The Songs of Edvard Grieg [Hardcover]

Beryl Foster (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0859677915 | ISBN-13: 978-0859677912 | Publication Date: November 1990

Edvard Grieg's 180 songs mirror his artistic and personal development more intimately than any of his other music, yet are still the least known part of his output. This definitive appraisal, now revised and updated, discusses every song, including those left only in manuscript and sketches at the composer's death, set against the background of his life and times. It also deals with the poetry set, often chosen to reflect his current situation, and the poets, several of whom, including great figures of the day such as Ibsen and Bjornson, were his friends and colleagues. Grieg frequently bemoaned poor translations and indifferent performances, and the various editions and translations, from first publication to the present day, are also discussed, together with his own ideas for interpretation. Musical examples and analysis are included to give a closer understanding of Grieg's word-setting and harmonic development, although their performance is always kept paramount. BERYL FOSTER is a graduate of London University and studied singing in Colchester and at the Royal College of Music. As well as all the usual repertoire, since 1980 she has made a particular study of the songs of Grieg and other Norwegian composers, giving recitals, lectures and workshops in Britain, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and China. She is also a private teacher and festival adjudicator.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Beryl Foster's authoritative study can claim to be the most thorough investigation of this repertoire yet to have appeared in English, and is likely to remain the standard work on the subject for many years to come. --Times Literary Supplement (Robert Layton)

Beryl Foster's Songs of Edvard Grieg is a wonder...her scholarship and musicianship are writ large throughout its pages. --Anglo-Norse Review (Lionel Carley) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 376 pages
• Publisher: Scolar Pr (November 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0859677915
• ISBN-13: 978-0859677912
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,450,835 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the Grieg Bible!, January 12, 2008

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Maria Jette (excelsior, mn USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Songs of Edvard Grieg (Paperback)

Beryl Foster is a working British singer whose lifelong fascination with the songs of Grieg led to this landmark labor of scholarship, which has recently been released in a revised edition. She's the chief Grieg "evangelist" in the UK, and in demand as a recitalist and lecturer on his songs. Her love of the topic is apparent throughout, but doesn't preclude thoughtful, objective commentary. It's a pleasure to read.

Laden with fascinating biographical information, as well as useful analysis of ALL (ca 170!) the songs, I predict that if you so much as leaf through this book, you WILL want to sing Grieg's songs, and you should! The original volume is in most academic libraries, but now that it's available in paperback, every singer should own it. There is useful commentary about the Norwegian languages, which are the big stumbling block for those (i.e. pretty much everyone) who fear programming them; but acquiring a grasp of Norwegian diction will open the door to a wonderful world of under-appreciated song-- Grieg!