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See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Grieg: Three Concerti for Violin and Chamber Orchestrabased on the sonatas for violin and piano
World Première Recordings Orchestrated by Henning Kraggerud and Bernt Simen Lund Grieg is one of the world’s best known composers, but the three Violin Sonatas are a relatively unfamiliar part of his output, despite being among his own favourite pieces. Grieg never wrote a violin concerto, and the foremost Norwegian violinist of his generation, Henning Kraggerud, assisted by Bernt Simen Lund, a member of the Tromsø Chamber Orchestra, has taken up the challenge of creating three new concertos from the sonatas. In these arrangements the solo violin is set against a string orchestra augmented by wind instruments in order to retain the feel of chamber music. | 
| | | (also available to download from $6.00) | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Bartok, Strauss & Grieg: Violin Sonatas
One of the leading young soloists to emerge from Scandinavia in recent years, noted particularly for her superb musical expression, as well as her well-developed virtuosity and musicality. Young Norwegian violinist, Vilde Frang brings together a diverse, yet complimentary selection of sonatas for her second EMI Classics release. The recording is available on CD and digital download from 7° March, 2011. The youthful, spirited Grieg: Violin Sonata No.1 in F Major, Op. 8 and Richard Strauss: Violin Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 18 are paired with Bartók’s technically challenging, musically complex Sonata for Solo Violin, BB 124, Sz. 117. Frang frequently performs the later, which Bartók composed as an homage to Bach, with the Strauss in concert. Vilde is joined by pianist Michail Lifits for this recording Vilde’s debut recording, Sibelius and Prokofiev: Violin Concertos at 22, received wide-spread critical acclaim. The Financial Times wrote “rarely has this music sounded so tender, so intimate or so lyrical” while Independent Record Review called her “prodigiously gifted”. Vilde has been compared to a young Anne-Sophie Mutter, her mentor, with whom she often performs. “Frang is clearly a new star in the violin firmament” The Guardian “Vilde Frang's micro-sensitive responses to dynamic, articulation and phrasing...prove a revelation in the heady opulence of the Strauss, which has never sounded so urgently seductive or expressively supple on disc...Finest of all is Bartók's fiendishly demanding Solo Sonata, a virtuoso minefield of technical and musical ingenuity which Frang negotiates with an unflinching sense of musical direction.” Classic FM Magazine, May 2011 ***** “Though Frang's tone generally appears quite light and silvery, she has ample reserves, and none of the climactic moments [in the Strauss] disappoint......In the Bartók I was immediately struck by Frang's fine rhythmic sense and varied tonal palette. Her playing has the necessary physicality for Bartók, without ever appearing forced...overall it's a top-class performance and, indeed, the whole programme is clearly a winner.” Gramophone Magazine, May 2011 “This is a singularly impressive recital, both for the choice of music - a mixed programme that works very well as a continuous listen...in which the performances are really quite compelling. Such commanding interpretations are made the more so by the musicians being ideally recorded...This is a spectacularly fine disc of unhackneyed repertoire in richly expressive performances.” International Record Review, April 2011 “Frang plays with astonishing dexterity and musicianship, putting paid to the notion that only Hungarian musicians can play Bartok with any real understanding. This is a quite compelling performance.” Muso Magazine, April/May 2011 ***** “In Grieg’s youthful Sonata in F she’s feisty and poetic as the mood turns, with effortless flourishes. Strauss’s equally youthful Sonata in E billows with prodigal invention...[The Bartok is] strongly dispatched with plenty of muscle and heart. Adroit, impassioned, never shallow, Frang is the real thing.” The Times, 12th March 2011 **** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Grieg - The Violin Sonatas
“…in vivacious movements… the sheer verve of the playing is irresistible. The dancelike sections of the Third Sonata's finale make a similar impression and its 'big' tune is wonderfully well graded, with the cumulative, immediate effect of a fine live performance.” Gramophone Magazine, September 2006 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | YR: Ragnhild Hemsing
| | The tricky tune listening tune after the playing of Trygve Bolstad Halling on low bass after Jørn Hilme - in a form after the playing of Harald Røine The Gnat springar in a form after the playing of Ola Bøe Hulder tune from Vang listening tune in a form after the playing of Olav Moe | Grieg: | Violin Sonata No. 1 in F major, Op. 8 | Olsen, S: | Six Old Village Songs from Lom | Thoresen: | Yr for solo Violin, Op. 23 |
Ragnhild Hemsing (violin and Hardanger fiddle) & Tor Espen Aspaas (piano) ‘YR’ is the debut of Ragnhild Hemsing, an artist who specialises in combining traditional Hardanger fiddle playing with classical technique of the highest level. She is accompanied on the recording by pianist Tor Espen Aspaas in performances of music for the hardanger fiddle juxtaposed with her compatriot Edvard Grieg’s Violin Sonata. The disc also includes a piece for solo violin entitled by the contemporary Norwegian composer Lasse Thoresen that skilfully combines music of the past and the present. Ragnhild Hemsing made her debut with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 13, and a year later she performed as soloist with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. The two 'lydarlåtter' on her debut recording are pieces for hardanger fiddle developed not as dance music but as listening music. The Six Village Songs from Lom of Sparre Olsen are also based on traditional tunes, but set out for fiddle and piano accompaniment by the composer. In his mesmerising piece for solo violin entitled YR, a word that denotes both giddiness and a drizzling kind of rain, Lasse Thoresen lets traditional archaic building blocks come together as a contemporary way of expression. Together with folk dancer Hallgrim Hansegård has also developed the piece into a stunning stage performance, which is included on this release as a bonus enhanced video track. “her programme is cleverly chosen to show connections between the two instruments, interspersing traditional folk music with concert works. Hemsing conjures up hypnotic colours from her Hardanger fiddle.” BBC Music Magazine, April 2012 **** “Her tone is remarkably pure, with an inner steel audible in her control of intonation over larger spans...The virtuosity of Hemsing's unaccompanied playing seems effortless, her strength and delicacy evident” Gramophone Magazine, May 2012 | | | Usually despatched in 4 - 5 working days. |
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| |  | Grieg, Elgar and Sibelius - Music for Violin & Piano
The acclaimed Dutch violinist Isabelle van Keulen is joined here by award-winning pianist Ronald Brautigam in a fascinating program of chamber music from Grieg, Elgar and Sibelius. The year 2007 marks an anniversary for each of these great composers. “High-powered playing from Isabelle van Keulen and Ronald Brautigam, flawless in its technical accomplishment and brimful of big-boned vigour and assertiveness.” Gramophone Magazine, Janurary 2008 “Isabelle van Keulen and Ronald Brautigam are artists of keen insight, immaculate musicianship and culture… Moreover they are accorded first-rate sound…” BBC Music Magazine, December 2007 *****  BBC Music Magazine
Chamber Choice - December 2007 |
| | | This item is currently out of stock at the UK distributor. You may order it now but please be aware that it may be six weeks or more before it can be despatched. |
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| |  | Grieg - The Three Violin Sonatas
| | | (also available to download from $10.50) | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. (Available now to download.) |
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| |  | Grieg - Violin Sonatas
Gerald Tarack (violin) and David Hancock (piano) | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Grieg - Violin Sonatas 1-3
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“This disc gives us consistently enjoyable performances.
The two young Norwegians play with idiomatic style, and give the impression of expressing every aspect of the music. Their eagerness at the start of Op 8's first Allegro sets the tone; the doloroso opening of Op 13, the delicacy and serenity of the E-major section of that sonata's middle movement, and the exciting 'Hall of the Mountain King' atmosphere they generate in the finale of Op 45 – these are just a few of the places where the pair convince us they've found exactly the right sound and manner of expression. Kraggerud's account of the 'big tune' in the last movement of Op 45, respecting all Grieg's marks of expression and phrasing, has real nobility. Highly recommendable.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 “Norwegian performers shine on discs devoted to the Grieg Violin Sonatas with Hennig Kraggerud and Pianist Helge Kjekshus” Turok's Choice, December 2001 | | | (also available to download from $6.00) | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. (Available now to download.) |
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| |  | Grieg: Sonatas for Violin & Piano
Egon Morbitzer (violin), Michael Stockigt (piano) | |
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Gramophone Awards 2011