In our concerts April 26 and 27, we sang a set of Four songs by Edvard Grieg. The music and text, for choir and baritone solo, are a beautiful melding of folk melodies and of religious psalms and poetry. The setting certainly has it's challenges - the tuning is crucial as Grieg's harmonies melt in and out, not to mention pronouncing the Norwegian correctly. But the interesting thing is, if the details are in place, the piece sounds amazingly simple. Because in the truest sense, it is. As one Grieg scholar said "In each of the four psalms, Grieg allows himself to receive his key inspiration from the texts, letting them guide his forms. As a result, he lends their performance a natural, idiomatic quality..." I was struck by how many people commented on the Grieg after the concert. It's the kind of music that, in its simplicity, seeps into your heart almost without you noticing. The kind of tune you could go away humming. And it made reminded me, sometimes, it's all about the little things. In music, in life - it's not always the thing that seems the most impressive that leaves a lasting impression.
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