Debussy's characterization of Grieg's short piano pieces as "bon-bons filled with snow" is happily contradicted by Kyoko Tabe's crisp, purposeful pianism. She projects the lyric impulse informing the pieces within the Op. 1, 3, and 28 groups with plenty of color and sensitivity, yet the music's backbone remains firmly intact. Notice, for example, the fluttery evenness of her rapid, detache runs in Op. 3's last two selections, her piquantly etched turns that give Op. 28 No. 3 its waltzing lilt, or the Op. 1 Mazurka's subtle kicks on the upbeats.
The Sonata also fares excellently in Tabe's expert hands, especially in how she points up the Finale's dotted rhythms while keeping her chords balanced and full-bodied. She doesn't quite let herself go in the manner of Leif Ove Andsnes, who commands a wider dynamic range and emphasizes the music's rustic, elemental qualities by stressing the bass lines and truly digging into the composer's frequent left-hand "drone" effects. The seven Fugues are essentially student exercises, and Tabe's clear, straightforward renditions match their austere beauty in a manner that contrasts to Pletnev's warmer, more songful approach (DG). All told, a worthy addition to the immense Grieg piano music discography, and beautifully recorded too.
More info:
http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=53430

Tracklist:
01 - Poetiske tonebilleder (Poetic Tone-Pictures), Op. 3: I. Allegro, ma non troppo
02 - II. Allegro cantabile
03 - III. Con moto
04 - IV. Andante con sentimento
05 - V. Allegro moderato - Vivo
06 - VI. Allegro scherzando
07 - Piano Sonata in E minor, Op. 7: I. Allegro moderato - Allegro molto
08 - II. Andante molto - L'istesso tempo
09 - III. Alla menuetto ma poco piu lento
10 - IV. Finale: Molto allegro - Presto
11 - 7 Fugues for Piano, EG 184: No. 1. Fuga a 2 in C minor: Allegro
12 - No. 2. Fuga a 2 in C major
13 - No. 3. Fuga a 3 in D major: Andante non troppo
14 - No. 4. Fuga a 3 in A minor: Allegro
15 - No. 5. Fuga a 4 in G minor: Allegro non troppo
16 - No. 6. Fuga a 3 voci in C major: Allegro energico
17 - No. 7. Doppel-Fuge in G minor: Andante non troppo
18 - 4 Klaverstykker (4 Piano Pieces), Op. 1: I. Allegro con leggerezza
19 - II. Non allegro e molto espressivo - Un poco piu vivo - Allegro capriccioso - Tempo I
20 - III. Mazurka: Con grazia
21 - IV. Allegro con moto
22 - 4 Album Leaves, Op. 28: I. Allegro con moto
23 - II. Allegro espressivo
24 - III. Vivace
25 - IV. Andantino serioso - Allegro giocoso



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