Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum A few words after the Grieg recital

First of all I would like to thank all of you who participated. Thanks to you who have followed the recital and just listened to all this nice music. And special thanks to the organisers and the opus leaders. You made the whole event run smoothly.
As a Norwegian I'm proud of our great composer, Edvard Grieg. Therefore I was very glad that this event was proposed. I'm sure that many of you have gained considerable insight and understanding of Grieg's music. One thing is to listen to music, but learning it and performing it for an audience gives a much wider perspective. The person studying the piece will discover many details that will be missed by occasional listeners.

I hope that many of you will continue your studies of Grieg music. For my own sake I’ll continue polishing the pieces I already know and perhaps learn some new ones.

The level of this recital was high. I have made individual comments to each piece. I’m not a qualified music critic, and maybe my comments sometimes have been influenced by my own mood which tends to vary from day to day. But I have tried to express my personal feelings about the performances.

I’m proud of being one of the participants. For many years I have been very isolated. Mostly I have played the piano on my own, and hardly known about the existence of other amateur pianists.

This, and similar events have shown to me that there is a lot of talent out there. Thanks to you I have been very much inspired. I have learnt a lot about piano playing from you, and will continue to do so.

When comes to solo piano Grieg is best known for his Lyric Pieces, but he also composed some other pieces for solo piano. He wrote an early Sonata (Op.7) which is within range for an advanced amateur pianist. The Ballade is, unfortunately, nearly unplayable. But then we have “Folkelivsbilder”, and most important of all perhaps the late Op.72: “Slåtter”. In this opus Grieg comes closer to the original folk music, but the treats the material in a way that makes this really pianistic. Difficult – yes, but there are several pieces in this collection I know many of you could play.

I’m fortunate enough to have friends who are skilled vocal soloists. Grieg wrote a large number of songs, many of which have a character similar to the Lyric pieces and I had the pleasure of playing the piano part of many of them. Unfortunately for you many of the texts are in Norwegian. But if you ever have the chance to collaborate with a vocal soloist, I recommend that you consider songs by Grieg.

Thank you all for a great event!

Thanks Ganddalf for the biographical text and images which we used to introduce each opus, and for those kind words. What a great composer Grieg is -especially for amateur pianists. Through listening to all these wonderful recordings, I've learnt how diverse and evocative his music is - the Lyric Pieces is a real treasure trove for my future playing!

In this recital I've learnt about more than The Lyric Pieces. I'll share something with you. When this recital started there was no organising team, and I was terrified of the prospect of checking recordings and fixing any problems as submissions came in. I didn't have the skills to do this. And I was also very nervous about the prospect of recording my pieces - someone else did that for me for the other themed recitals, because I didn't know how. It helped to remember that on ABF, there is much goodwill, and a willingness and ability to help in abundance. Others had the skills I had not, and so the recital became what it should always have been - a recital for, and by 'us' which we all 'own'.

What have I learnt? -Fortunately, I managed to push my own boundaries working for this recital. I practised my pieces more, and more efficiently (having embarassed myself before!)and now feel that my playing has improved. In commenting on recordings when I was able, I've begun to be more aware of how my own playing might sound to someone listening. I still avoid crowded key signatures but ... As far as the technophobia is concerned, even though I still can't successfully transfer an image into a post (pathetic, I know!), I DO now feel confident in posting clips from youtube, AND I can (using the most idiot- proof equipment I could get hold of) make recordings of my playing.

Neither the playing field nor the players are equal in this piano world of ours - we play the cards we are dealt, in our own way, depending on who we are. However, what we have in common, in the overwhelming majority of cases, is a common generosity of spirit when considering the efforts of others, a trust that everyone has been doing their best given their circumstances, and an acknowledgement that we are all human and fallible.

I hope that we can keep that attitude going as we go forward into the future.

I am among the least experienced players in the "Grieg recital team", and certainly the least competent... and it was delightful to still be able to participate, thanks to the welcoming attitude of the organizers and the technical help received from forum members.

I would really like to learn more of these pieces, although I must say that the "easiest" ones all look more challenging than the one I played. I might give a go at Watchman's Song, which is above my level but may be feasible with the help of casinitaly's lovely and precise rendition. Lately I realized that I can barely start to figure out level 2 pieces and I'm nowhere near being a "late" beginner yet, so most great music is still way out of my reach. I'm taking my time and I'm fine with that, but I guess sometimes it's good to push oneself a bit more, and this recital was a great chance to do that.

I think the part I enjoyed the most about this process was hearing everyone. It was exciting to wake up each morning, pull out my Lyric Pieces score and listen to the opus du jour. Many of you I got to know through this and the Mendelssohn recital, and knowing the person playing it, as well as reading the difficulties and obstacles they had to overcome added to the sense of community effort.

I also looked forward to hearing about other's progress in the Grieg Proposal thread, and helping where I could - and getting help where I needed it to!

I had loved all the Grieg music I had heard prior to this, and the more I heard the more I grew to truly appreciate him as a composer. There are some "national" composers that don't impress me very much, but since they were from some country they get all this recognition. This is not the case with Grieg. He certainly earned a place among the greats.

I've started work on the Preludium from the Holberg Suite, which is interesting because it has a Baroque feel to it. So here's this melding of Impressionism, Late Romanticism, Baroque, and Norwegian folk music all in one! And of course, it's onward to the Chopin Mazurka recital. I really feel these events have made me a better performer and pianist, and I appreciate the hard work that goes into these behind the scenes by everyone.

It was great fun - many thanks to everyone that volunteered and participated. I also have little contact with other adult players locally, so participating in these recitals is a wonderful way to share love of music with others.

Sam

I'm in kindergarten as far as composers, works, anything in fact goes, and am trying desperately to catch up. So each new composer is an adventure. (Keeps me feeling young.) So Grieg was an adventure. Thank you for creating this initiative and bringing Grieg "out there" for us.

I'm curious what you might think of this: I have a digital piano. One day when working on Forbi (Gone) I switched it to violin mode. As I played it that way, I could hear in my mind how a cello, or bassoon, or flute might come in for this and that voice. I almost had the impression that this might be much better as a piece for orchestra, with this and that fleshed out. I don't know enough about this - just a fleeting impression. I saw a "list of pieces students should learn to play" somewhere. Most of the Grieg lyrical pieces were on that list. Forbi was off the list. It was almost impossible to get it to work on piano, and my teacher had a word or two to say about that. But this day it seemed so clear - what if it were orchestral, with different textured voices? It's bugged me ever since.

I can totally hear this with a string orchestra, and perhaps that is what Grieg was hearing too. Still, trying to draw that out of the piano is a good challenge, requiring more of the "singing" tone and use of portamento. I'd like to try a rendition using a string sound now that you say it.

I was listening to one of the classical stations the other day, and they had a Grieg Violin concerto on. Turns out he didn't write a violin concerto, but he did write violin sonatas. Someone had taken the piano parts and orchestrated them and come up with a concerto.

So I imagine that many composers think in terms of other instruments when composing for the piano.

Sam

If you do, I'm curious what you find.

I'm thinking about this some more. You and I talked about this. We were listening to several top pianists: Gilels, Richter, Andsenes, Sundsvalen. They were the best out there, but did you find any of them totally hit the mark?

We have these simple notes and chord progression that repeat with no variation, and we're trying to keep it interesting. So what do we actually have there? Two notes play together in a chromatic descent, then a third and then a fourth are added. The trick was to shift the stress, emphasizing each "new descending melody" as it came in - voice 1, voice 2, voice 3 as it where. .... Then Richter, in the ascending B part, does the same in reverse.

So WHAT IF? What if your voice 1, 2, 3 are literally new voices, different instruments, different texture to the sound? Can't you just hear it? And then, the very ending - the violent ff sudden crescendo and dying away. Can you not hear some bass instrument (several) emphasizing the bass note, and then an instrument that can actually die away in a controlled way, doing so?

I read that Grieg grew up learning piano first, so he is a piano. But is it possible that he thought like a composer for orchestra? Would this explain the impossible stretches and strange fingering so many of us encountered? (In addition to him having large stretchy accomplished hands).

The piano is an orchestral instrument, and so I think that is why so many great piano pieces translate well into orchestral and visa versa. I think I'll play around with it a bit and post it for you to hear! Of course, it won't be as good as real strings, but something to get an idea anyways.

I'm a long time and ardent Grieg lover. Although I've not commented on any of the individual performances, I've certainly enjoyed listening to them all.

Ganddalf - Your involvement in this e-cital - as a Norwegian (with a first hand knowledge of the culture and Grieg's music) and as a participant (you play beautifully) - was a gift to all of us.

Like you - I was isolated as a pianist for many years - but the internet (through PW in particular) has enabled me to share music and ideas with a number of like minded folks around the world.

Thanks for everything you, and others did to make this e-cital possible.

Thanks everyone for the wonderful recital! For me it was opportunity to learn about Grieg and his Lyric pieces. I recognized some of them before this recital but many I hadn't heard and there are many that I'll be adding to my wish list for the future.

I tried to make a playlist of all the pieces. Not sure if this will work for others but here is the link:

(I don't know how to connect the link to text like:

Grieg Lyric Pieces Recital Playlist)

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBE_kCHSovJKlO9EJZvGv25DnqZoLSXHS

(note: i set the playlist to 'unlisted')

You MUST break this habit. Do you realize how much repertoire you're cutting off for yourself by only playing pieces in C, G, and F?

It's just coming up to 5pm so I can raise my glass to everyone involved. (I haven't actually finished listening yet, so it had better be good!!).

I see Ganddalf as our host in this recital, shepherding us through a unique cultural episode. Many thanks to him, and of course, to the admin, Dipsy, Cheryl and all the opleds - quite a lot of work on their part!!!....

If we have another recital as well rounded and satisfying as this we'll have reason to rejoice again...

Polyphonist, do you have any suggestions for how someone can learn to play in key signatures with more sharps and flats?

OK, this is down and dirty, but I thought it would be a good exercise for me to figure out how to use the sequencer on my MOX6. Sorry it's in mono, but hopefully that isn't too bothersome.

I tried recording each "voice" separately as I found that sounded better than playing it like a piano on a string sound - I could pay more attention to each individual line. However, there are some miscues. I think I need a conductor.

Forbi strings

This is the first themed recital in which I have participated. No question it has much more of a "community" feel than even the ABF Quarterly recitals. PW has stretchd the talents of most of us. I know I wouldn't be recording myself were it not for PW walking me through recorder choices and settings. And the online recitals are the motivation which drives it all.

I also have little contact with other adult pianists. Oh, my teacher hosts an adult gather in her home once a year. But, that's not the same as coming here to PW to share and gather support for our endeavors day to day and throughout the year.

My copy of the Grieg Lyric Pieces sat unused and not even perused through for years. I'm so glad I have had the opportunity to crack the binding and discover what's inside. My thanks to the organizers, opleds, and participants. I have also appreciated very much peoples' comments on my recordings. Encouragement is always welcome!!!!

Risking sounding dumb - but what is a sequencer, and a MOX6?

It is interesting to hear the vibrato on the top violin. Of course this induced me to repeat my earlier experiment.

Does this also go through your digital piano, or is it written in and transformed?

I second this sentiment completely. The Grieg pieces that I played taught me a lot, and being part of this community has really helped me improve my piano playing skills.

Thanks to Gandalf and all of the opleds for all their hard work in making this recital possible.