Grieg: Lyric Pieces (selection) played by Hideyo Harada

Grieg: Lyric Pieces (selections)
Hideyo Harada (piano)
Audite 92.555 | Stereo DDD (SACD)

Not again! Yup, I have here yet another clutch of those evergreen Lyric Pieces played winningly by Hideyo Harada on this superb Audite release. Grieg has long been one of my very favorite composers and his Lyric Pieces were my introduction to his world long ago when as a 14 year old I bought Gilels' recording via the BMG Classical Music service. Some people seem to turn their noses up at Grieg's music though I can't see why. His music is direct, clear, and unabashedly beautiful. "Beethoven and Bach created temples for worship on mountaintops. I only want to build homes for men to live in", said Grieg humbly.

Harada plays a generous sampling of Grieg's Lyric Pieces totalling some 75 minutes in all. If her touch seems a bit hard or stiff after Gilels, Gieseking, and Hansen, she still comes pretty close to equalling this trio. Only Wedding Day at Troldhaugen disappoints a little bit, feeling too heavy and lumpen. Just listen to Gieseking's recordings to hear how this piece ought to be played!

Audite's sound has plenty of depth and warmth. If you have room in your portable music player for another Grieg recital, by all means listen to this.