But all the grown up folks of Edvard's world did not call his music rubbish. His mother loved music and played beautifully. It was from her that Edvard had his first lessons, just as Mendelssohn was first taught by his mother.
Then one day something wonderful happened. A great violinist, Ole Bull by name, visited the Grieg family in the country. He was so kind to the little composer that the boy just loved him.
OLE BULL
Ole Bull had traveled the world over playing the violin. He looked over Edvard's compositions and made the boy play them to him. You can see him nodding his head in pleasure as he listens. His fine eyes are lighted up. He tells the boy composer that his music is quite good, but that there is a lot for him to learn yet. So he must study earnestly and make many sacrifices.
Then Ole Bull sits down and talks with Father and Mother Grieg. It is a serious talk, as one can see. Finally, when the talk is finished, Ole Bull takes the wondering boy by the hand and says to him:
"You are going to Leipzig to study and become a fine musician."
So Edvard Grieg left his home city, Bergen, its mountains, its fjords, its people, his father and mother, and traveled south through Norway, across the water and into Germany. No doubt he was a lonesome boy. Life had become serious all at once and there was much to be done.
BERGEN FJORD