# Opinion of and Favorite Recordings of Grieg's Piano Concerto?



## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

What is your opinion of Grieg's Piano Concerto? What is your favorite recording of this concerto? Feel free to elaborate on why a particular recording appeals or does not. 

Thanks.


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## John Zito (Sep 11, 2021)

Very enjoyable, but I haven't listened to it in quite some time, so I guess I must not like it that much. I imprinted on the Entremont/Ormandy recording and never felt the need to seek out others. My most recent encounter was when I stumbled upon this, which I thought was thrilling:






If you believe Rubinstein, Rachmaninoff rated it very highly:


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## EvaBaron (Jan 3, 2022)

Love this concerto, it’s one of those pieces that immediately grabs your attention and doesn’t let go, at least for me. The opening is probably the most iconic piano concerto opening and I love it. Lupu/Previn is a bit more thoughtful and gentle, Slåttebrek/Jurowski is a bit more exciting and fast but still very musical. I really like both


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

When I was getting into classical this was a favorite. Its popularity is well deserved and audiences never tire of it, it seems. I can't remember even pulling out a cd of it in 20 years or longer, but that's because I've played it so often; hte bassoon part, not the piano! I have no recording preference, although I found this quite interesting: The Grieg and Grainger Project

Here's my trivia: the first time I ever heard the Grieg concerto was I assume in 1970 at a live concert with the miserable Sun City Orchestra (a very amateur group of elderly players) and the pianist was comedienne Phyllis Diller! Before going into comedy she trained as a serious classical pianist.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I once had a version on vinyl back in the 1960s or 70s featuring Claudio Arrau, as usual backed with Schumann's Piano Concerto. It had a sort of brown / ochre cover as I recall with a photo of the pianist. I know that's not much to go on. It remains my favorite at least of the Schumann concerto but I've never been able to find the recording since. It's either out of print or was released with a more updated cover.

[Edit: Well, what do you know? I think I DID find it with a brief search, but it has the composers on the cover, not the pianist. Now I need to see if it is still available somewhere. I've wanted a copy for decades. You know, the first version you hear of a piece often remains your favorite.]


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

Fleisher/Szell is scintillating. My favorite stereo version.

Backhaus/Barbirolli from 1933 is my favorite version overall. Just electric.


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

It wouldn't be on my Desert Island list, but it's always an enjoyable listen. Favourite version is the ever-fresh classic one with Clifford Curzon at the piano. Left-field nomination: "BBC Music Magazine" did a cover disc some years ago including a very fine performance of the Grieg concerto from Francois-Frederic Guy. If you stumble on that, grab it.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

I enjoy Grieg's PC very much (although I like his solo piano music much more...just sayin'), but in terms of recorded performances, I love this one:










I find that Lilya Zilberstein nails the inherent drama in the work and really hits those key moments throughout the work better than most I've heard (and, boy, have I heard many performances of this concerto through the years). Also, she's accompanied by Neeme Järvi with the Gothenburgers. This doesn't get mentioned or pointed out enough, but I think Järvi is one of the best accompanists --- he's incredibly sympathetic to the not only the music, but the soloist and gives them the support that is required. And then add in DG's sumptuous audio quality and you have a home-run of a performance.


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## Floeddie (8 mo ago)

Always a favorite... very high on my list.


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## AndorFoldes (Aug 25, 2012)

My favourite version of this concerto is, believe it or not, a budget recording with fictitious performers Björn Lundgren and Sven Bengtson.

I wasn't able to locate it on YouTube, but if you find it give it a listen - you may be surprised.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

It's probably the piece I have most recordings of (around 10) without having bought any of them for this concerto!
It's often a "filler" for Schumann (my first of both was probably Fleisher/Szell, not sure), I got two different ones with Andsnes I wanted for the Grieg solo piano "fillers", I think the big Rubinstein box contains no less than 4 recordings and so on with smaller boxes from other pianists. 
It's hugely popular for good reasons but I am not overly fond of it. It's very nice once in a while but like certain cakes or sweets best consumed in moderation. (Of the overpopular warhorses I do prefer Tchaikovsky b flat minor.)


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## John Zito (Sep 11, 2021)

I'd be curious to see proper data on how frequently the Grieg concerto is performed in subscription concerts anymore. Part of me thinks that because it has a reputation for being an overplayed warhorse, it's actually become a bit of a rarity these days ("Nobody goes there anymore; It's too crowded"). I don't remember it coming up often during all my years in Cleveland, and the Berlin Philharmonic's Digital Concert Hall only features it once, from over ten years ago.


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## BlackAdderLXX (Apr 18, 2020)

I love it. I think it's easily a top 10 piano concerto for me. The slow movement is one of my favorites. I'm partial to Lupu/Previn though I just got the big Szell box and have been enjoying Fleisher/Szell.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

Not a top favourite work - but probably my favourite Grieg piece and I like that we have the benefit of it having been recorded by most of the great pianists. I particularly like Arrau's recording but I have enjoyed many others including Gieseking/Karajan; Andsnes/Jansons; Richter/Von Matačić and Ogawa/Ruud. The Ogdon/Berglund recording is perhaps a little perverse but I enjoy it for being different.


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

I recently heard it on the radio and couldn't identify it. First I thought it was Tchaikovksy; then I thought it was Rachmaninoff. Then the announcer came on at the end and said it was Grieg -- which I normally get confused with Schumann. I think this encapsulates my feelings about the Grieg concerto.


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