Gorgeous Grieg by Schwarz

In a detour from their invaluable American Composers recording project, Gerard Schwarz and the Seattle Symphony treat three works by Edvard Grieg to a coating of gorgeously recorded, Romantic orchestral sound (Delos DE 3091, compact disc).

Everyone, including soloist Bella Davidovich, seems wrapped up in this lush cocoon in the Piano Concerto; and the intimacies of the Lyric Suite are well-suited for Schwarz’s warm-hearted embrace.

But the American conductor’s broad, big-orchestra treatment of the “Holberg” Suite is much too turgid; this lovable, proto neo-classical piece needs a far lighter, clearer touch than it gets here.