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Solo Musica

Grieg & Ragnarsson: Nordlicht

$20.99

Details

Composer
Edvard Grieg, Hjalmar Hegi Ragnarsson
Artist
Margarita Hohenrieder, Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie, Antti Siirala
Format
CD
Label
Solo Musica
Released
Jul 26, 2024
Catalog #
SM398
UPC
4260123643980

About

The poet Henrik Ibsen and Edvard Grieg met in Rome in 1866. At this time, Ibsen was working on the dramatic poem "Peer Gynt" based on Norwegian fairy tales by Peter Christen Asbjornsen. Ibsen reworked it into a stage play and commissioned Grieg to write the music for it. The premiere took place on 24 February 1876. A few years later, Grieg used this music to create two purely orchestral suites, which are among the best-known works of Romantic music - and finally a very colourful and atmospheric arrangement for four-hand piano. Grieg was inspired to write his Piano Concerto in A minor op.16 as a student when he heard Clara Schumann play her husband Robert's piano concerto in Leipzig in 1858. He became a great admirer of Schumann. Grieg chose the same key as Schumann, A minor, for his own piano concerto, which was written 10 years later in Denmark. The premiere in Copenhagen in 1869 was enthusiastically celebrated. When E. Grieg met Franz Liszt in Rome in 1870, the latter played his piano concerto - a great honour and joy for Grieg - and the piano concerto and the two Peer Gynt suites are among the most beautiful and popular piano works of Romantic music. Margarita Hohenrieder have known the Icelandic composer Hjalmar Helgi Ragnarsson and his music for several years. She became acquainted with his piano pieces through his sister, her long-time friend, the pianist Anna Ragnarsdottir-Hoffmann. She was also the wife of her former teacher and well-known piano virtuoso Ludwig Hoffmann. Hohenrieder herself was looking for several pieces specifically for the left hand at the time: she was planning joint performances entitled "2 linke Hande " (2 left hands) together with the painter Bernd Zimmer. While Bernd Zimmer painted a picture live in front of an audience using only his left hand, Margarita Hohenrieder played pieces for the left hand. It is a creative and unique project. Hjalmar Helgi Ragnarsson wrote the left-hand piece "Stilla" for her, which for the artist on a trip to Iceland was a fascinating and mysterious reflection of the mostly light green moss-covered volcanic landscape with it's glaciers and the endless expanse and silence. When she played Stilla, she even felt as she can briefly see the northern lights again in some places. Mrs. Hohenrieder first heard the Finnish-born pianist Antti Siirala as a juror at the 1997 International Beethoven Competition in Vienna. He was 17 years old at the time and won first prize. He is now her colleague at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich.

Tracklist 12 tracks

  1. 1 I. Allegro molto moderato 12:31
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Allegro molto moderato
    Duration
    12:31
    Composer
    Edvard Grieg
    Performer
    Margarita Höhenrieder
    Ensemble
    Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie
    Conductor
    Jonathon Heyward
  2. 2 II. Adagio 06:43
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Adagio
    Duration
    06:43
    Composer
    Edvard Grieg
    Performer
    Margarita Höhenrieder
    Ensemble
    Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie
    Conductor
    Jonathon Heyward
  3. 3 III. Allegro moderato molto e marcato 10:39
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Allegro moderato molto e marcato
    Duration
    10:39
    Composer
    Edvard Grieg
    Performer
    Margarita Höhenrieder
    Ensemble
    Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie
    Conductor
    Jonathon Heyward
  4. 4 Stilla 08:43
    Track
    4
    Title
    Stilla
    Duration
    08:43
    Composer
    Hjalmar Helgi Ragnarsson
    Performer
    Margarita Höhenrieder
  5. 5 I. Morning Mood 03:24
    Track
    5
    Title
    I. Morning Mood
    Duration
    03:24
    Composer
    Edvard Grieg
    Performer
    Margarita Höhenrieder, Antti Siirala
  6. 6 II. The Death of Aase 02:46
    Track
    6
    Title
    II. The Death of Aase
    Duration
    02:46
    Composer
    Edvard Grieg
    Performer
    Margarita Höhenrieder, Antti Siirala
  7. 7 III. Anitra's Dance 03:07
    Track
    7
    Title
    III. Anitra's Dance
    Duration
    03:07
    Composer
    Edvard Grieg
    Performer
    Margarita Höhenrieder, Antti Siirala
  8. 8 IV. In the Hall of the Mountain King 02:43
    Track
    8
    Title
    IV. In the Hall of the Mountain King
    Duration
    02:43
    Composer
    Edvard Grieg
    Performer
    Margarita Höhenrieder, Antti Siirala
  9. 9 I. Ingrid's Lament 03:10
    Track
    9
    Title
    I. Ingrid's Lament
    Duration
    03:10
    Composer
    Edvard Grieg
    Performer
    Margarita Höhenrieder, Antti Siirala
  10. 10 II. Arabian Dance 04:36
    Track
    10
    Title
    II. Arabian Dance
    Duration
    04:36
    Composer
    Edvard Grieg
    Performer
    Margarita Höhenrieder, Antti Siirala
  11. 11 III. Peer Gynt's Homecoming 02:55
    Track
    11
    Title
    III. Peer Gynt's Homecoming
    Duration
    02:55
    Composer
    Edvard Grieg
    Performer
    Margarita Höhenrieder, Antti Siirala
  12. 12 IV. Solveig's Song 03:49
    Track
    12
    Title
    IV. Solveig's Song
    Duration
    03:49
    Composer
    Edvard Grieg
    Performer
    Margarita Höhenrieder, Antti Siirala