*Lyric Pieces

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 very last lyric piece, Remembrances (Efterklang) — this time as a waltz.

In 2002, Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes recorded a CD with 24 of the lyric pieces on Grieg's own 1892 Steinway grand piano at Troldhaugen, the composer's residence. Among other notable pianists to make recordings of the collection are Isabel Mourão – the Brazilian pianist was also the first to record the complete Lyric Pieces – Walter Gieseking, Sviatoslav Richter, Emil Gilels, Eva Knardahl, Andrei Gavrilov, Håkon Austbø, Einar Steen-Nøkleberg, Irina Mejoueva, Gerhard Oppitz, Stephen Hough, and Javier Perianes. A few recordings and piano rolls of Grieg himself performing also exist, and they have been published by the Norwegian record label Simax.

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 listing

Book I - 8 Lyric Pieces, Op.12 (1864-67) Fräulein Betty Egeberg gewidmet 0:00:20 Arietta 0:01:46 Waltz 0:03:38 Watchman's Song 0:06:17 Elfin Dance 0:07:16 Folk Song 0:08:32 Norwegian Melody 0:09:52 Album Leaf 0:11:45 National Song

Book II - 8 Lyric Pieces, Op.38 (1883-88) 0:13:20 Berceuse 0:16:21 Popular Melody 0:18:23 Melodie 0:19:36 Halling (Norwegian Dance) 0:20:53 Jump Dance (Norwegian Dance) 0:21:48 Elegie 0:25:48 Waltz 0:26:54 Kanon

Book III - 6 Lyric Pieces, Op.43 (1886) Herrn Professor Isidor Seiss gewidmet 0:31:42 Butterfly 0:33:40 Solitary traveller 0:35:40 In my native country 0:37:37 Little bird 0:39:28 Erotikon 0:41:59 To the Spring

Book IV - 7 Lyric Pieces, Op.47 (1886-88) Fräulein Elisabet Hernemann gewidmet 0:45:14 Valse-Impromptu 0:48:22 Album-leaf 0:52:09 Melodie 0:55:32 Halling (Norwegian Dance) 0:57:09 Melancholie 1:00:42 Norwegian Dance 1:02:17 Elegie

Book V - 6 Lyric Pieces, Op.54 (1889-91) Herrn Julius Röntgen gewidmet 1:04:58 Shepherd's boy 1:09:00 Norwegian Peasant March 1:12:52 March of the dwarfs 1:16:08 Notturno 1:20:09 Scherzo 1:23:39 Bell ringing

Book VI - 6 Lyric Pieces, Op.57 (1890-93) Herrn Hermann Scholtz gewidmet 1:27:25 Vanished days 1:33:26 Gade 1:37:31 Illusion 1:41:09 Secret 1:46:20 She dances 1:49:36 Home-sickness

Book VII - 6 Lyric Pieces, Op.62 (1893-95) 1:53:25 Sylphide 1:55:15 Gratitude 1:58:56 French Serenade 2:01:38 Brooklet 2:03:41 Phantom 2:06:55 Homeward

Book VIII - 6 Lyric Pieces, Op.65 (1896) 2:09:49 From early years 2:15:22 Peasant's Song 2:17:06 Melancholy 2:21:07 Salon 2:23:51 Ballad 2:26:29 Wedding day at Troldhaugen

Book IX - 6 Lyric Pieces, Op.68 (1897-99) 2:33:45 Sailor's song 2:35:20 Grandmother's minuet 2:37:38 At your feet 2:41:00 Evening in the mountains 2:43:56 At the cradle 2:46:21 Valse mélancholique

Book X - 7 Lyric Pieces, Op.71 (1901) Frau Mien Röntgen gewidmet 2:50:26 Once upon a time 2:54:25 Summer's eve 2:57:08 Puck 2:59:18 Peace of the woods 3:05:01 Halling (Norwegian Dance) 3:08:45 Gone 3:11:05 Remembrances