Description

Agathe Backer Grøndahl – Romanser / LP

NKF 30 007 STEREO

Product Features

Label: Norsk Kulturråd / NM, Klassikerserie
Catalog Number: NKF 30 007
Release Year: 1975
Format: LP (Vinyl Record)
Genre: Classical, Romantic
Audio: Stereo
Duration: Approx. 43 minutes
Tracks: 16
Language: Norwegian
Special Notes: Features works by Agathe Backer Grøndahl, interpreted by renowned Norwegian soprano Kari Frisell and pianist Liv Glaser.

Overview

Agathe Backer Grøndahl (1847-1907) was a prominent Norwegian composer and pianist whose works are deeply rooted in the German Romantic tradition. Throughout her career, she composed over 190 romances and numerous piano pieces, establishing her reputation as a significant figure in Scandinavian music. Her musical style, influenced by composers like Mendelssohn and Schumann, combined lyrical beauty with bold harmonic structures.

This LP, Romanser, features a selection of Agathe Backer Grøndahl's most beloved songs, performed by soprano Kari Frisell and pianist Liv Glaser. The compositions span a range of emotional and musical expression, from simple folk-inspired melodies to grand, sweeping romantic ballads. Many of Grøndahl’s songs, including "Mot kveld" ("Eventide") and "Kløvereng" ("Clover Field"), have become staples in Norwegian musical heritage, reflecting her connection to nature, love, and the melancholy of the human experience.

Kari Frisell, celebrated for her voice and depth of expression, brings these songs to life with passion, while Liv Glaser’s piano accompaniment is both nuanced and vibrant, capturing the essence of Grøndahl’s works. The LP features a mix of delicate lyrical lines and striking harmonies, underscoring the composer’s mastery of song composition.

Track Listing

Side 1

Til mit hjertes dronning: Skal vi vandre en stund? (To the queen of my heart: Shall we roam, my love?) - Op. 1, 1870 - 13:10
Efter en sommerfugl: Sommerfuglen min, med Vingerne fine (On beholding a butterfly, My butterfly, with gorgeous wings) - Op. 52 no. 4, 1900 - 7:04
Blåveiser: Blåveiser selv hvor de skinner (Blue flowers: Are they not gay?) - Op. 42 no. 3, 1899 - 17:18
Østvinden: Jeg lytter med lyst, når det lufter fra øst (East wind: How I love to listen when from the east it blows) - Op. 56 no. 2, 1900 - 1:34
Valborgsnatt: Træd stilt, det er Valborgsnatt! (Walpurgis Night: Walk quietly, Tis Walpurgis Night) - Op. 31 no. 8, 1891 - 2:10
Duggdråper: Dugg, dugg, blanke frø (Dewdrops: Dew, dew, sparkling down) - Op. 42 no. 6, 1899 - 0:45
Aften er stille (Still is the evening) - Op. 3 no. 1, 1870 - 2:31
Skjærer: En skjære på gjerdet i hvitt og sort (Magpies: A magpie perched upon the fence, dressed in white and black) - Op. 52 no. 6, 1900 - 1:30
Ved sundet: Der hviled over een (By the sound: O'er the island rested) - Op. 16 no. 2, 1884 - 2:58

Side 2

Ouverture: Verden er grå! Nei, verden er deilig (Overture: How dreary the world! No, how wonderful the world is!) - Op. 41 no. 1, 1897 - 1:33
Lind: Jeg vet ei, hvoraf det kommer (Linden tree: I know not whence it comes) - Op. 23 no. 1, 1868 - 1:54
Folkevise: Mor, min lille mor (Folk song: Mother, mother mine) - Op. 46 no. 2, 1897 - 1:00
Mig tykkes, Du stod ved mit leie (Methought you stood beside my bed) - Op. 27 no. 3, 1889 - 2:46
Es muss was Wunderbares sein (It must be something wonderful) - Op. 60 no. 5, 1900 - 1:55
Kløvereng: Kløvereng! Urskog med de tusind stier (Clover field: Clover field! Virgin forest by a thousand pathways crossed) - Op. 112, 1901 - 2:10
I skovens høisale falken grå (In forest hall, the falcon grey) - Op. 2 no. 3, 1871 - 2:07
Mot kveld: Alle de duggvåte blomster (Eventide: Blossoms are weary now) - Op. 42 no. 7, 1899 - 2:06