Grieg, Peer Gynt Suite No. 1

Edvard Grieg (1843-1907), Norway’s most celebrated composer, composed incidental music to Henrik Ibsen’s play Peer Gynt in 1875. After the work’s premiere in 1876, he distilled his 90 minutes of music for the play into two relatively short suites, the first of which draws from four of the 26 movements.

The play, written only a few years earlier in 1867, is based on a Norwegian folk tale. Peer Gynt is a ne’er-do-well who bumbles his way from Norway down to North Africa. That of course provides opportunities for exotic and colorful melodies. He finally returns home as an old man having wasted his life in pointless wanderings.

Of all the “classical” works to have made it into pop culture, I suspect this one has gotten more extensive exposure than most. And I would guess, for many many of you, these are among the most familiar melodies you can’t name. It has been arranged in various styles of pop music, appeared in film, and used in TV commercials. The tunes work their way into our subconscious, which is exactly why they were appropriated. I’m afraid the last movement will always remind of a sugary breakfast cereal.

All of this attests to the extraordinarily vivid imagery of the music. It deserves to be heard in its intended form and for its own sake.

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