Daniel Gortler: Edvard Grieg—Lyric Pieces
Prospero Classical

This splendid collection of Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) material by Israeli-American pianist Daniel Gortler could have been a triple-disc affair. After all, between 1867 and 1901 the composer wrote sixty-six short character pieces, from which Gortler selected twenty-one for his Prospero Classical debut. Perhaps a second volume will eventually materialize; for now, the first offers no shortage of delights. Publishing them in ten books, the composer created these pieces as something of an ongoing piano diary. Consistent with that, they were created throughout his life, with the first volume (Op. 12) appearing during his early twenties and the tenth (Op. 71) when he was fifty-eight. Most are miniatures lasting from one to two minutes, with only two pushing past four.

While contrasts in mood and style are abundant, all reflect the melodic sensibility of their creator and share, as advertised, an appealingly lyrical dimension. Some are dreamy, wistful, and melancholy and others lively and spirited, yet, in Gortler's expert hands, all gather to present a cohesive portrait of the composer (it's worth noting that the pianist strays from strict chronology and instead orders the pieces to create a satisfying flow). He imbues the gentler lullabies with poetic sensitivity and attention to their nuances and animates the robust folk dances with vitality and enthusiasm. Regardless of the piece, his phrasing is thoughtful and honours the spirit of Grieg's music.

Gortler's certainly up to the task. He's impressed audiences worldwide as a soloist and chamber musician with performances distinguished by technical mastery and imagination. Earlier releases featuring the music of Mendelssohn, Schumann, and Schubert nicely complement the new one, recorded in 2021 and 2022 at the Jerusalem Music Centre with Gortler playing a Steinway grand piano. If the lyric pieces seem particularly strong on melody, it's intentional, as borne out by Grieg's comment, “I wrote my piano music so that it will be played, sung, and enjoyed in every fisherman's and peasant's hut in Norway where there is a piano.” The character of his homeland is evoked in the pieces but often allusively. Whereas some titles, such as “March of the Dwarfs,” “Butterfly,” and "At the Cradle,” point to a specific subject matter and rapidly fluttering figures in “Brooklet” and "Little Bird” do evoke a stream and chirping bird, respectively, others like “Ballad" and “Summer's Eve” conjure a mood or scene indirectly.

The album's tone is set by the beguiling “Arietta,” whose yearning melody is voiced beautifully by Gortler. This sweet caress of a piece wends its gentle way for a fleeting minute-and-a-half before ceding the stage to the equally charming “Berceuse,” which frames a brief Norwegian dance episode in the middle with tranquil expressions. “March of the Dwarfs” thereafter engages with fluttering phrases that could be taken for macabre chants by the titular creatures. The oscillation between serenity and liveliness reflected in the initial pieces continues as the album advances, with ones such as “Vanished Days,” “At Your Feet,” and “Solitary Traveller” accentuating the set's introspective, elegiac dimension and “Norwegian Dance” and the devilish “Puck” its rhythmically exuberant side. Whereas the album is at its most solemn during the dark and dramatic “Ballad,” it's at its most quietly radiant in “Summer's Eve,” folk-inflected in “Peasant's Song,” and impressionistic in “Notturno.”

August 2024