Like Edvard Grieg, whom the Scandinavians long refused to recognize, the Italians' disregard for Verdi persisted for a decade after his critical acclaim in France and Austria.

(A) Like Edvard Grieg, whom the Scandinavians long refused to recognize,
(B) Like Edvard Grieg, who the Scandinavians long refused to recognize,
(C) Just as Edvard Grieg was long refused recognition by the Scandinavians,
(D) Just as the Scandinavians long refused to recognize Edvard Grieg, so
(E) Like the Scandinavians' long refusal to recognize Edvard Grieg,

OA - E any good reason to eliminate D?