Two cruises around the Norwegian Fiords, on which I played and lectured, were the foundation for this work. As I explored Grieg's piano music, I became increasingly fascinated by the freshness of his melodies (well suited to the oboe) and the imaginative use of chromatic harmonies in the accompaniments. Of the ten items in this suite, six are from his collections of Norwegian folk songs; the others from his Lyric Pieces.