Jarvi: Grieg – Complete Music with Orchestra (6 CD box set, FLAC)

Composer: Edvard Grieg
Orchestra: Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Neeme Jarvi
Audio CD
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 6 CD box set
Format: FLAC (tracks+cue)
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
ASIN: B00005KK4O
Size: 1.57 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

CD 01
Piano Concerto in A minor Op.16
01. I. Allegro molto moderato
02. II. Adagio – attacca
03. III. Allegro moderato
Lilya Zilberstein, piano

04. In Autumn Op.11

Symphonic Dances Op.64
05. I. Allegro moderato e marcato
06. II. Allegretto grazioso
07. III. Allegro giocoso
08. IV. Andante – Allegro molto

CD 02
From Holberg’s Time Op.40
01. I. Preludium: Allegro vivace
02. II. Sarabanda: Andante
03. III. Gavota: Allegretto-Musette : Un poco mosso-Gavotte
04. IV. Aria : Andante religioso
05. V. Rigaudon : Allegro con brio

Two elegic Melodies Op.34
06. I. The Wounded Heart : Allegretto espressivo
07. II. Last Spring : Andante

Two Melodies Op.53
08. I. Norwegian : Allegro risoluto-Poco tranquillo
09. II. The First Meeting : Lento

Two Nordic Melodies Op.63
10. I. In Folk Style : Andante
11. II. Cow-Call : Andantino

Two Lyric Pieces Op.68
12. I. Evening in the Mountains : Andantino
13. II. At the Cradle : Allegretto con moto

Lyric Suite Op.54 -19.02
14. I. Shepherd Boy : Andantino espressivo
15. II. Bell Ringing : Andante
16. Norwegian March : III. Allegretto marcato
17. IV. Notturno : Andante
18. V. March of the Trolls : Allegro marcato

CD 03
Peer Gynt Op.23
01. No.1 I Bryllupsgarden
02. No.2 Halling
03. No.3 Springar
04. No.4 Bruderovet. Ingrids Klage (Suite No.2-1)
05. No.5 Peer Gynt Og Saeterjentene
06. No.6 Peer Gynt Og Den Gronnkledte
07. No.7 Peer Gynt: “Pе Ridestellet Skal Storfolk Kjendes”
08. No.8 I Dovregubbens Hall (Suite No.1-4)
09. No.9 Dans Av Dovregubbens Datter
10. No.10 Peer Gynt Jages Av Troll
11. No.11 Peer Gynt Og Boygen
12. No.12 Ases Dod – Prelude To Act III (Suite No.1-2)
13. No.12 Ases Dod – Act III Scene 4
14. No.13 Morgenstemning (Suite No.1-1)
15. No.14 Tyven Og Heleren
16. No.15 Arabisk Dans (Suite No.2-2)
17. No.16 Anitras Dans (Suite No.1-3)
18. No.17 Peer Gynts Serenade
19. No.18 Peer Gynt Og Anitra
20. No.19 Solveigs Sang (Suite No.2-4)
21. No.20 Peer Gynt Ved Memnonstotten
22. No.21 Peer Gynts Hjemfart. Stormfull Aften Pa Havet (Suite No.2)
23. No.22 Skipsforliset
24. No.23 Solveig Synger I Hytten

CD 04
Peer Gynt, Op.23
01. No.24 Nattscene
02. No.25 Pinsesalme : “Velsignede Morgen”
03. No.26 Solveigs Vuggevise
Barbara Bonney : Soprano (Solveig)
Urban Malmberg : Baritone (Peer Gynt)
Marianne Eklof : Mezzo-Soprano (Anitra)
Carl Gustaf Holmgren : Baritone (Receiver)
Maria Andersson, Monica Einarson, Charlotte Forsberg : Sopranos (Herd-Girls)
Gosta Ohlin’s Vocal Ensemble
Pro Musica Chamber Choir

Sigurd Jorsalfar Op.22
04. Fanfares
05. No.1 Prelude to Act I
06. No.2 Intermezzo : Borghild’s Dream
07. No.3 The Matching Game
08. No.4 The Northland Folk
09. No.5 Homage March
10. No.6 Interlude I
11. No.7 Interlude II
12. No.8 The King’s Song
Kjell Magnus Sandve, tenor
Gosta Ohlin’s Vocal Ensemble
Pro Musica Chamber Choir

Funeral March In Memory Of Rikard Nordraak
13. Lento

Norwegian Dances Op.35
14. I. Allegro Marcato
15. II. Allegro Tranquillo E Grazioso
16. III. Allegro Moderato Alla Marcia
17. IV. Allegro Molto

CD 05
Symphony in C minor
01. I. Allegro molto
02. II. Adagio espressivo
03. III. Intermezzo : Allegro energico
04. IV. Finale : Allegro molto vivace

05. Landkjenning Op.31
Hakan Hagegard, baritone
Men’s Voices of the Gothenburg Symphony Chorus

Olav Trygvason Op. 50
06. Scene I
07. Scene II
08. Scene III
Randi Stene, mezzo-Soprano (A Woman)
Anne Gjevang, contralto (The Sibyl)
Hakan Hagegard, baritone (A High Priest)

CD 06
Old Norwegian Melody with Variations Op.51
01. 1. Poco tranquillo
02. 2. Tema. Andantino espressivo
03. 3. Poco Allegro, ma tranquilo
04. 4. Energico
05. 5. Allegro leggiero
06. 6. Poco Andante
07. 7. Maestoso
08. 8. Allegro scherzando e leggiero
09. 9. Andante
10. 10. Andante molto tranquillo
11. 11. Presto
12. 12. Tempo di Menuetto
13. 13. Allegro marcato
14. 14. Tempo di Valse
15. 15. Adagio molto espressivo
16. 16. Allegro molto marcato
17. 17. Pomposo
18. 18. Prestissimo
19. 19. Andante molto tranquillo

Songs with Orchestra
20. The First Meeting
21. From Mount Pincio
22. A Swan
23. Spring
24. Henrik Wergeland
Barbara Bonney, soprano
Hakan Hagegard, baritone

25. Den Bergtekne Op.32
Hakan Hagegard, baritone

26. Foran Sydens Kloster Op.20
Barbara Bonney, soprano,
Randi Stene, mezzo-soprano
Women’s Voices if the Gothenburg Symphony Chorus

27. Bergliot Op.42

It’s all here

Norwegian-born Edvard Grieg has created many works for the orchestra, and this 6-CD box set contains almost all of them. Neeme Jarvi handles the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and the choirs very well. The sound is crystal clear and has the perfect digital sound for every CD player/stereo.

For the long works, the Piano Concerto is attention-grabbing and beautiful. The Symphonic Dances and the Norwegian Dances are lively and tremendously extraordinary. The lesser-known Symphony in C Minor should be more recognized, as it is as powerful as other symphonies, like Mahler’s first and Beethoven’s sixth. For the short works, In Autumn and Landkjenning can be best described as sheer masterpieces.

For Peer Gynt, it is good to hear the first digitally-recorded authentic version. The suite version is just not enough for that full listening experience. NOTE: if you want to buy a Peer Gynt that includes the complete dialogue, I would recommend conductor Ole Kristian Ruud’s version with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra; the dialogue lengthens the 90-minute work by two hours.

To know the rest is to listen to them straight through. All the works in this box set (especially the Piano Concerto) should be a possession for all Grieg-lovers.

An Excellent Set of Even Quality

If it’s by Grieg and involves the orchestra, it’s here.

Deutsche Grammophon has in every case deferred to Neeme Järvi’s recording of any given work. This leads to a consistence that makes this boxed set a sure-fire success. Granted, not every recording here is the *best* of each work, but each recording is well up to Järvi’s (and DG’s) high standards. None are sub-par; all are worth your time.

More than most composers, Grieg seems to be the target of “too much of a good thing” arguments. This is more or less bunk, though someone who only knows the Peer Gynt suites may be a bit overwhelmed by this complete set.

Peer Gynt is marred by lack of texts. The Norwegian dialogue is so-so. (It can be omitted with some labor by using a program such as FreeRip to copy the music to your computer without the dialogue.) The only place where the dialogue (narration, technically) is actually tiresome is in Bergliot, Op. 42. I do not listen to it much as a consequence.

The mainly choral work Olav Trygvason, Op. 50, proved to be one of the greatest finds in the set. The music is exciting and on occasion chilling. The three soloists are well up to the task of conveying the paganistic fervor of this piece.. Another gem is the Funeral March in Memory of Rikard Nordraak. It is packed with the emotional depth that one would expect after Grieg lost one of his close friends. (It was Nordraak that encouraged Grieg to invest his energy in Norwegian music. We may be thankful for that.)

All six discs are incredibly well filled, each between 72 and 74 minutes in length. DG attains consistently fine sound throughout.

Overall, this set is of the highest quality–both in sound and in performance. Though some performances (the Piano Concerto and parts of Peer Gynt) have probably been bested, this set makes a splendid base of any Grieg collection, offering unalloyed pleasure to anyone who enjoys Grieg and his art.

An excellent box-set

This box-set a must have for any Grieg lovers.
Neeme Jarvi is very good.
In first CD, there is a powerful performance of Piano Concerto by Zilberstein.She is also great in F.Liszt recordings (at DG Classics). In second CD, works for string orchestra (including, famous Holberg Suite) to be found. And in 3rd and 4th CDs, marvellous recordins of Peer Gynt and Sigurd Jorsalfar (Sigurd, the Crusader)to be found.This works are the first recordings of complete score. Still, speakers to be present at Peer Gynt.And Funeral March for R. Nordraak is very influence in 4th CD.The wind ensemble of Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra is very good…
In 5th CD, there is an unknown work by Grieg: Symphony in C-minor. This work written in early period, but didn’t perfomed often. Still, this work’s name is “Forbidden Symphony”…And then, a majestic work “Land-Sighting” to be found. This is very successful choral work of composer and he written in a heavenly tone:E Major…And then, there is an unknown work again, an incomplete opera: “Olav Trygvason”… Grieg written this work on a libretto by his friend, Bjornson (a famous poet of Norway), but he could finish first act…
And in last CD, there are other vocal works, and his beatiful work: “Old Norwegian Melody with Variations”. And then, 5 Songs to be found. This songs originally written for voice and piano (like other many songs) but he later orchestrated these works.And the first song “The First Meeting” was discovered in 80’s and still, they used a new edition, published from new founded manuscript, so this is the first recording of Grieg’s beatiful song.
In other words: this box-set is excellent and Highly recommended.