There have been several collections released recently containing Grieg’s complete music for string orchestra. Aside from the Holberg Suite, which is beautifully performed here by Willi Boskovsky and the strings of the National Philharmonic, the composer’s output for the medium is wholly soft and elegiac whether the latter term appears in the work title or not. So it’s very good to have the Lyric Suite (here called “Lyric Pieces” for some reason), the march from Sigurd Jorsalfar, and Charles Mackerras’ jolly rendition of Wedding Day at Troldhaugen. You don’t get the “complete” string music, but you do get most of it, and the program works very well for continuous listening–all 74 minutes of it. Given the miscellaneous recording dates (from 1960-76) the sonics are consistently good too. If the contents of this collection appeal to you, then don’t hesitate. [7/20/2006]
