The composers Edvard Grieg, Jean Sibelius and Ingvar Lidholm all wrote music for cello and piano. The works were all composed during various stages of the composers lives, and reflect in different ways, traditions, influences and new tendencies in Nordic music and the developments between 1867 and 1955. What they all had in common was leaving the Nordic countries for the continent at various stages in their lives for studies, concerts or inspiration. On these travels they met early the great persons of the day in music, art and literature. There they experienced the different tendencies that grew during the last part of the 19th century and the first part of the 20th century and they brought home these experiences.