Grieg, who rose to fame in 1867 with his Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16, composed this collection from that year until 1901. As it was composed throughout his life, it reveals the entirety of Grieg's style, pianism, and their evolution, making it a central work among his compositions.

All are light miniatures, approximately 1 to 6 minutes in length, primarily popular in salons and homes rather than for stage performance. Each piece is given a title, expressing a single emotion, mood, or scene.

The first volume was published in 1867, but due to his busy schedule with piano, composition, and conducting, the second volume was released 16 years later. Volumes 2 to 10 were composed consecutively with certain intervals. The complete collection comprises 10 volumes and a total of 66 pieces.

Grieg: Lyric Pieces, Book IV / Lyriske smastykker No.4 op.47

Book IV was published in 1888, exactly ten years after the publication of Book III. Compared to the pieces up to Book III, which could be played with relatively easy technique, the difficulty increases somewhat from Book IV onwards. Furthermore, there is no thematic consistency throughout the entire book, as seen in Book III.

1. Valse-Impromptu / op.47-1: Set to the rhythm of a folk dance, a somewhat melancholic and nervous melody wanders in the right hand. The stretto section is improvisatory, creating a highly brilliant effect. To prevent monotony, play with an awareness of harmonic changes.
2. Albumblad / op.47-2: A piece that evokes memories of a brilliant, good old day. It is technically challenging due to the frequent use of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th fingers. It would be effective to differentiate the playing by varying one's listening approach between the main melodic sections and the more parenthetical passage sections.
3. Melodie / op.47-3: Chords divided between the left and right hands maintain a steady rhythm, forming an accompaniment over which a melancholic melody sings on endlessly. It becomes important how musically the right-hand melody can be played while the right hand also plays part of the chords. For this, it will also be important to give the accompaniment rhythm a sense of propulsion.
4. Halling / op.47-4: A charming piece with interesting folk harmonies and rhythms. The same rhythm as the “Halling” from Book II is used. The left hand consistently maintains a syncopated rhythm with intervals of a fifth. Maintaining this rhythm quite accurately, even while varying dynamics at times, is crucial for conveying the piece's atmosphere. One must also be aware that the strong beats differ between the left and right hands, and play them independently.
5. Melankoli / op.47-5: As the title suggests, a sigh-like melody is played quietly with a gloomy demeanor. Since the sustained notes supporting each section change, it would be good to be aware of this and vary the tonal colors accordingly.
6. Springdans / op.47-6: A revision of a piece already included in the Album for Home Use, published in 1875. The left hand marks the dance rhythm, over which a vibrant melody progresses. It is rich in charm, with technically demanding sections featuring large leaps and a lyrical middle section. The character of the melody in the middle section would be better brought out if played relatively lightly. It is also important to be aware of the harmonic progression and grasp the movement of the main notes when performing.
7. Elegie / op.47-7: The accents on the melody should be played more with a tenuto quality rather than strongly. One should also pay attention to the coloring of the descending right-hand chords against the melancholically repeating melody. In the middle section, along with the increased notes adorned with ornaments, the suppressed sorrow also seems to intensify.