National Orchestra of Wales
Conducted by Warwick Braithwaite
This Suite, which was part of the programme of his own music which Grieg conducted at his last appearance in London, in May, 1906, owes its origin to the conductor Seidl. It was Seidl's idea to arrange some of the popular pianoforte pieces for orchestra.
When Grieg himself saw these, the idea pleased him but he thought the orchestration rather Wagnerian for the slight nature of the tunes. He accordingly rearranged them more simply himself, and instead of the first number which Seidl had chosen - a piece called 'Bell Ringing', he substituted The Shepherd Lad, a little tender pastoral tune. The second number is the Norwegian Rustic March, the third Nocturne, and the fourth the jolly March of the Dwarfs which has been called 'superbly Norwegian and Griegian'.
