Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Themed Recital Sub-Forum GRIEG LYRIC PIECES OPUS 12 PART 1 OF 10

We wanted to post all the pieces in order, within the Opus albums....so we didn't use the recital software.

That means that with changes in the forum software, and with people leaving, some of the links no longer work.
Last summer we recreated, as much as possible, (we only missed about 5 submissions) - the whole recital, using the recital software.
So if you are going through these threads and find links that don't work - try going to the ABF RECITAL INDEX and take a look there.

OPUS 12


Welcome to Opus 12 of the Grieg Lyric Pieces Themed Recital.
It has been quite a team effort - lead by the enthusiastic and dedicated Dipsy! - to get us where we are today. Working on the preparations, I've had the pleasure of getting to know the other OPLEDs and the performers in Opus 12 better -it has been great fun.

You'll find each performance, in order, in the posts below. Please feel welcome to leave your comments and feedback!

Let's begin our exploration of these wonderful pieces with an introduction from one of our resident experts: Ganddalf !


Grieg – family background and Scottish origins

Edvard Grieg was born in Bergen, a town on the Norwegian west coast, June 15th 1843. His parents, Alexander and Gesine Grieg had five children and Edvard was the fourth in the row. Edvard was very early influenced by his mother who was a skilled musician. At young age she was sent to Atlona, at that time a part of Denmark, to get musical education and she was some time a student of the German composer Albert Methfessel. Back in Bergen she made performances as a pianist and an accompanist, and she was the best paid piano teacher of the town. She also arranged weekly musical evenings where instrumental works and parts of operas were performed.

One of Gesine’s sisters was married to the brother of the famous violin virtuoso, Ole Bull, so there was a remote family relationship between the two great musicians, Edvard Grieg and Ole Bull.

The name, Grieg, he had from his great-grandfather who came to Bergen from Scotland. It is said that his ancestors belonged to the MacGregor (Mac Griogair) tribe who had lost their land and at times were outlaws. In 1603 king James VI introduced death penalty for those who named themselves MacGregor, and the tribe members changed their names to Grig, Greig or similar. Edvard Grieg’s great-grandfather changed the name to Grieg when he came to Norway , because the Norwegian pronunciation was closer to Scottish, Greig.


Thank you Ganddalf...and now..... Opus 12!

Opus 12 No 1: Arietta (performed by AimeeO)

This certainly didn't turn out at all the way I expected it to.

I have been working on this piece, on and off, since we decided on pieces. I picked a slower tempo, and stuck with that. I'd record, play back, and find something to fix. It's been a nice, slow pace, but I've gotten a lot out of this method.
Then I started to get serious about finishing the recording.

I work nights, so mostly I try to record in the late afternoon. Unfortunately, we have cicadas doing their thing outside, and they're very loud - around 80 decibels. Our house is a little older, so the sound proofing isn't the greatest. As a result, their little songs are background noise in our house right now.

I have been trying over and over to get a good take without their interference, and I finally got one. Upon further listening, I thought it fell kind of flat. So, I decided to try again at the last minute and just try to ignore the cicadas.

The more I tried, the more they got into my head - it seemed like they were getting louder and louder, and I became increasingly agitated. As a result, my playing sped up. And oddly enough, I liked the slightly faster tempo. So I decided to use an 11th hour take, bugs singing and all.

As a result, I have a recording I like, although it is slightly rushed in some areas. There's a few things I'd like to experiment with at this tempo, but that'll have to wait. There's plenty of work to be done still - the pedalling was/is difficult, some of the timing is questionable, and I need a lot more work in keeping other parts quieter. Some of these things I worked out at the slower speed, but showed back up when I sped it up. Overall, though, I'm pleased with my progress and even happier with what I got out of learning this piece.

Of course it's always fun to play with you all, too



So, please accept my (and the cicadas') work in progress, Grieg's Arietta.


[video:youtube]W8ALHPg3XEI[/video]

Opus 12 No 2: Waltz (performed by Saranoya)

Well, here they are. Prefaced by the standard exclamation of: "I can do better than this when the camera isn't running, I swear!"

Except that, on this particular day, I'm sure I couldn't have done any better under any circumstances -- not even if my life had depended on it. But because it took me as long as it did to get my act together, this is what you get, and it will have to do.

I apologise to those, like me, with sensitive ears. I was not going to make these recordings until after the tuner had come, but then the tuner moved to Paris and forgot to tell me about it. And I'm sure I could have gotten a better-quality recording using my Zoom, but then I'd have had to spend another hour or so adding pictures to the audio, and I'm already cutting it way too close to the deadline. So straight-off-the-iPhone, it is.

OPUS 12 n° 2

I was already practicing the Vals when the initial Grieg Recital thread was posted, and I would eventually go on to play it as one of my exam pieces in June. It earned me a pretty decent score, and that's the main reason I decided from the start to take on two pieces. I wouldn't have considered it 'fair', so to speak, for me to post a piece that was already 'nearly there' even before the Grieg Recital existed in the mind of its instigator.

In hindsight, I might have been better off just sticking to the one piece I already 'almost' knew when the call for participants came. I would have recorded it at the end of June, and probably gotten a better result than this -- at least, that's what the exam score it earned me would seem to indicate. But I didn't, and things are what they are. I hope you enjoy it anyway.


[ [video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SRmT2CNzHWk[/video]

Opus 12 No 3: Watchman's Song (performed by Casinitaly)

Learning this piece has been a wonderful adventure. Fortunately some of the techniques I learned in my recent Schumann studies helped out, and though I was a bit intimidated by the 32nd notes in the Intermezzo I had some great help in getting through them over the summer, while I was "teacherless".

This piece was apparently composed after Grieg watched a performance of Macbeth and I can only wonder if the flitting notes of the intermezzo are meant to represent Banquo's ghost?

I loved this piece! With the opening bars I envisioned a stout and sturdy watchman walking his "beat" ponderously and protectively over cobblestones and through barely lit streets - much like in the centre of our little town! The lighter melodic passages made me think of morning dawn, as the watchman's patrol ends: his duty done, we have slept in safety and awake to a new day.

We head back into night and duty - and the spirits of the night dance about- just in the corner of his eye - but the uplifting arpeggios show us he is not afraid and will withstand any evil they may bring. Again we hear his footsteps and see the new dawn, the story comes full circle.

When I came to making the video I saw I didn't have many night shots of our town, but I did have some pretty good sunrise-sunset and storm clouds (all taking place in the skies I see from our home!) which I think work quite well for the piece.

It was a bit challenging, but a great pleasure, to work at bringing out the dark and light tones of this piece. I am reasonably pleased with what I was able to do in the end - though of course not completely satisfied - of course I want to do a better job! This piece will stay in my repertoire and I hope to continue to improve it over time.

I'd like to dedicate my piece to zrtf90 aka Richard, in part because he very generously gave it up to me, so that I could participate in this themed recital - and even more because of the support, encouragement and coaching he provided to help me in working through the piece.




[video:youtube]_QFIu1X-jqo[/video]

Opus 12 No 4: Elve's Dance (performed by LadyChen)

I picked this little piece right away because I love fantasy novels and elves in particular. I was picturing the scene from the LOTR movies where the elves are sneaking out of the trees with bows and arrows to surround Aragorn and his party.

This was my first recording on my rebuilt C3 and the action is quite different from what I was used to. I wished my pianissimos could have been more pianissimo but that's why I love recording -- it makes it very apparent what needs to be worked on!


[video:youtube]qSMkPFr4lf0[/video]

Opus 12 No 5: Popular Melody (performed by AndyPlatt)
This is one of the few pieces, since starting lessons, I've tackled largely solo. I did take it to my teacher one week to get some feedback but otherwise, it's all mine.

This is one of those pieces that looks very simple on the page but can be a bit tricky in places. I memorized it very easily because there is a lot of repetition, with an A-B-A-B-A structure (the second / third times, the A theme is subtly different from the first.)

The key to getting the piece was really getting the bass notes down. They can bang if you are not careful and the whole point is to let the melody sing. I will admit I do not follow the pedal indications 100%. They get in the way of achieving a fluid melody and I think the pedaling I have is not too intrusive.

I really grew to love this piece - the melody is beguiling with a very interesting harmonic progression. The difference between the sections allows for some interesting ideas and, overall, the piece is very fulfilling to play.


[video:youtube]h-KdlnLyfWg[/video]

Opus 12 No 6: Norwegian Melody (performed by Piano*Dad)


As a kid, I studied the piano for nine years way back in the dark ages in a galaxy far, far away. Then I paused for over twenty years. Today, I am an occasional player. Some months yes, other months no. I don’t have enough time (or is that make enough time?) for music as I would like in my day. As a result, I haven’t tackled big new works in a very long time.

When I saw the call for this recital I jumped on it for oh so many reasons. First, I have always liked these Grieg miniatures, though I haven't actually done more than sight read some of them. In addition, they are short, without being either nasty or brutish. This is perfect music for me. I can sweat the details without fearing that I cannot handle the technical demands. Lastly, I need the “pressure” of a deadline. What can I say; I need a scheduler. ☺

Both of my pieces (this one and Op. 38 no. 4) are two pages long, and they are both quite fast paced. This one is a sprightly presto. In fact, I’m done in each piece in under a minute. For me, attaining that speed was part of the challenge.

Norwegian Melody is a simple A-B-A-C-B-A. The A section features droning fifths, which is part of its Norwegian-ness. The first B section is a fast chord riff in the dominant. When it returns, it's in minor. Nothing radical in here, and the structure of the piece is easy to memorize. The C section is a little dance that comes out of nowhere and then disappears after one repeat.

I must say, after putting these pieces together I have gained a greater appreciation of my eldest son’s body of work in competitions and in making recordings (where I was behind the camera). Facing the red dot is a good experience, as is working through perfectionism.

[video:youtube]bcs9qMvpmcw[/video]

Opus 12 No 7: Album Leaf (performed by Saranoya)

My 'repertoire for the intermediate pianist' book has four Grieg Lyric Pieces in it. Of the three I could still pick after already having promised to do opus 12 n° 2, this was the only one that hadn't been picked by anyone else yet. So I chose it 'by default'.

The left-hand jumps in the first theme are quite tricky, and I don't think I ever really got the hang of them. But I'm glad I took the piece on regardless, because they prepared me somewhat for a Chopin piece I'm currently trying to tackle.

There are obvious flubs, and I have definitely played this one better than I did here, as well. But still, it's there ... mostly.


[video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XOxCMzD4h_M[/video]

Opus 12 No 8: National Song (performed by AZ Astro)
Grieg wrote Opus 12 in 1867, the earliest of the Lyric Pieces. Fedrelandssang actually translates to Fatherland, and Grieg directs us to use Maestoso: large, stately, dignified, majestic, even heroic.

The short one-page score was quick to learn but long to absorb into muscle memory. There were some quirky fingerings. But it was certainly a fine exercise and an interesting composition. The score had alternating notations of m.d. (mano destra - right hand) , m.s. (mano sinistra - left hand), m.d., m.s., above and below the initial four half notes, instructing the player to alternate hands for the first four notes. I had never seen that before. A little flair perhaps?

Selecting the pictures for this video gave me a some insights into the fine country of Norway. What a beautiful place.

The piece still needs work. I have been playing piano for less than two years so even this short piece was a challenge! My playing has many faults (too much pedal, lack of precision, timing issues, and many more). Sigh. We are our own worst critics, of course.

This piece was recording on a Korg SP-250 using Ivory II, the American D sampled Steinway.



[video:youtube]v=fkROsgET1Po[/video]

Hope you've enjoyed the start to our recital! I know I have.


Thanks again to all the performers.

To listen to more, go back to the Master Thread and you'll find the link to the other Opuses as they are released.

AimeeO -- Well, all I can say is: that sounds pretty great, for a work in progress. And while I did hear the cicades, I thought they added a nice touch of the right kind of atmosphere. I thought you pretty much nailed the dynamics!

Casinitaly -- I have an EMI recording of a selection of the Lyric Pieces, by Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes (who, I discovered recently, has a big fan in my teacher). He plays the piece much faster there, but I actually think I like it better at your tempo. I also think you did really great on the intermezzo! Nice work.

LadyChen -- I admire your ability to keep a very steady rhythm here, especially at that tempo, and given the fact that you are playing on a completely rebuilt action that you haven't had the time to get used to, yet. You may find it lacking in dynamic range, but that didn't bother me at all, and there are plenty of other things to be proud of, here. Give yourself a pat on the back!

AndyPlatt -- I can see how you grew to love the piece. I think if I choose to tackle another Grieg Lyric Piece in the near future, this is going to be the one. It's a lovely piece of music, and you play it with much sensitivity. Congrats on getting there without your teacher's guidance. You do need to get your piano tuned ASAP, though! . But I'm guessing you knew that already.

Piano*Dad -- You posted this in the PM thread for the opus quite early on, and so I (and, I suppose, all of us working on opus 12) got a sneak peak. I loved it from the start! It must have been quite challenging indeed to get it up to that tempo, but you pulled it off beautifully. Your nine years of instruction in childhood have clearly not been wasted, even if you are no longer keeping up a daily practice schedule. Why should you, if you can do *that* without it? .

AZ Astro -- Sounds quite stately, as I suppose it behooves any performance of a piece called 'National Song'. It isn't quite my cup of tea, in terms of the actual music. But I think you captured its essence quite nicely. I daresay Grieg would not have been displeased with this performance .

I've listened to every performance of this opus at least twice, and I've found plenty of expressiveness in all of them. What a wonderful way to start this theme recital!

Thanks so much Aimee, Saranoya, Cheryl, Lady Chen, Andy, Piano Dad and AZ Astro for your effort to carry on this opus.

I think we all feel that "it could have been better" - but I also think that it is obvious how much time and effort went into learning and performing these pieces!

AimeeO/Arietta I didn't hear the cicadas! What a charming piece - I loved the delicacy of its flow. It was poetically presented! I thought your video images were a delightful match too!

Saranoya/Waltz Most enjoyable. I know your piano can sound a lot better, and it is too bad that the tuner took off without keeping his appointment, but what can you do? I really like this piece and I think you did an excellent job on it - I can see why you did well on your exam. Brava!

LadyChen/Elves' Dance Delightful! I could see the Elves tripping the light fantastic! Your newly refurbished piano sounds splendid, and you did a super job of working with the new action. A most enjoyable performance. (I like your dog too )

AndyPlatt/Popular Piece Andy - well done! I think you managed to keep the bass notes under control very well and the melody did indeed sing. This piece sounded more familiarly "Grieg" to me for some reason - even though my exposure to his work has hitherto been somewhat limited. Beautiful flow, the pedalling was indeed subtle and certainly sounded fine to me! Your video was great to watch too!

Piano*Dad/Norwegian MelodyDavid, that was great! I loved watching you at the piano while listening to your piece. You look so comfortable and relaxed - I aim for that poise! The piece itself is charming - I had images of a village festival, bells ringing out and everyone in National costumes getting ready to celebrate with food, music and of course that little dance that pops up! Thank you so much for this listening pleasure! I'm so glad you opted to join us for this recital.

Saranoya/Albumleaf I really like this piece - and I like the tick tock precision in it. Yes, you had a few wee glitches, but they weren't very obvious. Nice dynamics and delicacy of touch! (Try not to frown when you're playing )
This is another piece I'm tempted to try as well... I think that I may be on a Grieg kick for the rest of the year!

AZ Astro/National Song Nicely done sir! You really caught the right tone for this piece and played it with a good level of energy without going overboard. Your video was great - (some of those scenes were breathtaking, and I loved that little wooden church!) - all together a very enjoyable package!



Thanks to everyone for an excellent Sunday morning musical program!


p.s. Saranoya : Glad you liked my tempo. I took my model from Richter who plays it at 3.13 .... I managed to get it down to 3.31. I think now I can play it a bit faster, but I like the slow pace too.

Wow! What a treat!! I've never succumed to the early morning tincture which is a pity because it's a.m. here and this really deserves cracking open a bottle...


Opus 12 No 1: Arietta (performed by AimeeO)
Lovely, tender performance of this favourite melody. You say there’s plenty of work to be done but I don’t think you’ve got far to go. While your ear will have noticed everything, we don’t hear the cicadas until the end of the recording when they rise up like a round of applause – as well they should!

Opus 12 No 2: Waltz (performed by Saranoya)
Such a bright springy performance, excellent rhythmic control and nice rubato where it’s needed. No surprise you got a good exam score.

Opus 12 No 3: Watchman's Song (performed by Casinitaly).
I remember your posting for advice on those infernal 32nd-note septuplets – even Richter falls way short of even a good execution so, well done on that score. At the same time your care with the gentle harmonies in this piece lend the humble watchman a soul.

Opus 12 No 4: Elve's Dance (performed by LadyChen)
Excellent, delicate. Of course pianissimos are always tricker on an acoustic piano. They’re a breeze on my digital. At great sacrifice to myself, I am prepared to negotiate a swap.

Opus 12 No 5: Popular Melody (performed by AndyPlatt)
With an opening at p and the apparent contradiction of a dim after only eight or so bars to mf, we know this is has to be a gentle piece. And so it is. You’ve played this with much expression, especially within its narrow dynamic range.

Opus 12 No 6: Norwegian Melody (performed by Piano*Dad)
You mention the Norwegian flavour and it reminds me too of what I’ve always taken to be Scots. There’s surely a story of cultural interplay worth searching out. Your nine years paid off handsomely. Excellent, exciting piano playing.

Opus 12 No 7: Album Leaf (performed by Saranoya)
It seems to me, Saranoya, you have a gift for rhythm – there’s something so persistent and reliable in your meter and if I may say so you provide a truly attractive bonus - the sight of such deep concentration so affirms the humanity of the endeavour.

Opus 12 No 8: National Song (performed by AZ Astro)
Such a typical piece of its kind, and you bought out those anthemic qualities even within the first few bars. So often in the search for the pretty or the beautiful these pieces can be neglected. You show us why they shouldn’t be.


..thanks to all for such an auspicious start!!

This is the perfect way to start my Sunday.
Thank you.

Beautiful playing, all of you!

@AimeeO, Saranoya: IMO you don't have to apologize for your performances or recordings. Your playing was beautiful, and I didn't notice the cicadas.

But then, maybe I don't have "sensitive ears", or the loudspeakers of my computer don't play flubs that aren't there.

To you and the others:

What a great start to the Grieg recital!

AimeeO/Arietta - I didn't hear the cicadas, but I think they would have fit right in nicely. You have a wonderful touch on this piece, gentle and relaxing. The choice of photos fit the mood of the piece well.

Saranoya/Waltz - You have such spritely approach to this piece. I can just see little magical creatures dancing! Really nice rhythmic presentation.

CasinItaly - Watchman's song. You did a nice job of giving this piece a soft, yet stately feel. Your 32nd's sounded easy and natural for you!

LadyChen/Elves' Dance - You gave this a very nice, delicate touch. It has a mystical air to it. Nice job!

AndyPlatt/Popular Piece- Really nice expression in this quiet peace! Your use of the pedal sounded perfect, and the base notes were nicely understated.

Piano*Dad/Norwegian Melody. You look so relaxed and at ease playing this piece! The piece sounds like a celebration. I visualize a village preparing for an annual harvest festival. Nicely done!

Saranoya/Albumleaf - I love the lilting rhythm of this piece. You capture that feeling well! Like your "Waltz" this feels like a magical dance.

AZ Astro/National Song - You captured the pride and nationalism of this piece well. I like your choice of accompanying pictures as well. You showed very nice contrast between sections and a sense of power when needed.

I really enjoyed all your performances and read the comments made. And though I couldn't add anything of note, I can say thank you! (was going to say I've got a 'warm glow inside' now, but that might have been misinterpreted!).


BTW: I had no idea how stunning Norway is, - I want to go there! Lady Chen - what a dignified looking dog!
AimeeO- I've been listening on the tinny built-in mic of my laptop, and I actually wanted to hear the cicada's! I had a mental image of them chirruping along to your music, and it seemed a happy scene (though when you're trying to get a clear recording, I can see that they'd be irritating).

Congratulations everyone on a wonderful and successful launch of the Grieg recitals. I enjoyed each performance presented today, and am eagerly awaiting more!

You should all be proud of what you've accomplished! I'm proud of you all.

This was a great way for me to start my Sunday. Thanks!

AimeeO, 12/1: I also didn't hear the cicadas, but I know how having outside noise can be very distracting. You did a wonderful job playing this piece. It reminds me of Mendelssohn's SWW

Saranoya, 12/2: I loved all the attention you gave to the articulation! Very well played.

Casinitaly, 12/3: I think you brought your imagination to life with your playing on this - I could picture this man doing his job at night with the noble chords keeping him strong in spite of the disturbances of the night.

LadyChen, 12/4: I always enjoyed this piece although I never learned it or taught it - now I want to do both! You play this with lots of energy.

AndyPlatt, 12/5: I agree, this has a very unique harmonic progression which makes this piece so interesting. I think your pedaling choices were spot-on. It's best to consider what the piece sounds like on your piano, and adjust for that, as you did here. Very nicely played!

Piano*Dad, 12/6: So glad you joined this recital! I love how you capture the spirit of this folk-sounding tune - the drone gives it such a pastoral feel. Thanks for playing.

Saranoya, 12/7: That LH pattern is tricky, but you handle it so well, I wasn't worried at all! Again, great articulations in this, you give it such life and character. Well done!

AZ Astro, 12/8: Wow, I never would have guessed you've only been playing for 2 years from hearing this! I also enjoyed hearing the American D. What equipment did you use to record it? Audacity?