de Greef (1862-1940): Grieg - "Wedding Day at Troldhaugen"

Arthur de Greef was one of the Liszt pupils from the late 1870s through the 1880s, contemporary with Rosenthal and Albéniz. He is best known for his 30-year association with Grieg, who spoke of de Greef as the finest performer of his works there was.

De Greef stands out amongst the Liszt pupils, and indeed from almost everyone of his generation, for the quite modern approach he had to interpretation. His performance is "anti-interventionist" and highly objective, in a non-romantic sort of way. His performances of Chopin prefigure the approach taken by Artur Rubenstein, of great delicacy and a certain cool straightforwardness.

His solo piano work has one failing - that of failing to generate the widest range of dynamic levels, and absence of a certain kind of beckoning intimacy. To be quite honest, I am not personally a fan of his solo performance, though it will appeal to many who find the 19th century style of piano too affected. The performances bear repeated hearings though, and my initial negative reaction often softens into one of "I see exactly what you mean, and you do it very well for all that, but I just wouldn't do it that way myself."

This is Grieg's Lyric Piece op.65 no.6 - the famous "Wedding Day at Troldhaugen"; a work Grieg himself also recorded. The recording dates from 1929.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Arthur
• de
• Greef
• piano
• recording
• classical
• grieg
• lyric
• piece
• op.65
• no.6
• wedding
• day
• at
• troldhaugen

[etoyotarockshsucks]

I love this song!!!!!!!!:) but pretty bad recording and sound quality

[d60944]

@etoyotarockshsucks It's a very good sound quality for a 1929 recording, by a pianist taught by Liszt and who worked with Grieg on performing his music

[xxmizzlollypopxx]

erm can we leave the 'young people' comment out of it im 17 and love this piece! Play it on my piano often however i also love drum and bass R&B and all the rest of it. The older generation can be just as narrow minded!

[JinxxCyanide]

My sister played this last year (I'll never play it, violinist/electric guitarist to the core!) it's a great piece....but i resented having to turn the pages of her book while she played in a concert I should have qualified for (it made

Me looked like a trained monkey instead of an equally skilled musician) She played well though and I was proud of her!

[MoorOfDundee]

@d60944 What a FABULOUS find!



[Teleskingsince1985]

great video song is spectaculer love it

[Kavishwa1]

Love this!!!! But feel bit harsh!!! May be coz of the bad recording!!!

[paulostroff99]

Superb! TY d for posting

[SquareBallStudios]

I just turned 14 and am learning this piece. It is one of my favorite songs yet, I can't wait to learn it in it's entirety :D

[miccharlie]

i'd suggest everyone interested or opinionated about romantic piano technique look up the works of charles rosen; The Romantic Generation, for example.

[thebiggestqueenfan]

@etoyotarockshsucks it's not a song. it's a piece.

[violetavalery]

excellent piano playing!

[comeon243]

i'm 13 and i'm learing to play it....would i play it if i didn't like it?