Hailed by George Bernard Shaw as one of the 19th century’s greatest virtuoso pianists, Agathe Backer Grøndahl was also a pioneer among women composers, juggling marriage, motherhood and an extensive career. She was taught by Liszt in Weimar, and as one of Norway’s most respected composer-pianists, created a large body of work that displays colourful stylistic variety and poetic breadth. The beautiful Sérénade from Trois Morceaux, Op. 15 may well be Backer Grøndahl’s most popular piano composition, but her concert études are virtuoso masterpieces – the folk-tune arrangements drawn from her Op. 30 and Op. 33 sets illustrate her perceptive absorption of her country’s folk music. The remarkable fairy-tale suite I blaafjellet, Op. 44 is possibly the first impressionist piece by a Norwegian composer.
Backer-Grøndahl, Agathe
Suite, Op. 20: I. Prélude
1 Suite, Op. 20: I. Prélude 03:13
3 Morceaux, Op. 15: No. 1. Sérénade in F Major
2 3 Morceaux, Op. 15: No. 1. Sérénade in F Major 02:43
Études de concert, Op. 57: No. 1. Allegretto
3 Études de concert, Op. 57: No. 1. Allegretto 03:13
11 Norske folkeviser og folkedanse, Op. 30: No. 1. Brudeslaat (Lom?)
4 11 Norske folkeviser og folkedanse, Op. 30: No. 1. Brudeslaat (Lom?) 03:18
6 Idylles, Op. 24: No. 1. Allegretto leggiero
5 6 Idylles, Op. 24: No. 1. Allegretto leggiero 02:17
11 Norske folkeviser og folkedanse, Op. 30 (excerpts)
6 No. 9. Siklebækken (Møllargutten) 02:57
7 No. 10. Kivlemöyerne (Møllargutten) 02:41
8 No. 11. Fanitullen (Møllargutten) 02:01
6 Idylles, Op. 24: No. 5. Allegretto tranquillo
9 6 Idylles, Op. 24: No. 5. Allegretto tranquillo 03:11
6 Fantasistykker, Op. 66, "Barnlige Billeder" (Children Pictures): No. 1. Ride, ride Ranke
10 6 Fantasistykker, Op. 66, "Barnlige Billeder" (Children Pictures): No. 1. Ride, ride Ranke 01:00
8 Norske folkeviser og folkedanse, Op. 33: No. 3. Laat i Fjellet
11 8 Norske folkeviser og folkedanse, Op. 33: No. 3. Laat i Fjellet 01:34
3 Ungarske studier (3 Hungarian Studies), Op. 38: No. 2. Intermezzo
12 3 Ungarske studier (3 Hungarian Studies), Op. 38: No. 2. Intermezzo 02:40
10 Fantasistykker, Op. 39: No. 1. Souvenir
13 10 Fantasistykker, Op. 39: No. 1. Souvenir 01:59
8 Norske folkeviser og folkedanse, Op. 33: No. 8. Bruralaat (Valdres)
14 8 Norske folkeviser og folkedanse, Op. 33: No. 8. Bruralaat (Valdres) 01:35
4 Skizzer (Sketches), Op. 19: No. 1. Allegretto leggiero
15 4 Skizzer (Sketches), Op. 19: No. 1. Allegretto leggiero 02:27
8 Norske folkeviser og folkedanse, Op. 33: No. 1. Halling
16 8 Norske folkeviser og folkedanse, Op. 33: No. 1. Halling 00:51
12 Smaa fantasistykker, Op. 55: No. 4. Et Farvel
17 12 Smaa fantasistykker, Op. 55: No. 4. Et Farvel 01:56
8 Norske folkeviser og folkedanse, Op. 33: No. 6. Springdans (Vinje)
18 8 Norske folkeviser og folkedanse, Op. 33: No. 6. Springdans (Vinje) 01:09
11 Norske folkeviser og folkedanse, Op. 30: No. 5. Springdans
19 11 Norske folkeviser og folkedanse, Op. 30: No. 5. Springdans 00:34
Suite, Op. 20: II. Nocturne
20 Suite, Op. 20: II. Nocturne 03:52
Huldreslaat (Dance of the Huldra)
21 Huldreslaat (Dance of the Huldra) 02:01
12 Smaa fantasistykker, Op. 55: No. 9. Romance
22 12 Smaa fantasistykker, Op. 55: No. 9. Romance 01:06
I blaafjellet (In the Blue Mountains), Op. 44: II. I Trollhallen
23 I blaafjellet (In the Blue Mountains), Op. 44: II. I Trollhallen 04:40
6 Concert Etudes, Op. 11: No. 4 in B-Flat Major
24 6 Concert Etudes, Op. 11: No. 4 in B-Flat Major 06:37
