Title : Grieg: Lyric Pieces (Performed on Grieg's Piano)
Author : Grieg, Edvard
Release Date : 20020312
Binding : Audio CD
Regular Price : $16.98
Amazon.com Price : $13.83
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Editorial Reviews : Grieg's 66 Lyric Pieces range from simple pretty tunes like the early 'Arietta' that opens this disc to more extended pieces like the dashing 'Wedding Day at Troldhaugen' to impressionistic miniature tone poems like the late 'Summer Evening.' Here, Andsnes plays 24 of them, well-chosen to cover a representative selection from the complete sets. He plays them beautifully, with a lovely tone, virtuoso polish when such is called for, as in the express ride of 'March of the Trolls,' and poetic depth of feeling, as in 'The Brook,' where in his interpretation you can almost smell the grass and see the light ripples of the water. Gilels's selection on DG, with minimum overlap, is still unmatched, but Andsnes's well-recorded recital is a source of endless pleasures. Of added interest, the recording was made at Grieg's home, now a museum, on his 1892 Steinway.
Buyer Reviews : This review is for three categories of people considering the purchase of this CD.
1. For those who are not familiar with Grieg's Lyric Pieces: 'enchanting' may be the best word to summarize this set of subtle, lyrical, and exotic short piano pieces. Grieg has a distinctive voice as a composer, and these pieces showcase his ideas well. Modal harmonies and Scandanavian sounds mix effortlessly with traditional romantic beauty to create a sparkling spectrum of moods and textures. If you are a fan of piano music looking for something other than Beethoven and Chopin, try Grieg next.
2. For those who have the Gilels CD and wonder whether to get this one too: YES. Fourteen of the pieces on this CD are not on Gilels's, including favorites like March of the Dwarfs, Wedding Day at Troldhaugen, and the Waltz in A minor. On at least a few of the pieces that overlap, I'll admit a slight preference for Gilels, but even so, there is little redundancy, because the differences in interpretation are often fascinating in their own right.
3. For those deciding whether to start with this or Gilels: I recommend this one, for one main reason. Andsnes plays a few more of the early pieces than Gilels. Grieg's style changed quite a bit over the years, so I feel that the more rounded set on this CD would probably make a better introduction. Still, you won't go wrong with either.
