Lyric Pieces (Norwegian: Lyriske stykker) is a collection of 66 short pieces for solo piano written by Edvard Grieg. They were published in 10 volumes, from 1867 (Op. 12) to 1901 (Op. 71). The collection includes several of his best known pieces, such as Wedding Day at Troldhaugen (Bryllupsdag på Troldhaugen), To Spring (Til våren), March of the Trolls (Trolltog), and Butterfly (Sommerfugl).
The theme of the first piece in the set, Arietta, was one of the composer's favorite melodies. He used it to complete the cycle in his last lyric piece, Remembrances (Efterklang) — this time as a waltz.
Four of the six pieces from Book V, Op. 54, were orchestrated under the title of Lyric Suite. Both Grieg and Anton Seidl had a hand in the orchestrations. Grieg also orchestrated two of the pieces from Book IX, Op. 68.
Complete listingedit
Even though it was published in several volumes, some publishers, such as Edition Peters, have numbered the pieces as a whole, thereby numbering the 66 pieces in order, instead of numbering each volume individually. The movement list is as follows:
Book I, Op. 12 (composed 1866-7?; published 1867):
Book IX, Op. 68 (composed 1898-9; published 1899; Nos. 4 and 5 were orchestrated in 1899):
Matrosenes oppsang (Sailors' song)
Bestemors menuet (Grandmother's minuet)
For dine føtter (At your feet)
Aften på højfjellet (Evening in the mountains)
Bådnlåt (At the cradle)
Valse mélancolique (Melancholy waltz)
Book X, Op. 71 (composed and published 1901):
Sommeraften, Op. 71 No. 2
Performed by Constantin Stephan
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Det var engang (Once upon a time)
Sommeraften (Summer's eve)
Småtroll (Puck)
Skogstillhet (Peace in the woods)
Halling
Forbi (Gone)
Efterklang (Remembrances)
Referencesedit
^ abAlthough Spring Dance is the traditional translation of the Norwegian Springdans, the word refers to its sense in English of "leap" or "jump" rather than to the season "spring". The booklet notes to Grieg: Complete Works for Piano Solo; Gerhard Oppitz, Piano (RCA Victor Red Seal 09026-61569-2, (c) & (P) 1993) use the less ambiguous translation "Leaping Dance".
Bibliographyedit
Grieg, Edvard (2008): Thematisch-Bibliographisches Werkverzeichnis, ed. Dan Fog, Kirsti Grinde and Øyvind Norheim. Frankfurt/Main Leipzig London New York: Henry Litolffs Verlag
Horton, John and Nils Grinde, "Edvard Grieg," Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy (accessed 25 May 2008)