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Grieg - Choral Music

£12.69

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Label: BIS

Cat No: BISSACD1661

Barcode: 7318599916613

Format: Hybrid SACD

Number of Discs: 1

Genre: Vocal/Choral

Release Date: 1st October 2007

Works

Grieg
Ved Rondane (At Rondane)

Grieg
Jeg lagde mig sa sildig (I Lay Down So Late)

Grieg
To religiose kor (Two Religious Choral Songs) [Blegnet, segnet; Ave, Maris Stella]

Grieg
Margrethes vuggesang (Margaret’s Cradle Song)

Grieg
Kveldssang for Blakken (Goodnight Song for Dobbin)

Grieg
Landkjenning (Land-Sighting)

Grieg
Varen (Last Spring)

Grieg
I Folketone (In the Folk Style – based on Det var engang from Lyric Pieces, Op.71)

Grieg
Fire Salmer (Four Psalms)

Artists

Det Norske Solistkor (The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir)

Conductor

Grete Pedersen

Works

Artists

Det Norske Solistkor (The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir)

Conductor

Grete Pedersen

About

This disc brings to light an aspect of the master’s music that is less known outside of his native Norway. While his orchestral works, songs and piano music have conquered the world, Edvard Grieg’s choral music has to a certain extent remained a national concern. Actually he wrote quite a number of choral pieces, reflecting the fact that choral singing was particularly important in Norway at the time – principally as a contribution to developing a sense of national identity.

The present selection includes examples of pieces for both male voice and mixed choir, some of them original compositions, and some arrangements for choir – by Grieg and others – of his songs, such as Last Spring.

By his own account, Grieg’s foremost source of inspiration was the folk music of Norway, something which is brought out on this disc by the music itself as well as in the performances. The Op. 74 Psalms, one of Grieg’s very last works, are a case in point: discovering them in a collection of Norwegian folk songs, Grieg was taken in by the tunes, writing in his diary: ‘These melodies are so lovely that they deserve to be preserved in an artistic costume.’ Indeed, his refusal to compromise the characteristics of these folk melodies brought Grieg further ahead musically than ever before. Four Psalms points to things to come, and with this leap into the future Grieg ended his creative endeavours.

Performing this fascinating programme is the Norwegian Soloists’ Choir, a superb ensemble made up of 26 young, professionally trained singers. Its artistic director is Grete Pedersen, who has established a new performance practice in Norwegian choral music, making traditional singing and folk music one of her starting points.