Edvard Grieg published his Second Book of Lyric Pieces as Op. 38 in 1883. This group stands chronologically between Grieg's Cello Sonata and the Holberg Suite. At that time, Grieg was having a difficult time with his spouse, Nina, and infatuated with Elsie Schjelderup, a 26-year old "bohemian" painter living in Paris. Grieg left Nina in July 1883, though the intervention of friends brought the two back together over time.

The finished set contains eight pieces, and these differ from other sets of Lyric Pieces in Grieg's offhand and somewhat synthetic approach to their construction. Grieg's superficial attitude might reflect the tension at home; other sets of Lyric Pieces are suffused in emotional expressions, but not this one.

In the opening "Cradle Song" ("Vuggevise," or "Berceuse," not to be confused with the famous "Cradle Song" of Op. 68/6) a simple tune, decorated with gentle grace notes, is twice played. A more troubled middle section in the minor follows, rising to a climax which would surely "wake the baby." However, all is well as the first tune returns.

"Folk Song" ("Folkvise," or "Folk Melody") consists of a 3/4 dance step with stresses on the first and second beats of alternating bars. The melody is voiced mostly in sixths and thirds.

"Melodie" betrays the influence of Liszt's Libesträume, and is replete with C major arpeggios and harmonic rallentandi, typical identifying marks of nineteenth-century salon music.

More momentous are the two dances, "Halling" and "Springdans" ("Spring or "Leaping Dance"), that follow. These are based on traditional Norwegian dance forms associated with the playing of the Hardanger fiddle, the "Halling Dance" being in 2/4 time and the "Spring Dance" in a pattern similar to that of the "Folk Song." Part of "Halling" bears a resemblance to the first movement "bridge" in Grieg's Piano Concerto.

We find ourselves back in the salon again with "Elegy," which nonetheless has some interesting features, including a drooping, irregular chromatic figure that opens the tune and a diminished octave achieved by pitting an upward chromatic scale against a pedal tone.

The "Waltz" ("Vals") is only a minute long and is in obvious debt to Chopin, though not as floridly pianistic as the Polish master. The concluding "Canon" is not strict, but the melody of the first section is answered in canonic imitation. The second part harkens back to the "troubled section" of the "Cradle Song." The "Trio" of this piece is in the major and is set to the "Spring Dance" rhythm. There is a bit of editorial trouble here in that some editions lack a da capo indication at the end of the middle section; in truth, the minor section is repeated and a B flat minor chord is played at the end.

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1.Berceuse

A berceuse is a lullaby, of course, and this piece certainly comes across with the soothing, gentle manner typically associated with that kind of song. Grieg, it should be remembered, aside from producing a huge output for solo piano, wrote a good many songs, some of great charm, some even of masterful quality. This Berceuse, the leadoff work in Book II of the ten in Grieg's Lyric Pieces (66), exhibits a songful manner that evidences the composer's deft sense for a singing line and for bringing the vocal realm to the keyboard. But as one might expect, Grieg also brilliantly captures a mood of sweet innocence here, catching something of the feeling one associates with a child dozing off to the reassuring strains of his mother's gentle singing. The main theme is mesmerizing in its rocking manner and mixture of fantasy and music box charm. The middle section turns animated and even works up some tension, which, just when it seems to become disruptive, quickly melts away for a return of the lovely main theme. This charming piece typically has a duration of three minutes.

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