Album Club Week 78: 29.01.2013: Clifford Curzon/LSO/Fjeldstadt-Grieg's Piano Concerto

[Barry]

Grieg’s Piano Concerto

Clifford Curzon with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Øivin Fjeldstad - Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16
(and London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Adrian Boult - Franck Variations Symphoniques Litolff Scherzo from Concerto Symphonique No.4, Op.102) (1959)

Well pop-pickers we have a pick from the list of substitutes and a bit of a change from the norm. It’s time to widen our horizons a little and consider some classical music.

For our first foray into new territory, I present the Grieg Piano Concerto. This is a very popular piece and is a ‘painless’ entry into the world of classical music. Over the years many recordings of this work have been made, but the version chosen is, in my opinion, one of the very best. It is the recording on the Decca label of the performance by Sir Clifford Curzon with the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Øivin Fjeldstadt (1959 Decca SXL 2173)

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/313OiaI7RUL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

http://open.spotify.com/album/26w5GSaiREtlMKomcF04CR


Wikipedia Page - Grieg, Piano Concerto (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Concerto_(Grieg))

The following is based on the sleeve notes:
Grieg was Norwegian and felt his music should reflect the increasing sense of Norwegian identity and culture that was being discussed at the time. To do this Grieg started collecting the indigenous folk melodies. He made many arrangements of authentic folk-tunes, and although nearly all the themes of his major works are original their characteristic inflections show clearly the influence of Norwegian folksong. The concerto, his most extended composition, admirably reveals the essence of his style. The melodies are all original, but they have a freshness that seems to come straight from the Norwegian woods and fields.

From the very first moment after a brief drum roll the first piano chord is struck and if you have a half decent system the hairs on your neck will immediately stand up and shivers will run down your spine! Don’t let that put you off, persevere and listen to it all the way through. The second movement, the Adagio, is especially fine – but I guarantee that by the time the last note has been sounded you will be left emotionally exhausted!

Anyway if you feel this is all a bit too 'poh faced' then I'll leave you with the words of the late great Eric Morcambe. In the famous sketch that Eric & Ernie did with Andre Previn he said to 'Andrew Preview' "the second movement is special to me, so not too heavy on the banjos".

Enjoy…

[Bazil]

Fantastic idea Barry, I really should develop an appreciation of Classical Music.

[John]

Thanks Barry I look forward to listening to this

[MartinT]

Now you're talking, Barry. My absolute most favourite piano concerto. I have many recordings but not this one, so I shall break out Spotify and have a listen.

[synsei]

It has been a very long time since I listened to Edvard Grieg's piano concerto, in fact it may have been whilst I was still at school, but it has not lost its magic.

Feeling very chilled having just finished listening to the marvellous The Darwin Song Project, I cued up Grieg on Spotify and let him rip. It's way too early in the morning for me to to get all flowery but suffice it to say I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Mr Grieg's piano concerto, now, where do I vote?

[Alex_UK]

now, where do I vote?

Coming soon - I need to help Barry sort his poll out! :)

[Alex_UK]

Poll now added - kept to 1 - 5 as this is the first foray into the Classical world. Hope you are all enjoying it. :)

[MartinT]

Thanks Alex. Will vote later.

[MartinT]

I've given it a good listen and it's a fine performance of an utterly sublime piece of music. It's hard to say why exactly the Grieg gets so under my skin, but there is so much lyrical and emotive writing that I think each person can judge it for themselves. If we were scoring the music and performance separately, I would give 10/10 for the concerto and 9/10 for the Curzon performance.

I'm afraid I'm just spoiled by, for me, the greatest pianist I've ever heard live and perhaps the only man who can stand beside Argerich: Radu Lupu. His 1973 recording with Previn and the LSO on Decca is in desert island disc category.

Irrespective of your preference, the Grieg is a must-have in any classical collection. Or any collection, full-stop.

[John]

Its a really nice romantic concerto. Lots of memorable melodies I would of like a little bit more dissonance to add a bit of tension every now and then to the concerto; at times its a bit to safe for me.
I was going to give it a 8 or 9 if out of 10 so will give it 4 out 5
Great choice Barry

[Alex_UK]

Loving it so far - a proper listen tomorrow, but the bar has been set pretty high with our first classical selection and thanks for something different, Barry. :)

[The Grand Wazoo]

Well, he only wrote one concerto, but by golly, it's a good 'un!
This is the recording of it that I grew up with, so I know it well and play it often. On this version, they play all the right notes & they're all in the right order, unlike Eric's attempt! Excellent - top marks from me.