Barnes & Noble

It's been a long time since Grieg's songs were popular recital fare. Following the unexpected success of this stunning album by the Swedish mezzo-soprano, Anne Sofie von Otter, perhaps this marvelous music will finally find its way back into the standard repertory. Steeped in the folk music of his native Norway, Grieg's songs are earthy and tuneful. While the poetry which the composer chose to set may not be of the highest caliber, the music's freshness compensates for any literary shortcomings. Most impressive is the song-cycle "Haugtussa," a set of eight songs about a shepherdess who loves and loses. The final song, in which the heroine finds solace in the watery depths of the nearby river -- like the hero of Schubert's cycle "Die schöne Müllerin" -- is devastating in its simple, rippling power. Aided by the imaginative playing of her regular collaborator, pianist Bengt Forsberg, von Otter's program takes its place among the great song recordings of the digital era. Andrew Farach-Colton

All Music Guide

For the 150th anniversary of the birth of Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg in 1993, it was inevitable that Deutsche Grammophon would release a disc of his songs sung by the magnificent Swedish mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter -- just as it was inevitable that the label would re-release von Otter's disc for the 100th anniversary of Grieg's death in 2007. That's alright: this is one of the truly immortal discs that should always be available. Why? Because it contains all the well-known Grieg songs -- "Spring," "Love," "Seduction," "Two Brown Eyes," and "I Love You" -- and it also contains 20 other Grieg songs that are nowhere near as well-known but easily at the same musical level. Beyond the repertoire, there's also von Otter's splendid voice -- rich and creamy with a well-rounded upper register, a throbbing lower register, and total command over every aspect of technique -- and von Otter's soulful interpretations -- warmly affectionate interpretations with sympathy for the songs' sentimental emotionality and a deep appreciation of their acute sensuality. Accompanied by pianist Bengt Forsberg, her long-time on-stage partner, von Otter's recital is one of the fundamental discs that belongs on any Grieg shelf and anyone who loves late Romantic art songs should hear it. By the time this disc was recorded in 1992, Deutsche Grammophon had mastered the new digital technology and the digital sound here is as clear, light, and as effortlessly immediate as the best stereo recordings. No higher praise is possible. James Leonard