This collection was Griegâs last work for the piano. The pieces were composed between 1901-1905, but at least one of them (No. 5) is based on older sketches, dating as far back as 1867. Most of the moods, with the exception of No. 2, could be characterised as rather dark and serious.
As so often with Grieg, there are clear inspirations from Norwegian folk-music (Nos. 4 and 7). The final piece of the set is a kind of impressionistic landscape painting, using echo-effects to build up rich, modal harmonies.
