Grieg: Peer Gynt; Wedding Day at Troldhaugen; Lyric Pieces; Norwegian Bridal Procession

1. Peer Gynt, incidental music, Op. 23 Overture
Composed by Edvard Grieg
Performed by Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra (Kosice) Conducted by Stephen Gunzenhauser

2. Peer Gynt Suite for orchestra (or piano or piano, 4 hands) No. 1, Op. 46 Morning
Composed by Edvard Grieg
Performed by Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra (Kosice) Conducted by Stephen Gunzenhauser

3. Peer Gynt Suite for orchestra (or piano or piano, 4 hands) No. 1, Op. 46 Aase's Death
Composed by Edvard Grieg
Performed by Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra (Kosice) Conducted by Stephen Gunzenhauser

4. Peer Gynt Suite for orchestra (or piano or piano, 4 hands) No. 1, Op. 46 Anitra's Dance
Composed by Edvard Grieg
Performed by Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra (Kosice) Conducted by Stephen Gunzenhauser

5. Peer Gynt Suite for orchestra (or piano or piano, 4 hands) No. 1, Op. 46 In the Hall of the Mountain King
Composed by Edvard Grieg
Performed by Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra (Kosice) Conducted by Stephen Gunzenhauser

6. Peer Gynt Suite for orchestra (or piano or piano, 4 hands) No. 2, Op. 55 Ingrid's Lament
Composed by Edvard Grieg
Performed by Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra (Kosice) Conducted by Stephen Gunzenhauser

7. Peer Gynt Suite for orchestra (or piano or piano, 4 hands) No. 2, Op. 55 Arabian Dance
Composed by Edvard Grieg
Performed by Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra (Kosice) Conducted by Stephen Gunzenhauser

8. Peer Gynt Suite for orchestra (or piano or piano, 4 hands) No. 2, Op. 55 Peer Gynt's Homecoming
Composed by Edvard Grieg
Performed by Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra (Kosice) Conducted by Stephen Gunzenhauser

9. Peer Gynt Suite for orchestra (or piano or piano, 4 hands) No. 2, Op. 55 Solveig's Song
Composed by Edvard Grieg
Performed by Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra (Kosice) Conducted by Stephen Gunzenhauser

10. Bryllupsdag på Troldhaugen (Wedding Day at Troldhaugen), lyric piece for piano, Op. 65/6
Composed by Edvard Grieg
Performed by Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra (Kosice) Conducted by Stephen Gunzenhauser

11. Lyric pieces (2) for orchestra (orchestration of Op. 68/4 & Op. 68/5) No.4: Evening in the Mountain
Composed by Edvard Grieg
Performed by Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra (Kosice) Conducted by Stephen Gunzenhauser

12. Lyric pieces (2) for orchestra (orchestration of Op. 68/4 & Op. 68/5) No.5: Cradle Song
Composed by Edvard Grieg
Performed by Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra (Kosice) Conducted by Stephen Gunzenhauser

13. Brudefølget drager forbi (Bridal Procession), for piano (or piano, 4 hands), Op. 19/2 (Scenes from Folk Life No. 2)
Composed by Edvard Grieg
Performed by Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra (Kosice) Conducted by Stephen Gunzenhauser

14. Sigurd Jorsalfar, suite for orchestra (or piano or piano, 4 hands), Op. 56 Introduction: in the King's Hall
Composed by Edvard Grieg
Performed by Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra (Kosice) Conducted by Stephen Gunzenhauser

15. Sigurd Jorsalfar, suite for orchestra (or piano or piano, 4 hands), Op. 56 Intermezzo: Borghild's Dream
Composed by Edvard Grieg
Performed by Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra (Kosice) Conducted by Stephen Gunzenhauser

16. Sigurd Jorsalfar, suite for orchestra (or piano or piano, 4 hands), Op. 56 Homage March
Composed by Edvard Grieg
Performed by Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra (Kosice) Conducted by Stephen Gunzenhauser

Tracks:

Symphonic Dances, Op.64: I. Allegro Moderato E Marcato - Edvard Grieg
Symphonic Dances, Op.64: II. Allegretto grazioso - Edvard Grieg
Symphonic Dances, Op.64: III. Allegro Giocoso - Edvard Grieg
Symphonic Dances, Op.64: IV. Andante - Allegro Molto E Risoluto - Edvard Grieg
Of Holberg's Days, Op.40: I. Praelude - Edvard Grieg
Of Holberg's Days, Op.40: II. Sarabande - Edvard Grieg
Of Holberg's Days, Op.40: III. Gavotte - Edvard Grieg
Of Holberg's Days, Op.40: IV. Air - Edvard Grieg
Of Holberg's Days, Op.40: V. Rigaudon - Edvard Grieg
In Autumn, Concert Overture, Op.11 - Edvard Grieg
Two Elegiac Melodies for String Orchestra, Op.34 - Edvard Grieg
Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op. 56: I. In The King's Hall - Edvard Grieg
Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op. 56: II. Borghild's Dream - Edvard Grieg
Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op. 56: III. Triumphal March - Edvard Grieg

Tracks:

Peer Gynt, Suite I, Op. 46: I. Morning Mood - E. Grieg
Peer Gynt, Suite I, Op. 46: II. The Death Of Ase - E. Grieg
Peer Gynt, Suite I, Op. 46: III. Anitra's Dance - E. Grieg
Peer Gynt, Suite I, Op. 46: IV. In The Hall Of The Mountain King - E. Grieg
Peer Gynt, Suite II, Op. 55: I. The Abduction And Ingrid's Lament - E. Grieg
Peer Gynt, Suite II, Op. 55: II. Arab Dance - E. Grieg
Peer Gynt, Suite II, Op. 55: III. Peer Gynt's Homecoming - E. Grieg
Peer Gynt, Suite II, Op. 55: IV. Solveig's Song - E. Grieg
Norwegian Dances, Op. 35: I. Allegro marcato - E. Grieg
Norwegian Dances, Op. 35: II. Allegro tranquillo e grazioso - E. Grieg
Norwegian Dances, Op. 35: III. Allegro moderato alla marcia - E. Grieg
Norwegian Dances, Op. 35: IV. Allegro molto - E. Grieg
The Bridal Procession Passes By, Op. 19 - E. Grieg
Wedding Day At Troldhaugen, Op. 65 - E. Grieg
Evening In The Mountains: At The Cradle, Op. 68, Nos. 4 & 5 - E. Grieg
Lyric Suite, Op. 54: I. Shepherd's Boy - E. Grieg
Lyric Suite, Op. 54: II. Norwegian March - E. Grieg
Lyric Suite, Op. 54: III. Notturno - E. Grieg
Lyric Suite, Op. 54: IV. March Of The Dwarfs - E. Grieg

Customer Reviews:

Generous program, mixed quality .......2007-02-09

I'd give it 3 1/2 if I could.

As usual Vox provides two generously filled CDs of music at a bargain price. In addition to the often recorded Peer Gynt Suites and Holberg Suite for string orchestra you get the less frequently recorded sets of Nowegian and Symphonic Dances and the symphonic overture "In Autumn" and much more. Lots of great Grieg here but for a Vox issue this set is a bit disappointing.

First the audio: the whole affair is mixed very quietly. I have to crank this up to the max to hear the quiet passages and even the louder climaxes don't pack the power that they should.

The performances? Well they're actually quite good. Abravenel clearly has an affection for this music and the ensemble and solo playing from the members of the Utah Symphony and Utah Chamber Symphony is very clean and precise if not always as exciting or powerful as it should be ("In the Hall of the Mountain King" and "March of the Dwarfs"). Also at times it sounds as if the arrangements have been simplified to accomodate the smaller fources of the Utah organization.

All an all a nice introduction to these works and a pleasant listen. Also at this price it's an inexpensive way to hear some Grieg beyond the Peer Gynt Suites and the Piano Concerto. But this is clearly not in the same league as Von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic ("Peer Gynt", "Sigurd Jorsalfar") or Neeme Jarvi conducting the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra ("Norwegian Dances", "Symphonic Dances", "In Autumn"), all on Deutsche Grammophon.

These are excellent performances and a great value.......2006-11-04

Unlike the other reviewer, I found absolutely nothing wrong with the VOX discs or the sound quality. As for the performances, quite honestly, I am selling my Blomstedt/SF Symphony 'Peer Gynt' suites. I like Abravanel and the Utah band much better. If you have any interest in the orchestral music of Grieg, you can't do better than this!

Beautiful Music, but Terrible Recording Quality.......2005-05-19

This is my second attempt to obtain a playable copy of this 2 CD set. Maurice Abravenel and the Utah Symphony did a good job of interpeting this fantastic music, but VOX did not do their part. The first set of CD's bombed shortly after starting CD no. 1. I notified Amazon and they promptly sent me a second sealed set. The first time through was okay, but on the third playing, CD no. 1 again failed. It is not playable. However, CD no. 2 appears to be okay. I feel saddened for Mistro Abravenel and the Utah Symphony that their efforts were not matched by the quality of the reproduction.

Pleasant anthology.......2000-12-28

I can't muster as much enthusiasm as the previous reviewer, but I certainly appreciate this set.

Utah has always been a smaller orchestra, sometimes augmented (such as the excellent Mahler 8 on Vanguard), and of course that means fewer strings. With close microphone placement, that aspect is brought out here. While the playing is very good, it is not the best technically--witness some pretty out of tune playing in the Peer Gynt Suite #1, "Morning Mood" in the wicked arpeggiated figures, and the concertmaster is made to sound pretty scrawny in the last movement of Holberg (another solo that never seems to sound idiomatic to my ears). A note, however--the violas sound very nice--full, warm tone and no squwaks!

What is excellent however are most of the performances--another case of lovely performances, if not as polished as others. For example, looking at some other recordings of the Peer Gynt Suites, von Karajan's last essay on DG seems really sterile to me--and consequently very boring, although it is hard to beat the Berlin Phil. Slatkin, on the other hand, has more feeling, but for once, the Telarc engineering seems a little off--but the technical polish of the St. Louis forces can't be missed. Blomstedt w/ San Francisco on Decca has decent engineering, but his orchestra, which plays very well, can't match St. Louis or Berlin in the string tone departments, but does outshine Utah.

One disappointment on this album is the "In Autumn Overture". I think it needs a little more dramatic advocacy, and perhaps a little more technical polish. On the other hand, good luck finding many other recordings of it!

So, this album represents a great way to get all of Grieg's works for orchestra, even if there are a few defects (some technical blemishes and too-close engineering)--none of which should bar the potential buyer.

A best Buy!.......2000-01-19

This budget-priced Album set, contains some very fine performances. Abravanel is a dedicated Grieg interpreter, and his approach is both complementary and shrewdly highlighted in this collection. This performance has long been regarded as the best available. Abravanel elected the kind of Romantic, colorful music that he always conducted with special authority, and the Utah Symphony Orchestra makes some gorgeous sounds, particularly in the Peer Gynt Suite and The Lyric Suite. A bargain.

Grieg: Peer Gynt; Wedding Day at Troldhaugen; Lyric Pieces; Norwegian Bridal Procession

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Grieg: Peer Gynt; Wedding Day at Troldhaugen; Lyric Pieces; Norwegian Bridal Procession

Manufacturer: Lydian
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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