Grieg: Piano Transcriptions Of Songs, Op. 52 / 23 Small Pieces /

Steen-Nokleberg

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Cat No: 8553400

Release Date: 12 January 1999

Label: Naxos - Nxc / Naxos Classics

Packaging Type: Jewel Case

No of Units: 1

Barcode: 730099440028

Genres: Classical

Composer/Series: GRIEG

Description
EdvardGrieg (1843 -1907) PianoMusic Vol.14 Edvard Grieg was born inBergen, on the west coast of Norway, in 1843. He showed astrong interest in music at a very early age, and after encouragement from theviolinist and composer Ole Bull (1810 -1880) was sent to the Conservatory in Leipzig at the age of fifteento receive his musical education. There he had fundamental and solid musicaltraining, and through the city's flourishing musical life, received impressionsand heard music which would come to leave its stamp on him for the rest of hislife - for better or for worse. Even though he severely criticized the LeipzigConservatory, especially towards the end of his life, in reality hisexceptional gifts were recognised, and one sees in his sketchbooks of the Leipzig period that he had thefreedom to experiment as well. He had no good reason to criticize theconservatory, nor his teachers, for poor teaching or a lack of understanding. From Leipzig Griegtravelled to Copenhagen, bringing with him thesolid musical training he had acquired, and there soon became known as apromising young composer. It was not long before he carne under the influenceof Rikard Nordraak, whose glowing enthusiasm and unshakeable belief that thekey to a successful future for Norwegian music lay in nationalism, in theuniquely Norwegian, the music of the people - folk-songs - came to play adecisive role in Grieg's development as a composer. Nordraak's influence ismost obvious in the Humoresques for piano, Op. 6, which was considered aturning-point in Grieg's career as a composer. In the autumn of 1866,Grieg settled in Christiania (Oslo).In 1874 Norway's capital was thecentre for his activities. During this time he also wrote the majority of theworks which laid the foundation for his steadily increasing fame. In spite ofhis poor health -he had had a defective lung ever since childhood -he wasconstantly on concert-tour as a pianist or as a conductor, always with his ownworks on the programme. After his last concert-tour in 1907, he wrote to hisfriend Frants Beyer: This Tour has beenstrange. The Audiences have been on my Side. In Germany I have received more acclaim for my ART than ever before. But the Critics both in Munich and in Berlin have let me know in nouncertain terms, that they think I am a dead Man. That is my punishment formy lack of Productivity in these last Years, which my wretched physicalcondition has caused. It is a hard and undeserved Punishment -but Icomfort myself with the thought that it is not the Critics, who govern theworld. (Letter to Frants Beyer, 5th March, 1907) ?áMore clearly thananything else, this letter shows a trend which Grieg experienced in his lateryears in relation to his music. It was also a development which would continueinternationally until long after his death. Within the musical"establishment", there were increasing numbers of people who weregradually becoming more critical of Grieg's music and of his abilities andtalent
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