Fantasy Pieces Op.45 Cover Image

Fantasy Pieces Op.45: Piano Solo

$12.95 USD
$12.95 USD
Skip to product information
Fantasy Pieces Op.45 Cover Image
Fantasy Pieces Op.45: Piano Solo

Fantasy Pieces Op.45: Piano Solo

By Agathe Backer Grøndahl / ed. Christian Grøvlen

Level: Intermediate

Item: 98-EP20040
$12.95
Shipped

One moment…

Description
Agathe Backer Grøndahl is primarily known as an accomplished Norwegian pianist, but her brilliant compositions have received little attention to date. The Fantasy Pieces Op. 45 comprise some of her most elaborate and mature works, while preserving her unmistakably lyrical and deeply personal musical voice. The collection brings together a richly contrasted set of character pieces, that span a wide expressive range -- from virtuoso Romantic works of technical brilliance and poetic depth, through intimate, lighter pieces infused with Nordic folk colour, to charming yet substantial works poised between concert repertoire and salon music. Edited by Christian Grøvlen and suitable for intermediate to advanced pianists, this first Urtext edition is a timelessly rewarding addition to any music library and an essential volume for every forward-looking pianist.

Fantasy Pieces Op.45: Piano Solo isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.

Request This Title

Tell us you want it.

Start Your Free Trial

Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Pages

Sample Audio
No sample audio found.
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Publisher: Edition Peters
ISBN13: 979-0-577-02584-1
UPC: 9790577025841
SKU: 98-EP20040

More about this title

About the Composer: Agathe Backer Grøndahl

Agathe Backer Grøndahl (1847, 1907) was a Norwegian pianist and composer who achieved recognition as a virtuoso performer across Europe during the Romantic era. Despite her considerable gifts as a musician, her compositional output remained overshadowed by her reputation as an interpreter, and much of her work has languished in obscurity until recent decades. Her mature piano pieces reveal a composer equally at home with grand Romantic gestures and intimate character writing, shaped by her deep connection to Norwegian musical traditions.

Why we love this

These pieces restore a significant voice to the Romantic piano repertoire while offering pianists genuine musical substance across a spectrum of moods and technical demands. The collection balances virtuosity with accessibility, making it possible to program movements that suit different occasions, a concert showpiece one moment, a salon piece the next, all grounded in distinctive voice rather than pastiche.

What to expect

The collection unfolds like a walk through Grøndahl's musical world: moments of virtuosic brilliance give way to introspective passages touched by Nordic folk warmth, while salon pieces charm without sacrificing substance. The harmonic language feels both rooted in Romantic tradition and distinctively personal, with surprising turns that keep the ear engaged across intimate and grand gestures alike.

Who it's for

Intermediate to advanced pianists seeking repertoire beyond the standard canon, particularly those drawn to Romantic-era character pieces and Scandinavian musical idioms. These works reward performers who value expressive nuance and enjoy navigating the technical demands that support deeper musicianship rather than mere display.

How to get the most out of it

  • Pay attention to the folk-inflected passages, allowing modal inflections and unexpected harmonic turns to shape your phrasing naturally rather than imposing Romantic convention onto them.
  • Balance technical display with the intimacy of the surrounding material; virtuosity in these pieces serves expression, not the reverse.
  • Explore the variety of character across the collection in rehearsal before deciding on a performance sequence; not every piece needs the same temperament or tempo relationship to its neighbors.
  • Use the editorial notes to understand Grøndahl's original intentions; this Urtext edition clarifies distinctions between her voice and later editorial interventions.

How to use it

Program individual pieces from this collection to deepen a recital's expressive range, pairing them with works by contemporaries like Grieg or Schumann to highlight shared Scandinavian and Romantic sensibilities. These pieces work equally well as repertoire for private studio pianists seeking material that builds technical skill while developing interpretive voice, or as discoveries in faculty recitals that champion historically overlooked composers.

Skills your students will build

  • Navigating mixed harmonic language combining Romantic convention with modal and folk-influenced passages
  • Sustaining long lines across varied keyboard textures while maintaining clarity and independence of voices
  • Coordinating hand independence and balance in virtuosic passages that demand both technical precision and musical intention
  • Interpreting character pieces that resist generic Romantic phrasing, requiring close attention to Grøndahl's specific compositional choices

You May Also Like