Customer Reviews

Grieg: Complete Music with Orchestra [Box Set]

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

A+

Jarvi has been a fine advocate of Scandinavian music over the last 30 years. Even of those such as Grieg and Sibelius who you would think no longer needed advocacy. Most of these recordings were warmly welcomed on their releases and several won awards. And it's nothing but a pleasure to see them reappear again. The orchestral playing is sumptuous, but the real stand out is the singing of Barbara Bonney on several CDs.

This is now the fourth or fifth release for some of these CDs, first came the individual volumes, then the full price box, then releases on budget DG Classikon, and now a Collector's Edition box at half the price, but sadly minus the texts to CDs 2,3 and 6. This won't matter so much in the orchestral songs, CD6, where the texts to Bergtekne, Bergliot etc. are available in other releases or on the Lieder web page, but CDs 2 and 3 are currently the only complete recording of Peer Gynt and the sung or spoken texts are not available outside sheet music collections. Personally (as someone more interested in the vocal music than the orchestral) I would try and locate the original volumes, but at least DG has given those who don't feel the extra expense is justified a cheaper option.

Further recommendation: Anne Sofie von Otter's recording of the Haugtussa song cycle.

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.

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.

Grieg: Complete Music with Orchestra [Box Set] is a Deutsche Grammophon Compilation that features the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra being led by Neeme Jarvi. The set contains 6 cd's and being a Deutsche Grammophon the sound quality is nothing less then amazing. It verily sounds as if one is listening to this recording live. Highly recommended. 5/5.

This is an excellent collection by Jarvi and the Gothenburg SO. If you are into "complete everything" this set is a good place to start. I had not heard the symphonic dances or Grieg's symphony before so I got to hear some new (for me) music. 6 CDs is quite a bit and if the singing in Norwegian had been bumped from the set that would have been fine with me. As an alternative selection if you want a major meal, but not the 7 course offering here, is the Deutsche Grammophon Panorama series. Jarvi also has a great Sibelius Symphonies & Tone Poems with the same orchestra on Deutsche Grammophon.

I had forgotten how bad Deutsche Grammophon CDs are from a sound engineering point of view!!!
I regret the purchase of this collection!
Jose Rafael Arango