Canter Bridge

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There’s a reason why Edward Grieg appears on those off-market complilations of ‘favorite all time romantic music’ with the double exclamation points and tissue paper liners. For pure melody there is hardly a composer more attuned to the preferences of the modern ear.

Orchestras from Budapest, Vienna, and Berlin contribute to this back-alley anthology of some of the Norwegian composers most beloved (*there’s* another adjective from late-night television advertisements!) pieces.

I am astonished that Grieg can sound so very, very good on the cheap.

A regular component on the playlist of my favorite satellite radio station signs off ‘reminding you that all music was once new music’. This wry observation serves as apology for composers who are ahead of their would-be listeners’ time and is a fair call for patience with music that may seem slightly jarring on the first three passes.

One wonders whether Grieg was every ahead of his listeners like that. I doubt it.

Simply, unequivocally superb.