much smaller St Ethernan’s kirk Grieg’s forbears knew, it’s the village of Rathen’s biggest, most iconic building and visible for miles around.

Yet, in July this year, came, as Alex reflects, a ‘very sad day’ – the church’s closure. Younger folk are no longer interested in religion and the Church of Scotland’s congregations are dwindling. Society is changing, and its needs are changing too, so, like many other kirks across Scotland, Rathen’s immaculately-kept kirk will be put up for sale.

Rathen West Parish Kirk, Aberdeenshire, closed after 150 years service to its local community in July 2024. But what now is the future for this stunning, elegant and well cared for granite building?

Tragic loss or new beginning?

Unless action is taken, the building, as a public space, will be lost to the community altogether.

Yet it was to attend services in the old kirk at Rathen that Grieg’s great-grandfather, Alexander, regularly returned from Norway. So the building provides an important focus. The Grieg Society of Scotland would like to see it made into a music and heritage venue – a home for Grieg! – but that will take resources and a separate, dedicated organisation to make it happen.

The restoration of Rathen’s old kirkyard gates was achieved by a single volunteer. But saving the newly-closed kirk building for the community will take coordinated effort on a much larger-scale.

Will we be looking at a tragic loss, or a new beginning?

Author: Dr Sally LK Garden (Honorary Director) (Sep 2024)

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Grieg visits Dundee in spirit and song

A morning concert in Dundee’s Wighton Heritage Centre caught the ear of Grieg Society of Scotland committee member, Eva Tyson, who went along to discover her historical compatriot, composer Edvard Grieg, there, in spirit and song!

Sisters, Sally Garden & Alison Hart bring Grieg in spirit and song to the Wighton Heritage Centre, Dundee, July 2024. (images: Friends of Wighton, Eva Tyson, Tony Freeth)

I was lucky enough to be present at a morning concert held in the Wighton Heritage Centre in Dundee on Saturday 20th July 2024. Sally, our esteemed Honorary Director, gave a recital entitled Songs & Springs from Scotland and Scandinavia ably accompanied on the piano by her sister Alison Hart.

Norwegian and Scottish composers

Sally had chosen an inspiring selection of songs by Norwegian and Scottish composers showing not only the grace, but also the sheer artistry of both the music and the lyrics.

The opening song by Robert Burns Afton Water, set to music by the Norwegian composer Agathe Backer-Grøndahl, was beautifully rendered by Sally. The song På Norges nøgne fjelde (On Norway’s bare mountains) with music by Grieg, was particularly expressive, conveying the feeling of a lonely pine tree, high up in the Norwegian mountains in winter, longing for warmer climes.

Gran i snø (Spruce tree in snow), the subject of one of Grieg’s most evocative songs, here depicted by Norwegian illustrator Erik Werenskiold, 1910. (image: Kunstmuseene i Bergen)
Also by Erik Werenskiold, a masterful portrait of Edvard Grieg, capturing the composer’s spirit and love of the natural world. (image: Bergen Offentlige Bibliothek)

Fiddle fun

Sally showed that she is not only a noted mezzo-soprano, but a gifted fiddle player. She had chosen to play a Norwegian folkdance called a springar and also a special bruremarsj. We could detect the similarity with a Scottish reel and it certainly set the audience’s feet tapping.

North Sea songs and threads

The kindred nature of Scottish and Norwegian songs with their narrative story telling traditions, is close to Sally’s heart. Through her imaginative choice of programme, beautifully supported by Alison, and with a little chat and story for the attentive audience, she wove for us a rich musical tapestry that binds the two countries together.

(More about the Wighton Heritage Centre, Dundee here, and the performers here.)

Author: Eva Tyson (Committee Member, Grieg Society of Scotland) (Aug 2024)