Editorial Reviews

Finding decent albums of Edvard Grieg's best-known works is not difficult since they are regularly released by the major labels, and the handful of pieces nearly everybody knows -- the "Piano Concerto in A minor," "Peer Gynt Suite No. 1," "From Holberg's Time" (also known as the "Holberg Suite"), and "Wedding Day at Troldhaugen," in various arrangements -- are routinely anthologized and widely available. However, getting a survey that has those pieces and some other favorites, such as the "Lyric Pieces," the "Symphonic Dances," and the "Norwegian Dances," requires searching for something bigger than a single-disc compilation. Fortunately, Deutsche Grammophon has gathered all the above pieces and a few others on its midrange double-disc Best of Grieg, and it's hard to think of a more thorough program, short of what might be found on a comprehensive box set. The orchestral performances by the Berlin Philharmonic under Herbert von Karajan and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra under Neeme Järvi give the set consistent high quality, and the playing by pianist Lilya Zilberstein in the concerto and by Andrei Gavrilov and Mikhail Pletnev in the solo keyboard works gives this set a nice variety of interpretations. Also worth having in this 2007 Grieg centennial compilation are the sterling vocal performances of mezzo-soprano Marianne Eklöf and soprano Barbara Bonney in the excerpts from the incidental music for "Peer Gynt," and mezzo Anne Sofie von Otter's radiant delivery of "From Monte Pincio" and "I Love You" (the latter two sung in Norwegian and Danish, respectively.) So fans of Grieg's richly Romantic music and newcomers to his work will find this twofer an attractive offering, and appreciate it even more for the exceptional sound quality, which is DG's usual best. Blair Sanderson, All Music Guide

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