Marvelous Orchestral Transcriptions of Grieg's Music
JohnL | Alexander, NC United States | 04/15/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Contents of this disc:
Slatter, Op.72 (arr. O. Summerfeldt): No.8 (2:46), No.4 (4:01), No.2 (2:21)
Norwegian Dances, Op.35 (arr. H. Sitt): No.1 (6:12), No.2 (2:34), No.3 (3:25), No.4 (5:24)
Funeral March in Memory of Rikard Nordraak, EG 107 (arr. J. Halvorsen) (7:48)
Bridal Procession, Op.19: No.2 (arr. J. Halvorsen) (3:38)
Ballade, Op.24 (arr. G. Tveitt) (19:35)
Ringing Bells, Op.54: No.6 (arr. E. Grieg & A. Seidl) (4:27)
Wonderful music this is! The Slatter were originally folk dances and tunes that were transcribed by Grieg for piano. The versions heard here were later orchestrated by Oystein Sommerfeldt. This a world premiere recording of this transcription, very nicely played by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, conducted by Bjarte Engeset. The familiar Norwegian Dances were vividly orchestrated by Hans Sitt. They come off wonderfully here, as do the Bridal Procession and Funeral March for R. Nordraak. But without a doubt, the highlight of this disc is the orchestral transcription of Grieg's Ballade, Op.24. This is a heartfelt emotional work, magnificently orchestrated by Geirr Tveitt: also a world premiere recording. The CD nicely concludes with Bell Ringing, from Grieg's Op.54 Lyric Pieces. This release was awarded Disc of the Month on Classics Today in March 2007. Their review, a "10/10" (their highest) concludes with these words: "...everyone loves this music (or should), and the combination of spontaneous, winning interpretations, terrific playing, great sound, and the rarity of some of the arrangements makes this offering completely irresistible." Another winner from Naxos, at a great price.
"
Orchestrations of Grieg Piano Pieces
J Scott Morrison | Middlebury VT, USA | 05/03/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"During my adolescence in the relatively non-ironic 1950s the music of Grieg was frequently featured in both piano recitals and orchestral concerts. With rare exceptions, that popularity has faded and one reason for that, I suggest, is that Grieg's healthy, non-neurotic, humanistic music is less appealing in these jaded and skeptical times. Grieg was one of the great early nationalists and his music teems with the simple peasant qualities of exceptionally tuneful Norwegian folk melodies. That is a central quality of the music recorded here.
What makes this CD a bit unusual is that it features orchestrations of Grieg's piano music, only one of which was actually carried out by Grieg himself. The rest were made by other Norwegian composers with the exception of the orchestration of the Norwegian Dances, Op. 25, by Hans Sitt, a German. Grieg did revise an earlier orchestration of the brief 'Ringing Bells' from his Lyric Pieces done by conductor Anton Seidl. Easily the most impressive of the lot is the orchestration of the twenty-minute piano 'Ballade in G minor, Op. 24' made by the great Norwegian composer Geir Tveitt. This alone, for me, justifies the purchase of this budget issue. Tveitt was in the generation after Grieg and as a nationalist was Grieg's heir. He expands Grieg's orchestration style by including such things as celesta and harp and making striking uses of string harmonics and ponticello effects. The Ballade, written during a time of great stress in Grieg's life -- death of both parents, struggles with religious doubt, concerns that he and his wife could not have children -- is perhaps the most autobiographical of all his instrumental pieces although it has also been interpreted by some as a paean to the Norwegian homeland.
Music lovers who have never heard these orchestrations will come upon familiar piano works in a new guise. Particularly charming is the orchestration of the second of the Norwegian Dances -- Allegretto tranquillo e grazioso -- with the plangent transfer of its nonchalant melody to the oboe (and later other winds) and with pizzicato lower strings imitating the oompah of the piano bass-line.
The booklet notes, written by the CD's conductor Bjarte Engeset, are a model of their kind. The Royal Scottish National Orchestra play as to the manner born. Recorded sound is transparent and lifelike.
Recommended.
Scott Morrison"
