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A Nordic Serenade – January 30, 2000 | Walter Hall, Toronto
Songs and piano music of Edvard Grieg and Percy Grainger

date:  January 30, 2000

Percy Grainger first met Edvard Grieg in 1906, just a year before the latter’s death; but each had heard tell of the other and was eager for the meeting.  A close bond grew up over the next few months, until Grieg’s death.  Although he lived for another 54 years, Grainger never forgot the Norwegian.  At the top of all of his folksong settings, he inscribed: “Lovingly and reverently dedicated to the memory of Edvard Grieg”.  Our concert presented some of Grieg’s best-known songs, but concentrated more on Grainger’s extraordinary originality, his inventive compositions for piano and his crucial work in collecting and arranging folksongs.

Song Artist Composer Poet
Sonata in C, K545 Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, 2 pianos Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, arr. Grieg, Edvard n/a
Jeg elsker dig! Op.5/3 Ainsworth, Colin, tenor; Ralls, Stephen, piano Grieg, Edvard Andersen, Hans Christian
Med en vandlilje, Op.25/4 Huhtanen, Carla, soprano; Ralls, Stephen, piano Grieg, Edvard Ibsen, Henrik
Ein Traum, Op.48/6 Huhtanen, Carla, soprano; Ralls, Stephen, piano Grieg, Edvard Bodenstedt, Friedrich Martin von
Now, O now I needs must part Ralls, Stephen, piano Dowland, John, arr. Grainger, Percy n/a
Blithe Bells Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, 2 pianos Bach, Johann Sebastian, arr. Grainger, Percy n/a
Brigg Fair Ainsworth, Colin, tenor; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Lincolnshire folksong, arr. Grainger, Percy anon.
Died for Love Huhtanen, Carla, soprano; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Lincolnshire folksong, arr. Grainger, Percy anon.
The Sprig of Thyme Huhtanen, Carla, soprano; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Lincolnshire folksong, arr. Grainger, Percy anon.
Hermundur Illi (Two Musical Relics of my Mother) Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, 2 pianos Faeroe Island folksong, arr. Grainger, Percy n/a
As Sally sat a-weeping (Two Musical Relics of my Mother) Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, 2 pianos Dorset folksong, arr. Grainger, Percy n/a
INTERMISSION
Faeroe Island Dance-Folksong (Let’s dance gay in green meadow) Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, piano Faeroe Island folksong, arr. Grainger, Percy n/a
Solveig’s Song, Op.23/19 (Peer Gynt) Huhtanen, Carla, soprano; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Grieg, Edvard Ibsen, Henrik
En svane, Op.25/2 Huhtanen, Carla, soprano; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Grieg, Edvard Ibsen, Henrik
Spring, Op.33/2 Ainsworth, Colin, tenor; Ubukata, Bruce, piano Grieg, Edvard Vinje, Aasmund Olavsson
The Power of Love Huhtanen, Carla, soprano; Ralls, Stephen, piano Danish folksong, arr. Grainger, Percy anon.
David of the White Rock Ainsworth, Colin, tenor; Ralls, Stephen, piano Welsh folksong, arr. Grainger, Percy anon. Welsh, trans. Bowen, Richard
Bold William Taylor Ainsworth, Colin, tenor; Ralls, Stephen, piano Lincolnshire folksong, arr. Grainger, Percy anon.
Children’s March: Over the Hills and Far Away Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, 2 pianos Grainger, Percy n/a
The British Waterside (or The Jolly Sailor) Huhtanen, Carla, soprano; Ainsworth, Colin, tenor; Ralls, Stephen, piano Nottinghamshire folksong, arr. Grainger, Percy anon.
Embraceable You! (Girl Crazy) – ENCORE Huhtanen, Carla, soprano; Ainsworth, Colin, tenor; Ralls, Stephen / Ubukata, Bruce, piano Gershwin, George, arr. Grainger, Percy Gershwin, Ira