A Grieg Organ Album

Rezensionen / Stimmen

Here is a collection that will be useful for weddings, funerals, recitals and general service use. There is something for all standards: ranging from the simplest Grade 4-standard 'Gjendine's Lullaby' to the 'Hall of the Mountain King', the final ostinato of which contains quaver pedal half-scales in contrary motion to the right-hand tune against the left-hand off-beat accompaniment; it will tax experienced recitalists. However, with the majority of these arrangements being around Grade 5 or 6, this book is to be highly commended to every organist: those at an early stage will find a couple of the pieces already within their grasp and with a lifetime's use ahead of them; established organists will have a collection of immediately accessible high-quality arrangements. * Nicholas Danks, Choir & Organ July 02 * Eva's writing is highly idiomatic for the instrument and, importantly for this composer, he manages to capture Grieg's often luscious harmonies with the minimal amount of textural fuss: no fistfuls of chords or harmonic sequences difficult to keep legato. The range of styles is comprehensive: lyrical, reflective music alongside lively dances and assertive marches. The 'Hall of the Mountain King', despite the difficulty of the last section, will make an excellent recital encore piece, and again, the arrangement is good and one with which organists should persevere. As is becoming standard with OUP, the layout is excellently clear and the whole presentation of the volume is delightful. This is one of the bargains of the year. * Nicholas Danks, Choir & Organ July 02 * This splendid collection of fourteen pieces has most of the favourites and a few more . . . This book is heartily recommended, and is a worthy successor to OUP's other collections of pieces by Finzi, Walton, et al. * Church Music Quarterly June 02 * I am sure that it will prove invaluable for many occasions when well known pieces by Grieg are requested . . . All the transcriptions are expertly carried out by Christopher Eva, who has done an excellent job on some very intractable material . . . all the organ writing is well thought out, and the printing is up to OUP's usual clear standard. A most useful and interesting volume, and I shall be using it frequently. * The Organ No. 320 (May 02) * The arranger's work is well done, treading a finely-judged line between too complex or too simple a texture. Mr Eva is sensibly sparse in his registrational directions, usually simply giving dynamics and occasionally a reminder of what the original instrumentation (such as 'horns') was, when it is helpful. Wisely he avoids the more pianistic approach of earlier transcribers, on the other hand he does not resort to transposing pieces into simpler keys. For lovers of Grieg this volume will be a source of delight. It is, of course, beautifully produced, and is reasonably priced. * Paul Hale, Organists' Review May 2002 *