10048 –Peer Gynt
Suite No 1 Op 46

Edvard Greig (1843-1907)

Arranged by Roger Harvey

Difficulty: Medium/Difficult

Price: £30

Programme note:
Ibsen's play Peer Gynt was premiered in 1876. Greig had composed a set of 26 incidental pieces for this premiere during the previous year though it was not until 1888 that he extracted these 4 pieces to be performed as a suite, Op 46. He made a second suite, Op 55, in 1891 but the full score was not published until 1908.
The play, based on folk legends, tells the adventures of the ne'er do well Peer Gynt and the music, the composition of which Greig found something of a chore, aptly illustrates the numerous exotic scenes.
The Morning Mood and Anitra's Dance come from the episode set in Morocco in Act IV of the play. The music for the Death of Åse, Peer Gynt's mother, is used as a prelude to Act III and the chorus, In the Hall of the Mountain King is from Act II, set in the land of the trolls.
Greig was unhappy with this last number but realised that, ironically, it was likely to become one of his most popular pieces.

Performance note:
A piccolo trumpet is suggested for some of the 1st trumpet part.
A flugel is required by trumpet 4.
1. Play as lyrically as possible throughout. Try to make the semiquaver passage work smooth and unobtrusive; some suggestions have been made to omit notes for breathing purposes if necessary.
2. This movement should also be very sustained in tone - phrase carefully taking note of the dynamics. The louder sections should be rich in sound rather than aggressive.
3. Play very lightly (the original is mostly pizzicato strings) but with style, shape and character.
4. There should be a feeling of a relentless, increasing energy through this movement so judge the crescendo and stringendo carefully. Be sure to avoid a feeling of uncontrolled panic at the climax, though; controlled unity of ensemble is better than frantic indiscipline.