Lyric Pieces ("Lyrische Stücke")
Short, lyric character pieces were very much in vogue in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, especially so in Scandinavia. Edward Grieg was an undisputed master of the genre, and his ten books of Lyric Pieces, with a total of 66 items, span the better part of his composing career. More at home in smaller forms than in large formal structures, composing these pieces came natural to Grieg, to the extent that he half-jokingly complained in a letter to his close friend, the Dutch composer Julius Röntgen : "... I have been lyric once again. Can't you please cure me of this affliction ?".
With some exceptions, the Lyric Pieces are of small scale and modest ambition, which has ensured them a prominent place in every amateur pianists' repertoire. Yet, their ever-fresh inspiration, distinct Norwegian flavour, and occasional flashes of virtuosity offer great opportunities for the enterprising concert pianist.
Complete recording by Chris Breemer |
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Book I - 8 Lyric Pieces, Op.12 (1864-67) Fräulein Betty Egeberg gewidmet |
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| 1 | Arietta | 1:22 |
| 2 | Waltz | 1:40 |
| 3 | Watchman's Song | 2:30 |
| 4 | Elfin Dance | 0:50 |
| 5 | Folk Song | 1:31 |
| 6 | Norwegian Melody | 1:01 |
| 7 | Album Leaf | 1:29 |
| 8 | National Song | 1:23 |
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Book II - 8 Lyric Pieces, Op.38 (1883-88) (No dedication) |
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| 1 | Berceuse | 3:06 |
| 2 | Popular Melody | 1:51 |
| 3 | Melodie | 2:16 |
| 4 | Halling (Norwegian Dance) | 0:50 |
| 5 | Jump Dance (Norwegian Dance) | 1:32 |
| 6 | Elegie | 2:37 |
| 7 | Waltz | 0:55 |
| 8 | Kanon | 3:58 |
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Book III - 6 Lyric Pieces, Op.43 (1886) Herrn Professor Isidor Seiss gewidmet |
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| 1 | Butterfly | 1:43 |
| 2 | Solitary traveller | 1:54 |
| 3 | In my native country | 1:56 |
| 4 | Little bird | 1:41 |
| 5 | Erotikon | 2:32 |
| 6 | To the Spring | 3:10 |
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Book IV - 7 Lyric Pieces, Op.47 (1886-88)
Fräulein Elisabet Hernemann gewidmet |
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| 1 | Valse-Impromptu | 2:56 |
| 2 | Album-leaf | 3:39 |
| 3 | Melodie | 3:01 |
| 4 | Halling (Norwegian Dance) | 1:30 |
| 5 | Melancholie | 2:35 |
| 6 | Norwegian Dance | 1:33 |
| 7 | Elegie | 2:36 |
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Book V - 6 Lyric Pieces, Op.54 (1889-91) Herrn Julius Röntgen gewidmet |
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| 1 | Shepherd's boy | 4:20 |
| 2 | Norwegian Peasant March | 3:37 |
| 3 | March of the dwarfs | 3:33 |
| 4 | Notturno | 4:25 |
| 5 | Scherzo | 3:28 |
| 6 | Bell ringing | 4:04 |
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Book VI - 6 Lyric Pieces, Op.57 (1890-93) Herrn Hermann Scholtz gewidmet |
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| 1 | Vanished days | 5:36 |
| 2 | Gade | 4:01 |
| 3 | Illusion | 3:34 |
| 4 | Secret | 5:14 |
| 5 | She dances | 2:52 |
| 6 | Home-sickness | 3:50 |
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Book VII - 6 Lyric Pieces, Op.62 (1893-95) (No dedication) |
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| 1 | Sylphide | 1:43 |
| 2 | Gratitude | 3:56 |
| 3 | French Serenade | 2:30 |
| 4 | Brooklet | 1:49 |
| 5 | Phantom | 3:12 |
| 6 | Homeward | 3:01 |
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Book VIII - 6 Lyric Pieces, Op.65 (1896)
(No dedication) |
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| 1 | From early years | 5:13 |
| 2 | Peasant's Song | 1:40 |
| 3 | Melancholy | 3:57 |
| 4 | Salon | 2:14 |
| 5 | Ballad | 3:11 |
| 6 | Wedding day at Troldhaugen | 7:06 |
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Book IX - 6 Lyric Pieces, Op.68 (1897-99)
(No dedication) |
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| 1 | Sailor's song | 1:31 |
| 2 | Grandmother's minuet | 1:58 |
| 3 | At your feet | 3:13 |
| 4 | Evening in the mountains | 3:18 |
| 5 | At the cradle | 2:40 |
| 6 | Valse mélancholique | 3:34 |
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Book X - 7 Lyric Pieces, Op.71 (1901)
Frau Mien Röntgen gewidmet |
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| 1 | Once upon a time | 3:47 |
| 2 | Summer's eve | 2:53 |
| 3 | Puck | 2:01 |
| 4 | Peace of the woods | 5:33 |
| 5 | Halling (Norwegian Dance) | 3:30 |
| 6 | Gone | 2:20 |
| 7 | Remembrances | 2:23 |
Book II, Op. 38
| 1 | Berceuse | 2:41 | Bertazzi, N. |
| 1 | Berceuse | 3:02 | Coleman, N. |
| 2 | Popular melody | 1:36 | Coleman, N. |
| 3 | Melody | 1:52 | Coleman, N. |
| 5 | Jump Dance (Norwegian dance) | 1:27 | Coleman, N. |
| 6 | Elegie | 2:16 | Coleman, N. |
| 7 | Walzer | 0:53 | Coleman, N. |
Book III, Op.43
Book IV, Op.47
| 2 | Album-leaf | 4:26 | Scheja, N. |
| 3 | Melodie | 3:43 | McCarthy, M. |
| 4 | Norwegian dance | 1:23 | Coleman, N. |
| 5 | Melancholie | 2:36 | Coleman, N. |
| 7 | Elegie | 3:36 | Bertazzi, A. |
| 7 | Elegie | 3:44 | Coleman, N. |
Book V, Op.54
Book VII, Op.62
| 2 | Gratitude | 3:47 | Alianello, M. |
| 4 | Brooklet | 1:50 | Bertazzi, A. |
| 5 | Phantom | 2:49 | Alianello, M. |
| 6 | Homeward | 3:05 | Alianello, M. |
| 6 | Homeward | 2:58 | Scheja, N. |
Book VIII, Op.65
Book IX, Op. 68
| 1 | Sailor's song | 1:50 | Coleman, N. |
| 2 | Grandmother's minuet | 2:36 | Bertazzi, A. |
| 2 | Grandmother's minuet | 2:12 | Coleman, N. |
| 3 | At your feet | 3:22 | Coleman, N. |
Book X, Op.71
| 3 | Puck | 1:51 | Bertazzi, A. |
| 3 | Puck | 1:44 | Jensen, K.E. |
| 4 | Peace in the Woods | 5:26 | Alianello, M. |
| 7 | Remembrances | 2:07 | Bertazzi, A. |