The two Elegiac Melodies for string orchestra, Op. 34 (1880), are among the most beloved works of Edvard Grieg (1843–1907). Both movements are based on two melancholic songs from his Op. 33 song cycle, with lyrics by the Norwegian Romantic poet and journalist Aasmund Olavsson Vinje (1818–1870).

The first, entitled ‘Hjertesår’ (The Wounded Heart), tells the story of a man with a broken heart who, despite his misfortune, still cherishes a glimmer of hope. The second, Våren (The Last Spring), ex...