Post by Lindberg August 5, 2007 (1 of 4)
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Edvard Grieg's vocal output is rich, wide-ranging - and heterogeneous. He seems to have felt equally at home in any kind of writing technique, his oeuvre consisting of anything from small children's songs and burlesque folkloristic compositions on anonymous texts to grand-scale religious works and dramatic song cycles based on poetic art by internationally outstanding Norwegian poets.
What really fascinates in this polychromatic world of songs and choral settings is the total lack of formal consistency between works within the same opus number – Grieg obviously didn't mind at all putting together songs of the most opposite aesthetic contents. One might even suspect he fancied this kind of formal pluralism, or that he in some cases just organized his songs in categories more based on score settings than on chronology and texture.
Planning a comprehensive CD recording of Edvard Grieg's choral music therefore calls for a great deal of programmatic consideration: should one perform the songs in their original order of appearance or present them assorted to genre? This recording does the latter, thus generating a dynamic vocal image of Grieg's compositional genius.
Grex Vocalis takes us on a journey to Grieg's musical treasures. We venture into the Heavens with "Four Hymns" after having explored the joys and sorrows of life in "Children's Songs" and "Album for Male Voices". En route we are also presented the evergreen songs "The Last Spring" and "Ave, Maris Stella".
Produced in DXD (Digital eXtreme Definition). Due for release August 25, 2007. As a preview for the members of SA-CD.net we have prepared a continuously MP3 of the first two tracks from the CD available for free download at http://www.2L.no/lyd/2L45.htm
Further information about the repertoire http://www.2L.musiconline.no/shop/displayAlbum.asp?id=33105 http://www.2L.no/files/2L45SACD_ebook.pdf
Best regards from Morten (2L)
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Lindberg said:
Edvard Grieg's vocal output is rich, wide-ranging - and heterogeneous. He seems to have felt equally at home in any kind of writing technique, his oeuvre consisting of anything from small children's songs and burlesque folkloristic compositions on anonymous texts to grand-scale religious works and dramatic song cycles based on poetic art by internationally outstanding Norwegian poets.
What really fascinates in this polychromatic world of songs and choral settings is the total lack of formal consistency between works within the same opus number – Grieg obviously didn't mind at all putting together songs of the most opposite aesthetic contents. One might even suspect he fancied this kind of formal pluralism, or that he in some cases just organized his songs in categories more based on score settings than on chronology and texture.
Planning a comprehensive CD recording of Edvard Grieg's choral music therefore calls for a great deal of programmatic consideration: should one perform the songs in their original order of appearance or present them assorted to genre? This recording does the latter, thus generating a dynamic vocal image of Grieg's compositional genius.
Grex Vocalis takes us on a journey to Grieg's musical treasures. We venture into the Heavens with Four Hymns after having explored the joys and sorrows of life in Children's Songs and Album for Male Voices. En route we are also presented the evergreen songs The Last Spring and Ave Maris Stella.
Produced in DXD (Digital eXtreme Definition). Due for release August 25, 2007. As a preview for the members of SA-CD.net we have prepared a continuously MP3 of the first two tracks from the CD available for free download at http://www.2L.no/lyd/2L45.htm
Further information about the repertoire http://www.2L.musiconline.no/shop/displayAlbum.asp?id=33105 http://www.2L.no/files/2L45SACD_ebook.pdf
Best regards from Morten (2L)
Excellent news, Morten, I shall have to snap a copy up. I used to have a CD of Grieg's Male Voice choruses, which were full of delights, I especially remember on about a cat, which had me laughing every time.
Cheers, John
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Post by Lindberg August 5, 2007 (3 of 4)
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Geohominid said:
Excellent news, Morten, I shall have to snap a copy up. I used to have a CD of Grieg's Male Voice choruses, which were full of delights, I especially remember on about a cat, which had me laughing every time.
Cheers, John
The "cat" is track 1 on the SACD, and a part of the MP3 :-)
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It's a 100 years ago this week that Grieg died. The Norwegian government is organizing lots of activities around this. See http://www.grieg07.no
I hope we'll see yet more Grieg releases on SACD this year.
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