Learning with Grieg: Orchestration, Melody & Form

Learning with Grieg: Orchestration, Melody & Form free download

Discover how Romantic composers crafted unforgettable music—by learning directly from Edvard Grieg’s most iconic piece.

This course is created by George Marshall—an award-winning composer with a PhD in Music Composition and over a decade of experience writing music for 60+ film and game projects. As an orchestration teacher to over 250 students, George brings both academic depth and practical insight to the table.

Right now, the course is in its early phase. Students who join today get lifetime access to all future expansions—including additional Grieg movements—and a chance to help shape what’s added next.

Why Grieg? Because his music doesn’t just sound beautiful—it teaches us how to write music that breathes.

You’ve probably heard it before—Grieg’s Morning Mood, floating in like the sunrise.
The solo flute. The hush of strings. That melody, so simple yet unforgettable.

But if you’re a composer, maybe you didn’t just listen.
Maybe you wondered: How does something this gentle feel so alive?
How does Grieg build so much colour—without clutter?
How can one idea grow into a full, expressive piece?

This course is built for that moment.

In this short, focused course, you’ll learn how to:

• Orchestrate clearly and expressively, using real Romantic-era techniques

• Write melodies that feel simple but sing with emotional depth

• Structure full pieces from short ideas—without sounding repetitive (despite using efficient repetition!)

• Study Grieg’s Morning Mood like a mentor—and apply it to your own music

Learning from Grieg isn’t just a theory course. It’s a guided deep-dive into the craft behind Morning Mood—and how you can use those techniques in your own music.

We’ll take you inside the score, showing how orchestration, melody, harmony, and form work together—not as separate tools, but as one expressive language.

You’ll learn:

• How Grieg orchestrates with clarity and emotional color

• How to shape melodies that linger, not just function

• How to expand a short idea into a full form—without sounding forced

• How to write Romantic music that feels effortless, but isn’t vague

What’s Inside: The Real Ingredients of This Course

This course doesn’t just talk about orchestration in theory—we show you exactly what Grieg did, and how you can use it in your own work. You’ll learn how to:

• Use modal mixture and chromatic voice-leading to add Romantic color

• Orchestrate with clarity and texture, starting with a solo instrument and building gradually

• Shape a piece using ABA form, thematic development, and dynamic contrast

• Layer harmonies across strings and winds for warmth without muddiness

• Create memorable, lyrical melodies that feel simple—but resonate deeply

• Avoid common orchestration pitfalls by seeing how Grieg balances melody line, middleground and accompaniment

Every lesson is built around real score examples—so you're not just learning about these techniques, you're learning them through practice.

Course Duration and Future Content

This course currently includes over 2 hours of focused video lessons, designed to be immediately applicable. Every minute is intentional—giving you depth without the overwhelm.

As more students join, I plan to expand the course with additional movements from Peer Gynt.
For every 50 enrollees, a new piece will be added—continuing the journey through Grieg’s rich musical world.

Students get lifetime access to all future content at no extra cost.

Whether you compose with a DAW or a pencil, whether you're writing for strings or MIDI mockups, this course will sharpen your ear, deepen your technique, and give you a mentor in music’s quiet master of mood.

By the end, you won’t just understand Grieg.
You’ll understand how to take your own ideas—
and give them space, sound, and soul.

Join now and start composing with confidence.
Let Grieg guide your next piece.