"He is a nobody," she said, "who writes music that no one cares to listen to."
GRIEG AND HIS WIFE
But people were beginning to listen. After a concert in Christiania, entirely of Norwegian music, the Government gave Grieg a small pension and he went to Rome.
Here he had a fine meeting with Liszt who asked Grieg to play. Then Liszt took Grieg's manuscript and played it at sight, to his great delight.
When Grieg bade good-bye to Liszt the famous pianist said to him:
"Keep on, you have talent and ability. Do not let any one discourage or frighten you."
So sensitive was Grieg about music writing that he never allowed any one to watch him. So he had a little house built in the mountains where he could work at his leisure. This he called his "tune house." There was only one room and it was for all the world like a little play house that children have. In it was his piano and often when he was playing, the Norwegian peasants used to group themselves outside the door, sometimes joining in the singing, and then again dancing to their delightful folktunes and dances.
TUNE HOUSE