Classical Notes: Grieg

'Ridout’s taut, passionate playing drew out every note, yet his crying solo, as if from a distance, at the opening of the finale was achingly impressive'.

Mendelssohn:

'The enhanced acoustic and their enthusiasm raised the volume to extremes in places, but the sheer exuberance and obvious pleasure evident in their performance had the entire hall rapt'.

'Mari Eriksmoen communicated her Grieg with operatic drama and a bright yet powerful tone throughout'.

'Eirik Grøtvedt was the real vocal revelation, however. He showed incredible bravery when producing a tremulous, fragile pianissimo at the top of his range...yet he also had huge power when needed'.

Timothy Ridout & Leif Ove Andsnes
© Liv Øvland

Leif Ove Andnes:

'In his quiet, gentle way, he demonstrated a sense of the visionary leadership that has clearly built something very special in this beautiful part of Norway'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

James Baillieu & Mari Eriksmoen
© Liv Øvland

Grieg, Edvard (1843-1907): 19 Norske Folkeviser, Op. 66 No. 1, 'Kulok'

Mendelssohn, Felix (1809-1847): Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49

Tveitt, Geirr (1908-1981): Hestemennan (Horsemen)

Marskveld (March evening)

Bera ei sorg (Carrying grief), Op. 246 No. 9

Vaage, Knut (b.1961): Bumerang

Grieg, Edvard: Tolv Melodier (Vinjesangene), Op. 33 Nos. 6-12

Eit Syn (A Vision)

Gamle Mor (The Old Mother)

Det Første (The first thing)

Ved Rundarne (At Rondane)

Et Vennestykke (A Piece on Friendship)

Trudom (Faith)

Fyremål (The Goal)

Mendelssohn, Felix: Six Duets Op. 63, No. 1, Ich wollt' meine Leib' ergösse sich

Die Hochzeit des Capacho, Op. 10, So kehrest du wieder

Grieg, Edvard: Seks Digte, Op. 4

Die Waise (The Orphan)

Morgen Thau (Morning Dew)

Abschied (Farewell)

Jägerlied (Hunting Song)

Das alte Lied (The Old Story)

Wo sind sie hin? (Where have they gone?)

Members of Opus13
© Liv Øvland

Gade, Niels (1817-1890): 4 Fantasiestücke, Op. 43 No. 3

Schumann, Robert (1810-1856): Violin Sonata No. 1 in A minor, Op. 105

Mendelssohn, Felix: String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 13

Vaage, Knut: From 20 Views at Opus 54

Grieg, Edvard: Haugtussa, Op. 67

Det syng (The Enticement)

Veslemøy (Veslemøy)

Blaabærli (Blueberry Slope)

Møte (The Tryst)

Elsk (Love)

Killingdans (Kidlings' Dance)

Vond Dag (Hurtful Day)

Ved Gjætle-Bekken (At the Brook)

Lyric Pieces, Op. 54 No. 6, Bell Ringing

Vaage, Knut: Skråblikk på Haugtussa (Oblique Glance at Haugtussa)

Grieg, Edvard: Intermezzo for cello and piano in A minor, EG115

Vaughan Williams, Ralph (1872-1958): Six Studies in English Folk Song

Grieg, Edvard: from Barnlige Sange, Op. 61

3. Lok (Farmyard)

6. De norske fjelde (The Norwegian Mountains)

2. Sang til juletraet (The Christmas Tree)

5. Kveldssang for Blakken (Goodnight song for Dobbin)

Schumann, Robert: Märchenbilder, Op. 113

Opus13
© Liv Øvland

Grieg, Edvard: Andantino serioso, Op. 28 No.4

Andante con moto, EG116

Tolv Melodier (Vinjesangene), Op. 33 No. 5, Langs ei Aa (Beside the Stream)

Norwegian Dances, Op. 35 Nos. 2-3

Holberg Suite, Op. 40, Sarabande & Rigaudon

Debussy, Claude (1862-1918): Syrinx

Ravel, Maurice (1875-1937): Introduction & Allegro

Clarke, Rebecca (1886-1979): Sonata for Viola and Piano

Ravel, Maurice: 3 Poèmes de Stéphane Mallar mé

Piano Trio

Grieg, Edvard: Fem Digte af John Paulsen, Op. 26

1. Et Håb (Hope)

2. Jeg reiste en deilig Sommerkvæld (I walked one balmy summer eve)

3. De Ærgjerrige (You whispered that you loved me)

4. Med en Primula veris (The first primrose)

5. På Skogstien (Autumn thoughts)

Sex Digte af Ibsens, Op. 25

1. Spillemænd (Fiddlers)

2. En Svane (A Swan)

3. Stambogsrim (Album Lines)

4. Med en Vandlilje (With a Waterlily)

5. Borte! (Departed!)

6. En Fuglevise (A Birdsong)

String Quartet in G minor, Op. 27

Rosendal Chamber Music Festival 2025
© Nick Boston

Vierne, Louis (1870-1937): Piano Quintet, Op. 42
Nordheim, Arne (1931-2010): from Three Unexpected Songs, No.2 Ore, fermate il solo

Marini, Biagio (1594-1663): Balletto secondo, Op. 22 No. 2

Vaage, Knut: Tilstandar, 'Opp av jorda' (Spring)

Silvestrov, Valentin (b.1937): Bagatelle Op. 1 No. 2

Marais, Marin (1656-1728): Suite VII en sol majeur du Troisième Livre de pièces de viole, Prelude No. 93

Suite VI en sol majeur du Cinquième Livre de pièces de viole, Chaconne No. 83

Suite VII en sol majeur du Troisième Livre de pièces de viole, Sarabande No. 99

Suite VII en sol majeur du Troisième Livre de pièces de viole, La Guitare No. 107

Leclair, Jean-Marie (1697-1964): from Deuxième récréation de musique, Op. 8, No. 6 Chaconne

Vaage, Knut: Tilstandar, 'Hauste inn' (Autumn)

Shostakovich, Dmitri (1906-1975): Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 147

Scarlatti, Alessandro (1660-1725): Sinfonia di concerto grosso, No. 8 in G major

Grieg, Edvard: Romancer (ældre og nyere), Op. 39

1. Fra Monte Pincio (From Monte Pincio)

3. I Liden højt deroppe (Upon a grassy hillside)

4. Millon Roser (Among roses)

6 Digte af Holger Drachmann, Op. 49, No. 6 Forårsregn (Spring Showers)

Rosendal Chamber Music Festival 2025
© Nick Boston

Tveitt, Geirr: Femti Folkatonar frao Hardanger for klaver, Op. 150
25. The call of the dairy maid

39. Visiting Saturday in the mountains

10. What beer!

11. God's goodness and God's greatness

Duparc, Henri (1848-1933): Phidylé

Cinq mélodies, Op. 2 No. 1. Soupir

La vague et la cloche

Vaage, Knut: Tilstandar, 'kom lindereid kom' (Summer)

Mendelssohn, Felix: String Octet in E flat major, Op. 20

Vivaldi, Antonio (1678-1741):

Trio Sonata No. 12 in D minor, RV 63 'La Folia'

Andriessen, Louis (1939-2021): Workers Union

Tuesday, 25 February 2025

Gardner and the LPO scale Alpine heights with majestic ease

Steven Osborne (piano)

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Edward Gardner (conductor)

7.30pm, Friday 21 February, 2025

Royal Festival Hall, London

★★★★

León, Tania (b.1943): Pasajes

Grieg, Edvard (1843-1907): Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16

Encore:

arr. Osborne, Steven (b.1971): Londonderry Air

Strauss, Richard (1864-1949): Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64

León:

'Gardner and the LPO gave a precise and energetic performance, with convincing confidence in its challenging rhythms'.

Grieg:

'...we were certainly in safe hands, with Osborne delivering an effortlessly commanding performance of the Grieg'.

Strauss:

'From the atmospheric opening, the falling minor string scale prefiguring the glorious major sunrise theme, Gardner had the LPO on a tight leash'.

'Gardner kept a steely control, within which the players could really let rip. And let rip they did'.

'This was a majestic performance, and a glorious conclusion to another fine outing from the LPO, Gardner continuing to impressively raise their game'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Friday, 1 March 2019

Passion and playfulness in an engaging programme from Joshua Bell and Sam Haywood

Joshua Bell (violin)
Sam Hayward (piano)

Wednesday 27 February 2019

Barbican Hall, London

★★★★

Beethoven: Sonata No. 4 in A minor, Op. 23

Prokofiev: Sonata No. 2 in D major, Op. 94a

Grieg: Sonata No. 2 in G major, Op. 13

Encores:

Clara Schumann: Three Romances, Op. 22 – No.1: Andante molto

Brahms: Hungarian Dances WoO1, No. 1 in G minor, arr. Joachim

Wieniawski: Scherzo-Tarantelle, Op. 16

'Their Beethoven had spark and delicate simplicity, whilst their Prokofiev was full of bite and foot-stomping rhythms'.

Prokofiev:

'Bell took flight with the circus acrobatics of the finale'.

Grieg:

'Bell and Hayward’s passionate performance was a delight'.

Schumann:

'Haywood's limpid opening supporting Bell's beautifully silky tone'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Thursday, 23 August 2018

CD Reviews - August 2018

I’ve seen Huw Wiggin (saxophone) perform solo and with the Ferio Saxophone Quartet in the Brighton Festival, and have always found him to be a highly engaging and entertaining performer, constantly expanding perceptions of what the saxophone can do. The sax is often pigeonholed in jazz territory, but with his debut solo album, Wiggin aims to show that the instrument has much wider expressive possibilities, and he focuses on classical repertoire, much of which was composed before the saxophone was even invented in the mid 19^thcentury. Consequently, most of the works are performed in arrangement, some by pianist John Lenehan, who accompanies Wiggin here. One can only assume that some of the other arrangements are by Wiggin, but they are uncredited, so may be from existing arrangements for other instruments. However, Wiggin makes a strong case for the diverse range of works on offer here, presented broadly speaking in chronological order, from Alessandro Marcello’s (1673-1747) Oboe Concerto right through to Japanese composer Takashi Yoshimatsu’s (b.1953) ‘Sing, Bird’ from 1991. Marcello’s Concerto, possibly known better in Bach’s keyboard arrangement, works surprisingly well here, and Wiggin is able to show off with some intricate ornamentation – not particularly authentic, perhaps, but effective nonetheless. Two arrangements of Schubert songs, ‘Du bist die Ruh’ and ‘Die Forelle’, follow. The former works well, with its straightforward, touching melody given a simple, unaffected touch by Wiggin. The latter I was less convinced by, the slightly four-square nature of the well-known tune sitting less comfortably with the instrument. Lenehan’s arrangement of the Air from Grieg’s (1843-1907) Holberg Suite works very well, however, and Wiggin spins the expressive line beautifully here. Camille Saint-Saëns’ The Swan from Carnival of the Animals never fails to delight, and the saxophone replaces the cello well, adding extra warmth to the beautiful, familiar melody. For two arrangements of short piano works by Debussy (1862-1918), an Arabesque and the popular ‘The Girl with the Flaxen Hair’, Wiggin is joined by Oliver Wass on the harp. The cascading harp arpeggios combine with the simple melody given to the sax in the Arabesque, and The Girl with the Flaxen Hair is given a similar treatment, with Wiggin producing a long, liquid line over the harp’s subtle accompaniment. The 7 Canciones populares españolas (7 popular Spanish songs) by Manuel de Falla (1876-1946) are beautifully atmospheric, and combine lively dance rhythms with eastern infused lyrical melodies, such as in the dark-toned Nana. The piano writing here is not without challenges too, particularly in the final driving Polo, and Lenehan provides incisive support for Wiggin’s passionate, lyrical lines. They move to France for Paule Maurice’s (1910-1967) Tableaux de Provence. This and Yoshimatsu’s piece are the only pieces here actually composed for the saxophone, although the Tableaux were originally conceived for sax and orchestra. Like the de Falla, they combine atmospheric picture-painting with livelier dance-like rhythms, and again, give Wiggin the opportunity to show off the expressive range of the instrument, and Wiggin and Lenehan both relish the set’s joyful conclusion, ‘Lou cabridan’. Two arrangements by Lenehan of well-know works by Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) follow, the complex Fugata followed by the darkly mournful Oblivion, and Wiggin’s sensuous performance here makes this track the standout moment for me. Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Flight of the Bumble-Bee is an ever-popular and fun showpiece, and Wiggin has the opportunity to show off his impressive technical virtuosity here. Closing the disc, Yoshimatsu’s ‘Sing, Bird’ exploits the saxophone’s ability to bend notes and ‘fly’ up and down its registers in a bird-like fashion, with the piano part providing a rippling support. Wiggin’s delicate articulation, particularly in the piece’s quiet conclusion, is mesmerising. This is an impressive collection, definitely achieving Wiggin’s aim of showing the saxophone has a lot more to offer outside its traditional jazz/pop pigeonhole.

Various. 2018. Reflections. Huw Wiggin, John Lenehan, Oliver Wass. Compact Disc. Orchid Classics ORC100084.

Edward Gardner and the BBC Symphony Orchestra have followed up their well-received recording of Elgar’s (1857-1934) Symphony No. 1 with his Symphony No. 2, Op. 63, premiered in 1911 just three years after the great success of the first Symphony. For this recording, as with the first, Gardner has paired the symphony with one of Elgar’s great works for string orchestra, this time the Serenade for Strings, Op. 20. After the instant success of his first Symphony, the response to Elgar’s second was more of a slow burn. Ostensibly dedicated to the late King Edward VII, it is in fact more personally inspired, Elgar saying ‘I have written out my soul’ in the work, along with the Violin Concerto and The Music Makers. The mammoth opening movement is dominated by a passionate but stately theme, known as the ‘Spirit of Delight’ (a reference to Shelley). Gardner and the BBCSO give this weight without ever getting bogged down, and the contrast between this and the more complex, reflective passages are all the more striking here. The funereal second movement also has passion, but again Gardner keeps this under control, bringing out the poignancy of Elgar’s personal lament. The short Rondo has fitful pace here, and Gardner and the BBCSO players present the finale’s complex fugal passage with taut precision. As with all his Elgar recordings to date, Gardner never overindulges, but this is never dry or without passion either. The Symphony is paired here with a warm reading of the youthfully charming Serenade for Strings. Its three short movements combine lyricism and expression with gently rocking rhythms, and Gardner and the BBCSO strings give us a particularly tender slow movement here. Another fine Elgar recording from Gardner, highly recommended.

Elgar, E. 2018. Symphony No. 2, Serenade for Strings. BBC Symphony Orchestra, Edward Gardner. Hybrid Super Audio Compact Disc. Chandos CHSA 5197.

(Edited versions of these reviews first appeared in GScene, August 2018)

Thursday, 17 August 2017

CD Reviews - August 2017

Early music ensemble Collegium Musicum 90, directed from the violin by Simon Standage present ‘Maestro Corelli’s Violins’, with music by three violinist-composers who worked with Corelli. So no music by Corelli here in fact, but instead some fabulously vibrant and energetic music from these lesser-known composers following in his footsteps. Regular readers might recognise Antonio Montanari (1676-1737) from a recording I reviewed of his Concertos performed by Johannes Pramsohler and the Ensemble Diderot (more from them next month). The two recordings share two of the Op. 1 Concertos – Nos. 6 and 7, and Collegium Musicum 90 also perform No. 2. It’s great to hear this wonderful music on disc again so soon, and to have the chance to hear two slightly different takes on some of Montanari’s music. Standage’s approach is a little more full-blooded, emphasising the energy of these works, perhaps in keeping with the rest of his disc’s programme, whereas Pramsohler brings out more of the subtlety in the solo writing – but both relish the mystery in the striking slow movement of No. 6. Sadly, little else of Montanari’s music has survived, but it’s great to have two such excellent exponents championing what we do have. Standage’s disc opens with a fabulously energetic and lively Concerto (Op. 7 No. 11) by Giuseppe Valentini (1681-1753). Its six movements include a stately Largo, a driven Allegro with typical Corelli-esque rapid violin figuration, and a lively jig to finish. Standage drives this with great spirit and fun, although the central Grave sections feel a tad aggressive. The two Concertos by Giovanni Mossi (c.1680-1742), from his Op. 4 set of 12, are real gems, full of inventive use of interplay between the solo instruments – no fewer than four violins and a cello in No. 12, with four further violins and no viola in the accompanying ‘ripieno’, creating an unusual and complex texture. Here, the bright sound and infectious energy from the Collegium players is a delight. Overall, this is a joyous disc, giving great insight into music beyond Corelli from 18^th century Rome. Highly recommended.

Various. 2017. Maestro Corelli's Violins. Collegium Musicum 90, Simon Standage. Compact Disc. Chandos Chaconne CHAN 0818.

Another period instrument ensemble, the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, has ventured into later territory for their CD, ‘The Romantics’. For these live recordings they are joined as Guest Director by violinist Shunske Sato, who is also the soloist in Niccolò Paganini’s (1782-1840) Violin Concerto No. 4 which ends the disc. But they open with a warm and energetic performance of Edvard Grieg’s (1843-1907) Holberg Suite – subtitled a ‘Suite in the Olden Style’. It is suite of dance movements, in the Baroque style, yet Grieg’s Romantic sensibility shines through in the rich writing for strings – Grieg said it the string orchestra for this should ideally be sixty players. As is often the way when period instrument groups move into later repertoire, they bring a welcome incision and attention to detail. Sato also introduces more Romantic stylistic approaches into the mix, such as extensive portamento (slides), particularly in the Air, where it is a little overdone. However, it is full of life, as is the String Symphony No. 3 by Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) that follows. Remarkably, Mendelssohn wrote twelve string symphonies between the age of 12 and 14. Produced when he was having composition lessons from Carl Friedrich Zelter, they nevertheless only precede works of genius such as the String Octet by a couple of years, so Mendelssohn clearly learned fast and honed his skills of melodic invention, harmony and counterpoint in these delightful pieces. A bit like the Grieg, these look backwards to Baroque style, sounding quite Handelian. And again, a performance from a period instrument outfit brings out these roots in the music, and the ABO play with great precision and poise. The finale of their concert is the Paganini Concerto, with the ABO Artistic Director, Paul Dyer now conducting. Paganini composed six Concertos, which he performed himself, and the scores were not published until after his death. They are of course showpieces for his phenomenal technique, and the orchestra is there pretty much as backing accompaniment. Sato is highly impressive here, and seems to breeze through the technical demands that Paganini throws at him, particularly in the crazy Rondo galante that finishes proceedings. The melodramatic funereal slow movement is wonderfully over the top, and Sato milks the sobbing solo part for all it’s worth. This is all about the soloist, and Sato certainly does not disappoint. A fun conclusion to a highly entertaining programme.

Various. 2017. The Romantics. Shunske Sato, Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, Paul Dyer. Compact Disc. ABC Classics 481 4952.

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet is on his sixth volume of Piano Sonatas by Franz Joseph Haydn (1731-1809) – given that he wrote roughly 60, there’s still some way to go! Here we have another five, none of which are particularly well known or regularly performed. Yet as ever, Bavouzet brings his dedication and insight, making this another enjoyable collection. Numbering of Haydn’s sonatas is problematic, with two numbering systems and uncertainty about the provenance of a few – I’ll stick with the more recent Landon system. Bavouzet begins with No. 11, with its bright, crisp opening movement, and touching slow movement. He combines energy and clarity in the former with delicacy and a beautifully singing tone in the latter. This sets the pattern for the whole disc, with that combination of crisp clarity and sensitivity shining through. No. 43 that follows has the same brightness and energy, but with greater virtuosity, which Bavouzet makes sound effortless, particularly the hand-crossing show of the final Presto. As with other volumes in the series, Bavouzet exploits ornamentation and decoration in the repeats with exquisite taste, managing to add interest without it ever feeling intrusive. Nos. 34, 35 and 36 make up the rest of this volume – although again, the numbering is deceptive here, as the chronological order is far from clear. There is even some uncertainty that No. 35 is actually by Haydn, although the argument in his favour is strong. Regardless of such doubts, it is a joyful and playful sonata, and Bavouzet exploits the humour here to great effect. No. 34 has a beautiful central slow movement, followed by a clever Minuet with variations, and No. 36 that finishes the disc has a poised Adagio, ending with a lively Presto. Bavouzet is a delight throughout, and despite being one volume in an extended project, he raises this way above a catalogue exercise.

Haydn, F. J. 2017. Piano Sonatas, Volume 6. Jean-Efflam Bavouzet. Compact Disc. Chandos CHAN 10942.

(Edited versions of these reviews first appeared in GScene, August 2017)

Classical Notes

Wednesday, 20 August 2025

A spectacular swansong for the Rosendal Chamber Music Festival

Tuesday, 25 February 2025

Gardner and the LPO scale Alpine heights with majestic ease

Friday, 1 March 2019

Passion and playfulness in an engaging programme from Joshua Bell and Sam Haywood

Thursday, 23 August 2018

CD Reviews - August 2018

Thursday, 17 August 2017

CD Reviews - August 2017

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