My husband is going out of the country for the next 10 days so I decided to treat myself with a complete set of Grieg's Lyric pieces to enjoy in his absence.
They are SO beautiful. I have passed the late morning/early afternoon listening to all of them. I think I might be able to play some of the easiest ones.

Which have you played? Which do you aspire to play?

There is one called the Phantom which is on my bucket list. Ooh i think i will go play that oine right now!

If you fancy getting the sheets, the Dover complete edition of these is really nice, and very reasonably priced. I've played a few, of which I particularly like "Arietta", the first one of the first set. Not too hard. They range in difficulty from early intermediate to advanced, so there is enough in there to keep you going for a lifetime of playing.

I also really like "In Ballad Style" (Op 65 no 5) and will learn it one day. Emil Gilels' recording of this is just sublime. It it Gilels' recording that got me into these pieces.

Also worth checking out - Leif Ove Asdnes has recorded a set of them in Grieg's study, on Grieg's Steinway. An amazing disc.

i got started on Lyric Pieces and have really been enjoying it- try the Wedding Song- Lots of fun!

GlassLove - I have the complete lyric pieces also. There are many really nice ones. I've played Watchman's Song, I think maybe one of the easier ones, though not as "beautiful" as many. I also really like the first one, "Arietta". And "Phantom" is good, too. So many......One other of my favorites is "Melody" (op.38 no.3) and on my to learn list because it's more difficult.

Hope you find some you really like - lots of choices!

Q: I'm currently working on Grieg's "Waltz", Op.12, No.2 - is this one of the "Lyric Pieces"?

JF

JF - according to my book it is one of the lyric pieces. And since the title is just "Waltz" it's good to know the op. #.

Yes, it is a lyric piece, John. If anyone else likes these pieces and wants to take a shot at playing an easier one (relatively speaking)... The following which I have placed below are rated "4."

Related to Grieg, I have had Gilels' recording for some time but had always wanted all of the lyric pieces. I bought the whole set with pianist Nicholas Roth. I didn't recognize the name at first, something about it bothered me.
GUESS WHAT? After some searching, I realized that he was my ballet teacher's son!!!! Growing up, he would visit my best friend's house and play all sorts of things for us (I vividly remember his Gershwin) He was a remarkably talented little boy (obviously the only thing that has changed is his little boy status). I really enjoy his playing so his might be a nice alternative to the other complete set. He is a professor at Drake University now.

So, here are some of the easier ones:

Opus 12: Arietta, Waltz, Watchman's Song, Album Leaf, National Song, Elves' Dance

Opus 38: Folk song, Waltz

Opus 43: Solitary Traveler, In my native country,

Opus 47: Elegy

Opus 54: Bell Ringing

Opus 65: Ballad

Opus 68: Grandmother's Menuet
Opus 71: Gone, Remembrance

Thanks for the recommendation regarding the book Keemanan, I ordered it. It should arrive in just a few days.

Thanks CMohr & GL.

Here's some collections I found at sheetmusicplus.com (there are others listed):

Grieg Selected Lyric Pieces for Piano

Complete Lyric Pieces (Centennial Edition)

Complete Lyric Pieces for Piano

This last one is the "Dover Edition" and seems to be highly rated by a number of the reviewers.

JF

They're also on IMSLP.

I recently discovered that I love Grieg too! I've played his Notturno and working on the Wedding Day at Troldhaugen. Also enjoying snipets of his concerto.

The "Waltz", Op. 12/2 that I'm working on is in Alfred's "Essential Keyboard Repertoire, Vol.2" that also contains "Sailor's Song", OP.68/1 - oddly it mentions that this piece is from "Lyric Pieces" but not the Waltz - editorial oversight I guess.

JF

I can vouch for the Dover edition. I've had mine for about 10 years and it's held up very well, good quality paper and binding and very legibile.

An additional thought as far as complete recordings go. I've owned the complete set of Grieg's piano music by the late Eva Knardahl since it first came out (I believe some time in the early 90s). It's still available on both Arkiv Music and Amazon and I'd highly recommend it if you like Grieg's piano music. Very well played on a Bosendorfer and very well recorded by Bis. Here is a link to the set, at about $5 per CD for the 12 CD set it's an absolute steal.

Greg - thanks for the pointer to the recordings

Just wondering though if you ever wrote the script for any of those very early morning infomercials:

"...and only 12 payments of $49.99 each and you too can be the proud owner the new, improved super ab cruncher...but wait! Call now and we'll include a CD of Slim Whitman's Greatest Hits absolutely free...

JF

An ab cruncher for only $600? Where can I get one? My abs need crunching

More seriously though, I know there are a lot of Grieg fans here (including me) and it's rare that a set by the same pianist is all that great. Usually (in the case of Grieg) they'll play the lyric pieces well but fall apart on the concerto or vice-versa. Knardahl handles it all idiomatically and the piano sound is beautiful as well - what more can you ask?

Oh, and for those who only want the lyric pieces, I believe those are available by Knardahl on separate disks for the low low price of (I haven't checked).

wow, there's some good stuff here - thanks for introducing me to Grieg, GL!

This piece is an favourite of mine at the moment. I think it is my favourite to perform for someone else. I love playing it, so nice to find that someone else is enjoying it too

Also like Arietta, and Wedding Day is a Lark.

Yes, I am enjoying it, although it may be a little while until I can get it up to it's indicated tempo of Allegro Moderato or even Moderato for that matter But, I would really like to hear your rendition of it. Any chance?

I seem to be stuck on waltzes right now (not a bad thing at all), having just finished Schubert's in B Minor and Maykapar's in D Major, which I put together as a medley in the current ABF Recital.

And I'm tentatively thinking about next taking on a somewhat simplified version of Tchaikovsky's delightfully uplifting "Waltz" from the "Sleeping Beauty" ballet suite.

JF

You are very welcome. I can't wait to hear your first Grieg piece.
I did get the Dover book, it is really a beautiful collection. The paper is of very high quality and the book is easy to keep open to a particular page.

In case any one else is considering the whole collection-all of the pieces range in difficulty from 4-8, with the majority being 4 or 6.

~Christine

Of all the pieces I've learned in the past, Arietta is the one I play the most "just because I feel like it". You never stop enjoying this little gem.

If you like this very first of the lyric pieces, be sure to listen to the very last lyric piece as well, "Remembrance", which is a re-imagining of the same piece.

Thanks for the recommendation Christine I just ordered the Dover Edition from Amazon - I was going to get it from sheetmusicplus but they didn't have it in stock currently - it worked out well since it was $5 cheaper at Amazon!

JF

I think I'm in a waltz phase too. On suggestion of Bunneh i've looked at Remembrance - I love it, charming! Then I will have a set that goes Arietta, Waltz (12/2), Remembrance (71/7).

JF I probably would be brave enough to share this waltz with you, but I don't have stuff for recording yet (that's on To Do list too). I love playing it many different ways. Sometimes I sustain though those staccato chords with pedal, sometimes they are bright and short. I look forward to hearing yours when you are ready to record it.

Arietta, Waltz, Remembrance would be a great programme. A sort of condensed Lyric Pieces ! I play 12/2 so maybe I'll record it for a piano bar sometime soon.

I just listened to Arietta (a woman's name?) and Remembrance on YT - both are very pretty and lyrical - KeemaNan, would like to hear your version also in a PB - maybe someday I'll do a medley of all three for a Recital (with the Waltz sandwiched in the middle!) - looking forward to my music book getting here this week.

JF

Hi John,
That would be a lot of fun!!!
BTW: I think Arietta means "little or short Aria." I really like Opus 12- Watchman's Song and Album Leaf along with the Waltz you are playing and Arietta are my favorites.

Christine - you're right about the definition of "arietta" - never heard it before, even after years of listening to opera!
Thanks. Goes to show that "old dogs" can learn something new...

JF

Guess What! In an amazing turn of fate I have been asked to perform a set of background music next weekend. So that means I get to inflict my 12/2 on the public, must rush to get Arietta ready, but pretty sure there is not enough time to learn Remembrance (I have to organise/practise/choose the rest of the set).

That's great! Have fun with it. If you're performing this as background music there probably won't be so much pressure or worry - and who knows, maybe a few people will actually listen instead of yakking constantly

I got my copy of "Complete Lyric Pieces (Dover Ed.) yesterday and discovered that "Remembrances" is a waltz! It does look a tad difficult though (as do a lot of the other pieces) but I may try to tackle it myself soon.

Anyway - Good luck and enjoy yourself!

JF

Why thank you very much From my memory of a couple of play throughs, Remembrances modulates and then modulates again in an odd but interesting way - just the kind of piece that could tangle you up if you didn't know it well enough. Yes of course it's a waltz - that's why it's lovely

ok I'm going to play all 3 right now.

Nice to see so many Grieg enthusiasts Just to share some of my favourite Lyric Pieces:

op 12 no 4 Alvedans (Dance of the elves)
op 43 no 4 Liten fugl (Little bird)
op 54 no 2 Gangar (Pheasant march)
op 57 no 6 Hjemve (Homesickness)
op 65 no 5 I balladetone
op 68 no 5 Bådnlåt (Cradle song)
op 71 no 2 Sommeraften (Summer evening)
op 71 no 3 Småtroll (Little trolls)

Ragnhild