9 Sep 2017

GRIEG: Piano Concerto in A minor

From Music Alive, 7:30 pm on 9 September 2017

Large scale works such as concertos are rare in the catalogue of Grieg's works.

Edvard Grieg

Edvard Grieg Photo: Elliot and Fry, Public Domain

Jian Liu (piano), with Orchestra Wellington conducted by Marc Taddei.

Though Grieg had a thorough training in all the classical forms at the Leipzig Conservatory, his natural bent was towards smaller pieces often inspired by the folk songs of his native Norway.

But in Leipzig he also came to admire the works of Schumann, and hearing Schumann's piano concerto performed by Clara Schumann was something he recalled with admiration all his life. Taking Schumann's concerto as a model, he ventured to try his own work in the form, and the result is this beloved three-movement Romantic masterpiece.

Recorded 9 September 2017, Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington by RNZ Concert

Producer: David McCaw

Engineer: Graham Kennedy

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