Ballad For Edvard Grieg

Ballad For Edvard Grieg

Released in honor of the centenary of Grieg's death, this is a loving tribute to Norway's greatest composer by a compatriot and renowned interpreter of his music. The album includes reissues of Andsnes' award-winning recording of the "Concerto" with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Lyric Pieces, recorded in Grieg's home on his own piano, and a new recording of the "Ballade Op. 24," an unfamiliar piece Andsnes only recently added to his repertoire and is performing in public for the first time this season. Dark, brooding, and melancholy, it was written when Grieg, despite his growing international fame, was facing personal and creative crises. Cast in the form of a large-scale set of variations, it is essentially a series of almost improvisatory character pieces, related but highly contrasting in style, sound, texture, and mood. It is technically extremely demanding, especially as it builds toward its spectacular final climax. The Lyric Pieces, composed throughout most of Grieg's life, are charming, descriptive miniatures; they vary in style from impressionism to folk-music, and in mood from the pensive, poetic "Homesickness" to the cheerful, robust dance, "Wedding Day at Troldhaugen." The "Concerto," written in 1868 when Grieg was only 25, is the epitome of unabashed romanticism and one of the repertoire's enduring favorites. Though sometimes dismissed as unsophisticated and naÃ¯ve, its qualities emerge clearly in the right hands, and Andsnes' performance could hardly be bettered. He commands the keyboard with natural, unobtrusive virtuosity and an infinite variety of touch, color, and nuance. The melodies sing; cascades of runs ripple and flow with crystal clarity; tone and expression can change in an instant. Mightily abetted by the wonderful orchestra, he makes the music sound wistful, dreamy, and delicate, or grand and heroic; it never loses its elegance and sentiment never turns into sentimentality. --Edith Eisler
Country USA
Brand EMI CLASSICS
Manufacturer Warner Classics
Binding Audio CD
ItemPartNumber 94639439928
ReleaseDate 2007-09-03
UnitCount 1
Format Import
UPCs 094639439928
EANs 0094639439928

Country	USA
Brand	EMI CLASSICS
Manufacturer	Warner Classics
Binding	Audio CD
ItemPartNumber	94639439928
ReleaseDate	2007-09-03
UnitCount	1
Format	Import
UPCs	094639439928
EANs	0094639439928

Ballad For Edvard Grieg

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