Peer Gynt, Suite No. 1

Trained in Germany, like many musicians of his era, Grieg strove to integrate strong national elements into his language and to free it from Germanic influence, drawing in particular on Norwegian folklore, legends, and tales. It is from a literary source that Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 was born, specifically from the play of the same name by Henrik Ibsen, premiered in February 1876, for which Grieg wrote the incidental music. The story follows the adventures and misadventures of Peer Gynt, a young braggart who tries to flee reality through idealized dreams and deceit. From the 26 numbers composed for the play, Grieg selected four to form a first suite in 1888, then four more for a second suite published a few years later. Together, these suites alone secured his worldwide fame.