Sigurd Slåttebrekk: Chasing the Butterfly

Get the CD here: www.grappa.no/en/simax-classics/chasing-the-butterfly/
Sigurd Slåttebrekk and Tony Harrison were drawn to the artistic quality of Grieg's own playing. This evolved into a historic pioneering project of 'musical archaeology', reviving a performance tradition from over a hundred years ago. They have gone through re-creation and beyond -- with interpretations based as much on how Grieg played as on how he wrote. A sensational new approach to 'original performance practice'!
It all started with the work around the recording of the Piano Concerto, where Grainger's recording of the cadenza inspired a different approach to this well known piece. Further influenced by oral traditions like jazz and folk music Slåttebrekk and Harrison have listened in depth to each detail of Grieg's own playing on the famous 1903 acoustic recordings, and tried to imitate the performances at Grieg's piano at Troldhaugen.
Video director: Stephen Frost

[@phil-icare]

Sorry, but Grieg didn't hurt the piano as today's pianists… He played music.

[@duckisfaction]

If don't have anything to say through music, then copy someone else and pretend you are as great as he. Who wants that? They could reproduce Grieg

[@tchaffman]

I don't think that's the point here. He's a creative interpreter; I'm sure he could make an original recording with his own interpretation, and it'd be great. I think he's curious what he can learn by reviving Grieg's performance practice. I think it's a neat experiment and a creative interpreter like him can use what he learns throughout the process to expand his perspective as a conscious interpreter.