Dag Wirèn

Partias Slattsorkester

Dag Wirén (1905-1986) got his breakthrough as a composer in 1937 with Serenade for String Orchestra, Op. 11 - his most played and popular piece. He mainly wrote instrumental music including five symphonies, five string quartets, overtures as well as film and theatre music. Among these is the music for William Shakespear's drama The Merchant of Venice, in a production premiered at the Royal Theatre in Stockholm in January 1944. It was set up again in 1961 and Wirén had then revised the music a bit. From this music he made the concert suite Romantic Suite, Op. 22, of which Portia's Palace Orchestra is the fifth and final movement. It is based on an Irish folk tune.