Grieg: Orchestral Music, Vol. 2 - Orchestrated Piano Pieces

"This delightful collection, dazzlingly performed by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra under the young Norwegian conductor Bjarte Engeset, brings together some of the composer's most attractive folk-based pieces, only one of which (Bell-Ringing) is by Grieg himself. They include two which justifiably have become favourites, the Bridal Procession and the second of the Norwegian Dances, Op. 35, also used in the Peer Gynt music. Not only are Engeset's readings idiomatic, they each have a jauntily winning rhythmic spring. Different from the rest in its extended structure is the orchestration of Grieg's piano Ballade, an extended piece, one of Grieg's most deeply felt works, inspired by the death of his parents but also echoing Norwegian folk-music. The collection consistently reinforces the idea that Grieg was seeking to offer Norwegian counterparts of Dvořák's Slavonic Dances, with the original piano pieces beautifully orchestrated by various musicians, including the composer himself. Different from the rest is the Funeral March, which reveals Grieg's genius for writing solemn celebratory music as well." Penguin Guide

"Most of Grieg's works involve the piano, either in the form of songs, piano music or chamber music. Many of these works have proved irresistible to orchestrators, to say nothing of the composer himself as orchestrator. On this disc we have music that was written for the piano and well-known as such, but later orchestrated by others, or in one case orchestrated by another hand and then revised by Grieg. Several times while listening to this disc I had the reaction "... this is how Grieg should sound ..." Engeset's firm control over what sounds like a Norwegian orchestra produces Grieg that would be hard to beat. Another winner for Naxos."" MusicWeb