Sir Alexander Gibson

[Cockney Sparrow]

Surely one of the very best Elgar 'In the Souths' on disc....,

Yes Yes Yes! The recording by which I became acquainted with it.........

[David-G]

Just spotted an intriguing-looking LP in the local charity shop - "Berganza sings Rossini" with Alexander Gibson and the LSO.

PS Just noticed Ff has commended it above. I shall investigate it further.

[visualnickmos]

His LP of Sibelius's 5th symphony with the LSO - which is also on the Decca 'Legends' label - fantastic.... real edge of seat, stuff

[Stanley Stewart]

Engagingly diverted for a couple of hours this morning by revisiting 'Alex', the authorised biography of Sir Alexander Gibson, (1993, Mainstream Publishing Co, Edinburgh), by Conrad Wilson.

Over several decades from Sadler's Wells in the late 50s to the early 90s, I was a devotee of Sir Alexander's work and the discography sites concert and operatic performaces I attended at London, Edinburgh and Aberdeen; an abiding memory of a platform performance of Die Walkure, Act 1 with Jessye Norman's burnished tones creating an indelible memory of her Sieglinde at the Music Hall, Aberdeen; Galina Vishnevskaya as Lady M in the 'Scottish play' at Aberdeen's HM Theatre, the creative tension between stage and orchestra pit was almost combustible; similarly Gibson rose to the heights as he conducted Die Meistersinger in 1977, Norman Bailey repeating his memorable Sachs and I also recall the exquisite pleasure of hearing Linda Esther Gray for the first time as Eva. Janet Baker, too, in The Trojans and, albeit with Norman del Mar, Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier with Helga Dernesch as the Marschallin - glad to acquire this recording on Ponto some years later.

But Gibson was a versatile musician's musician.I recall his Elgar, RVW and Walton performances in various Proms, including a delicious semi-staged performance of
Verdi's Falstaff. He also brought Scottish Opera to the Dominion, Tott.Ct Rd, and I recall his halt to a performance when latecomers made a noisy entrance as he started to conduct, Act 2 of Tosca. He was also tetchy with repeated coughers and I was amused to learn that he was a fellow Acquarian - I recognise several characteristics. Much pleasure in these memories.

[Rolmill]

My own memories are of lighter fare: delectable Rossini/Britten Matinee/Soiree Musicales and a really good Carnival of the Animals/Jeux d'Enfants coupling, both on cfp.

[Roslynmuse]

My own memories are of lighter fare: delectable Rossini/Britten Matinee/Soiree Musicales and a really good Carnival of the Animals/Jeux d'Enfants coupling, both on cfp.

Oh yes, the Saint-Saens and Bizet with Mother Goose of Ravel - super recordings. Peter Katin one of the Carnival pianists - was the other Philip Fowke?

[Rolmill]

Oh yes, the Saint-Saens and Bizet with Mother Goose of Ravel - super recordings. Peter Katin one of the Carnival pianists - was the other Philip Fowke?

Yes, Peter Katin (late of this parish) and Philip Fowke it was - and a delightful duo they made. You're right, the Ravel is also on this disc, not sure why I forgot that.

[johncorrigan]

21 years since his death he would have been 90 this year .

Not a conductor well known to me since I began to collect his marvellous Chandos Sibelius recordings - which are wonderfully idiomatic and immensely enjoyable .

Any memories of him in concert or other favourite recordings ?

The first time I ever went to an opera was in the early 80s and it was conducted by Sir Alexander - Glasgow Theatre Royal I seem to recall - we had free tickets. I went along to keep a pal company who worked at the Beeb. Can't remember what it was - 'Barber of Seville' seems to ring a bell. Anyway I really enjoyed it. Afterwards my pal and I headed to a well known restaurant off Byres Road in the west end where our then girlfriends (now wives) worked, knowing that we could get late drinks.

I had had a couple when this party of folks came in to the restaurant. I immediately recognised that Sir Alexander was in the party. I watched for a suitable moment, and then went over to say thank you and how enjoyable the evening had been and how I'd never been to opera before. He was so warm and friendly, invited me to sit with them, chatted laughed (probably laughing at this pissed guy). But he was lovely. He asked if I thought I would go to the opera again and I said I certainly would, that I had been surprised to have enjoyed the spectacle etc. We shook hands and I left. Never been to the opera since, but I thought he was a lovely guy. Thanks for reminding me of this fine gentleman, Barbirollians.

[Barbirollians]

It is a shame that much of his work for Chandos now seems to be download only especially the Sibelius symphonies .

I had forgotten another record of his that I enjoyed a good deal - his account of VW 5 with the RPO which turned up coupled with Berglund's 4 and 6 and Silvestri's magnificent Tallis Fantasia and the Wasps overture .

[Cockney Sparrow]

If you can access the Naxos Music Library (for the lucky, free via local library membership) the Sibelius recordings can be found:
Using the CHAN numbers found on "The Classical Shop" website for the editions with the deep blue covers for the symphonies.
In Naxos ML locate them using the advanced search, Catalogue number tab -
"CHAN6555", "CHAN6557" "CHAN6556" - The deep purple cover issues- and "CHAN8395-96" (Tone Poems) (Note there is no space otherwise it doesn't show up).

[Pabmusic]

It was HMV ASD2400 and ended up on a CfP CD. Has Harty's With the Wild Geese which is excellent.

Thanks, Cloughie.

[Once Was 4]

Agreed about Sibelius, including some of his earlier recordings (EMI, CfP and so on).
But what I came to value most was Gibson's opera conducting, particularly at Scottish Opera. There are splendid souvenirs of this on Classics for Pleasure: highlights from Rosenkavalier, Ballo, Don Giovanni and Merry Widow, with terrific casts.

Yours truly is responsible for the 2nd horn playing on the Merry Widow disc (also the 2nd horn for the performances of ‘The Scottish Opera’ with Galina Vishnevskaya in Aberdeen mentioned in another post). As I recall, this was made over three sessions in the auditorium of Glasgow City Hall (with the audience seats removed) in the middle of Winter and it was perishing cold both outside (heavy snow) and inside the hall.
As for Macbeth, I also recall a performance where a gentleman had somehow got in to the theatre from outside and, doing a passable imitation of Tam O’Shanter, waddled down the aisle of the stalls during a scene change, tapped Sir Alex on the shoulder and, when the maestro turned round, shook him enthusiastically by the hand before being removed by the theatre staff.
Sadly, after my Scottish years, I only encountered Sir Alex once more when he came to Leeds to conduct an ‘end of term’ concert of potboilers. It was clear that he was not well and he died shortly afterwards. A great man to whom we owe a lot; he would have been very distressed to see what his successors have done to Scottish Opera.

[Gordon]

A trawl through the discographies to hand produced the following recordings by Alexander Gibson for Decca, LSO, LPO and RPO. No recordings with the Scottish National orchestra are listed [no discography], some of these were made for Chandos. Some others made for the minor labels.

Some of those listed are mentioned above but one or two are real collector's items like the one and only Bizet recording with the Suisse Romande in Geneva and the Musgrave Concerto for Orchestra made in Glasgow, not forgetting the Delius and R R Bennett Piano Concertos.

Apologies in advance for the formatting - too time consuming to tidy it up!!

DECCA: includes some RCA when they had an agreement

Pr: Erik Smith Eng: Kenneth Wilkinson & Alan Reeve
5-6 Dec 1957 Kingsway Hall
New Symphony Orchestra of London, Alexander Gibson
[a] ARNOLD Tam o’Shanter - Overture Op.51
[b] MUSORGSKY-RAVEL Pictures at an Exhibition : Gnomus
[c] MUSORGSKY Night on the Bare Mountain
[d] SAINT-SAËNS Danse macabre Op.40
[e] HUMPERDINCK Hänsel und Gretel : Witch’s ride
[f] LISZT Mephisto Waltz No.1 S110/2
[R.C.A.] [a-f] (Jan59) LM2225 = LSC2225;
(Jly59) RB16156 = (Feb59) SB2020, (Jan72) SPA175,
[d] (Mar91) 421 396.2LC; (Dec92) 433 621.2DSP,
[c-f] (Nov01) 468 488.2DM,
[a-f] (Mar08) Australian Eloquence 442 9985.

Pr: Erik Smith (m), Christopher Raeburn (s) Eng: Kenneth Wilkinson
9-10 Feb 1959 Kingsway Hall
London Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Gibson
SIBELIUS Symphony No.5 in E flat Op.82
Karelia Op.11 : suite
[R.C.A.] (Jun60) LM2405 = LSC2405; (Mar60) RB16184 = SB2068,
(May71) SPA122; (Apr75) STS15189, (Nov01) 468 488.2DM.

Pr: [ab] Ray Minshull / [c] Michael Williamson Eng: Kenneth Wilkinson
[ab] 12-13 Feb & [c] 7 Apr 1959 Kingsway Hall
Royal Opera House Orchestra, Alexander Gibson
[a] GOUNOD Faust : ballet music
[b] GOUNOD Funeral March of a Marionette
[c] BIZET Carmen : Suite
[R.C.A.] [abc] (Nov60) LM2449 = LSC2449;
(Jan66) VIC1108 = VICS1108,
[a] (Dec70) SPA97,
[b] (Jan72) SPA173,
[c] (Sep72) SPA220,
[b] (Jun89) 421 634.2DC,
[ab] (Mar08) Australian Eloquence 442 9985.

Pr: Christopher Raeburn (m), Ray Minshull (s) Eng: Kenneth Wilkinson
17-20 Feb 1959 Walthamstow Assembly Hall
Teresa Berganza (mezzo-soprano),
London Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Gibson
[a] ROSSINI Il Barbiere di Siviglia : Una voce poco fa
[b] Il Barbiere di Siviglia : Contro un cor
[c] L’Italiana in Algeri : Cruda sorte!
[d] L’Italiana in Algeri : O! che muso
[e] L’Italiana in Algeri : Per lui che adoro
[f] La Cenerentola : Nacqui all’affanno
[g] Semiramide : Bel raggio
[h] Stabat Mater : Fac ut portem
[a-h] (Jun59) LXT5514 = SXL2132; (Feb60) 5514 = OS25106,
[abcfgh] (Jan90) 421 327.2DA,
[acefg] (Oct01) 467 905.2DSR.


Pr: Richard Mohr & Peter Dellheim Eng: Alan Reeve
15&22 Jun 1959 Kingsway Hall
“London Festival Orchestra”
[actually New Symphony Orchestra of London], Alexander Gibson
[a] CHOPIN Les Sylphides
[b] DVOŘÁK Carnival Overture Op.92 B169
[c] GRIEG Peer Gynt : Suite No.1 Op.46
[d] SIBELIUS Finlandia Op.26
[e] SIBELIUS Kuolema Op.44 : Valse Triste
[f] SIBELIUS Four Legends Op.22 : The Swan of Tuonela
[READER’S DIGEST] [a-e] (’59) RDM9 = RDS9,
[a] (’66) RDM1094 = RDS5094,
[bcdf] (’66) RDM1096 = RDS5096,
[a-df] (Jan92) Chesky CD62,
[d] (’91) RDCD281-86,
[(c)] (’92) RDCD411-16,
[f] (’95) RDCD1111-13,
[b] (c95) RDCD1221-23.

Pr: Richard Mohr & Peter Dellheim Eng: Alan Reeve
18-19 Jun 1959 Kingsway Hall
“London Festival Orchestra”
[actually New Symphony Orchestra of London], Alexander Gibson
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No.6 in B minor Op.74
[READER’S DIGEST] (’59) RDM7 = RDS7, (’91) RDCD261-63,
(Apr92) Chesky CD65.

Pr: Michael Bremner Eng: Alan Abel (m), Cyril Windebank (s)
[a-g] 8-11 & [h] 10 Jun 1960 Kingsway Hall
Teresa Berganza (mezzo-soprano); [h] Felix Lavilla (piano);
[a-g] Royal Opera House Orchestra, Alexander Gibson
[a] HANDEL Giulio Cesare HWV17 : Piangerò, la sorte mia
[b] PERGOLESI La Serva Padrona : Stizzoso, mio stizzoso
[c] GLUCK Alceste : Divinités du Styx
[d] GLUCK Orfeo ed Euridice : Che farò & Che puro ciel
[e] GLUCK Paride ed Elena : O del mio dolce ardor
[f] PAISIELLO Nina Pazza per Amore : Il mio ben
[g] CHERUBINI Medea : Medea, O Medea
[h] LAVILLA Lullaby [for Prince Orlofsky’s Gala Ball]
[h] (Nov60) MET201-3 = SET201-3; (Dec60) A4347 = OSA1319,
[a-g] (Jan61) LXT5611 = SXL2251; (Feb61) 5591 = OS25225,
[h] (Aug87) 421 046.2DH2,
[d] (Nov88) 421 018.2DC,
[a-g] (Jan90) 421 327.2DA.

Pr: Charles Gerhardt Eng: Peter Attwood (m), Kenneth Wilkinson (s)
[a] 16, [ab] 18, [c-f] 19, [cghi] 20 & [bj-p] 21 Jly 1960 Kingsway Hall
New Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Gibson
[a] TCHAIKOVSKY Capriccio Italien Op.45
[b] TCHAIKOVSKY Andante cantabile Op.11
[c] TCHAIKOVSKY 1812 Overture Op.49
[d] SUPPÉ Dichter und Bauer : Overture
[e] J. STRAUSS II Unter Donner und Blitz - Polka Op.324
[f] J. STRAUSS II Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka Op.214
[g] WAGNER Lohengrin : Prelude to Act III
[h] WAGNER Die Walküre : Ride of the Valkyries
[i] BERLIOZ La Damnation de Faust Op.24 : Menuet des follets
[j] BERLIOZ La Damnation de Faust Op.24 : Danse des sylphs
[k] BERLIOZ La Damnation de Faust Op.24 : Marche hongroise
[l] WEBER-BERLIOZ L’Invitation à la valse
[m] PAGANINI Moto perpetuo in C Op.11
[n] GRIEG Norwegian Dance Op.35/1
[o] GRIEG Norwegian Dance Op.35/2
[p] SMETANA Má Vlast : No.2 “Vltava”
[READER’S DIGEST] [n] Unpublished?
[abehijkp] (c63) RDM1001 = RDS5001,
[cdfglmo] (c63) RDM1005 = RDS5005,
[km] (’88) RDCD71-77,
[e] (’91) RDCD221-23,
[a] (’91) RDCD261-63,
[h] (’91) RDCD281-86,
[el] (c96) RDCD1391-93,
[a] (Jly88) Chesky CD12,
[dfglo] (Jan92) Chesky CD62,
[p] (Apr92) Chesky CD65.

Pr: John Mordler Eng: James Lock
17-19&21 Sep 1967 Victoria Hall, Geneva
Suisse Romande Orchestra, Alexander Gibson
BIZET Symphony in C
L’Arlésienne : Suite No.1
L’Arlésienne : Suite No.2 : excerpts
(Oct68) LXT6350 = SXL6350; (nr ’68) CS6576, (Apr73) STS15174.

Pr: James Mallinson Eng: Alec Rosner
12,13&16 May 1969 Kingsway Hall
Jean-Rodolphe Kars (piano),
London Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Gibson
[a] DELIUS Piano Concerto in C minor
[b] DEBUSSY Fantaisie
[ab] (Jly70) SXL6435; (Feb71) CS6657,
[a] (Mar92) 433 633.2DSP,
[b] (Sep01) 468 552.2DF2.


Pr: James Mallinson Eng: James Lock, Colin Moorfoot & Michael Mailes
3-5 Jan 1974 Sponsored by The British Council. City Hall, Glasgow
[b] Barry Tuckwell (horn); Scottish National Orchestra,
[a] Alexander Gibson / [b] Thea Musgrave
[a] MUSGRAVE Concerto for Orchestra
[b] Horn Concerto
[ab] (May75) HEAD8; (nr ’75) CS6922, (Jly07) Lyrita SRCD253.

====================
WITH LSO:

>0758 H.M.V.
Pr: R.Kinloch Anderson Eng: Martin Benge
14-15 Sep 1969 Watford Town Hall
Janet Baker (mezzo-soprano); [a] Bernadette Greevy (mezzo-soprano),
Keith Erwen (tenor), Gwynne Howell (bass),
Ambrosian Opera Chorus (John McCarthy); Alexander Gibson
led by John Georgiadis
[a] BERLIOZ Les Troyens : Act V, scenes 2 & 3
[b] La Mort de Cléopâtre
LP: [ab] (Dec69) ASD2516 = 1E 063 01994; (Apr70) Angel S36695,
[ab] (Sep77) SXLP30248 = 0C 053 01994.
CD: [ab] (Aug88) CDM7 69544.2,
[b] (Jun96) 2CD set CZS5 68583.2,
[b] (Nov02) 5CD set 5 75570.2,
[ab] (Mar04) 5 62788.2,
[b] (Apr07) 2CD set 3 81493.2.

>0771 H.M.V.
These sessions were originally intended for Beethoven’s Violin Concerto
with Josef Suk and Barbirolli, but the conductor was ill - he died in Jly 70.
Pr: R.Kinloch Anderson Eng: Christopher Parker
31 Dec 1969-1 Jan 1970 Kingsway Hall
Alexander Gibson
led by [31] John Brown / [1] John Georgiadis
BERLIOZ Béatrice et Bénédict : Overture
Benvenuto Cellini : Overture
Le Carnaval romain - Overture Op.9
Le Corsaire - Overture Op.21
Le Roi Lear - Overture Op.4
LP: (Oct71) SXLP30128 = 1E 048 02121; not released in US.

>0814 PHILIPS (in association with the British Council)
Pr.& Eng: Jaap van Ginneken
12-13 Jan 1971 Wembley Town Hall
Stephen Kovacevich (piano), Alexander Gibson
led by John Brown
R.R.BENNETT Piano Concerto No.1
Coupled with “Jazz Calendar”, recorded with the London Jazz Ensemble.
LP: (Mar72) 6500 301.
CD: (May99) 456 880.2PM2,
(Feb02) Decca 470 371.2,
(Oct07) Lyrita SRCD275.

>0815 PHILIPS
Pr: Jaap van Ginneken Eng: Ko Witteveen
15-16 Jan 1971 Wembley Town Hall
Henrik Szeryng (violin), Alexander Gibson
Aldo Ceccato was originally booked as conductor.
led by John Brown
PAGANINI Violin Concerto No.3 in E
LP: (Oct71) 6500 175,
(Mar83) 6527 173 in 2LP set 6725 029.
CD: (Feb90) 422 976.2PCC,
(Apr99) 462 865.2PM2,
(Nov00) Eloquence 468 173.2.
>1250 PICKWICK digital
Pr: John Boyden Eng: Robert Auger
[a] 11 & [b-g] 12 Jun 1981 St.Peter’s, Morden
[a] Carl Davis / [b-g] Alexander Gibson
led by Ashley Arbuckle
[a] DAVIS Music for a Royal Wedding
[b] MATHIAS Investiture Anniversary Fanfare
[c] ELGAR Pomp and Circumstance March Op.39/1
[d] ELGAR Nursery Suite : excerpts
[e] HANDEL-Harty Water Music : excerpts
[f] WALTON Crown Imperial - Coronation March, 1937
[g] WALTON Orb and Sceptre - Coronation March, 1953
LP: [a-g] (Jly81) RL7555.
CD: [a-g] (Dec94) Orchid Series ORCD11053;
[a-g] (US:’99) Hallmark 35027.
=============
Sessions with LPO and RPO to follow - too many characters

[Gordon]

Recordings by Alexander Gibson for LPO and RPO.

WITH LPO:

27-28 January 1967 Abbey Road Studio 1
Alexander Gibson
409a DVORAK Symphony No.9 in E minor Op.95 B178
b Carnival Overture Op.92 B169
[ab] (Nov67) ST650, (Jun72) ZCCOB650 and Y8COB650
[ab] (Oct72) MFP57001
[ab] (...76) SIT60027
[ab] (May86) Hour of Pleasure cass. HR 41 8126.4 +
CD transfer, licensed to Trax Classique:
[(a)] (May87) TRXCD102, LP TRX102, cass. TRXC102 +
"100 Greatest Classics, Vol.2"

31 January-1 February 1967 Abbey Road Studio 1
Alexander Gibson
410 Malcolm Binns (piano)
a SAINT-SAENS Piano Concerto No.2 in G minor Op.22
b RACHMANINOV Piano Concerto No.1 in F sharp minor Op.1
[ab] (Feb68) ST672
[b] (Nov77) CFP40267, (Apr80) TC CFP40267 +

26-27 January 1971 Walthamstow Assembly Hall
Alexander Gibson
493 Christine Walevska (cello)
a DVORAK Cello Concerto in B minor Op.104 B191
b TCHAIKOVSKY Variations on a Rococo Theme Op.33
[ab] (Mar72) 6500 224
[a] (Feb73) 7300 160 +
[(a)] (May77) 6833 224 + "The World of Dvorak"
[ab] (Jan83) 6527 052, 7311 052 ; nr in UK
[ab] (Apr84) 411 173.4 ; nr in UK
CD transfers (licensed):
[ab] (Aug91) Pickwick IMP Collectors Series IMPX9035
[a] (Dec93) Belart 450 113.2 &.4 +


14 & 27 November 1988 Angel Studios, Islington
Jacek Kaspszyk
965 SCHUBERT Symphony No.5 in B flat D485
Symphony No.8 in B minor D759 "Unfinished"
Alexander Gibson was originally scheduled
to conduct this recording on 27-28 Nov 88.
(May89) EC1010.2 &.1,.4,.5
(Oct91) CLASS7021
(Nov93) KOR028

Pr: Ates Orga Eng: John Timperley
19 November 1988 Barking Assembly Hall
Alexander Gibson
966 TCHAIKOVSKY 1812 Overture Op.49
Tubular bells were recorded separately at
Angel Studios on 5 Jan 89 and overdubbed.
Coupled with 968 recorded at Watford on 23 Nov 88.
(Apr89) EC1009.2 &.1.4.5
(May92) 3048.2
(Nov93) KOR034
(...95) CDS02 + "Classic Spectacular"

Pr: Ates Orga Eng: John Timperley
23 November 1988 Watford Town Hall
Alexander Gibson
968a TCHAIKOVSKY Hamlet - Fantasy Overture Op.67
b Romeo and Juliet - Fantasy Overture
Coupled with 966 recorded at Barking on 19 Nov 88.
[a] was omitted from the LP, to avoid splitting one of the
three works across the sides.
[b] (Apr89) EC1009.1
[ab] (Apr89) EC1009.2 &.4.5, (May92) 3048.2, (Nov93) KOR034
[b] (...95) CDS08 + "Romantic Classics"

WITH RPO:

24-25Apr63 Grieg Peer Gynt Gibson WRC Abbey Road CFP40235
April Cantelo (soprano)

30Jly74 Brahms Violin Concerto Gibson BBCTV BBCTVCentre
Mincho Minchev (violin)


25Sep80 Sibelius Karelia intermezzo Gibson BBCTV BBCTVCentre
Debussy Prélude à l’après-midi
Britten Peter Grimes: Storm Interlude
J. Strauss Wienerwald
Mozart Zauberflote Ov
Mozart Sinf Conc K297b (last mvt)
Schubert Symphony 5 (1st mvt)
Elgar Serenade (2nd mvt)

15May81 Franck Panis Angelicus Gibson Philips Tooting 400 019.2PH, JESS1, 422 893
&17-19May81 Adams Holy City Jessye Norman (soprano) 432 546.2PH, CFMCD10
Schubert Ave Maria D839
Trad. Ev’ry time I feel de Spirit
Trad. Great Day
Trad. I couldn’t hear nobody pray

25-26May82 V Williams Symphony No 5 Gibson EMI Abbey Road ASD143441.1
Wasps Ov

24-25Aug89 Sibelius Symphony No 1 Gibson Collins SJSS 1093.2, 3013.2
25Aug89 Finlandia
Karelia Suite
Swan of Tuonela
5Sep89 Legends
6Sep89 En Saga
Valse Triste

7-8Sep89 Sibelius Symphony No 2 Gibson Collins HWH 1105.2
8Sep89 Karelia Ov

8Jan95 Berlioz Benvenuto Cellini Gibson Tring CTSWembley TRPO62
Les Francs Juges
Beatrice and Benedict
Le Corsaire
9Jan95 Rob Roy
Waverley
Le Roi Lear
10Jan95 Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No 2 Unpublished
These sessions with Ardakov were abandoned owing to the death of Sir Alexander Gibson on 14 Jan 95.

[clive heath]

Of all of these I've only got the ( to my mind, wonderful) Peer Gynt LP with April Cantelo which came to me as a gift from a clearance together with John Lill and the Scottish National Orchestra in Beethoven's 2nd and 4th Piano Concertos. I've just recorded the Concerti and they sound pretty good to me although the piano is a little jingly. On first hearing the Grieg, the opening number being unfamiliar i.e. not in the suite, my immediate thought was of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor whose "Petite Suite de Concert" was one of the first set of 78s I started my cleaning up work on.