GRAINGER

Most people remember Percy Grainger for light-hearted pieces such as “Country Gardens” and “Handel in the Strand.” He was, however, a far more gifted and remarkable composer than these works, or “fripperies,” as Grainger called them, might suggest.

Grainger was born near Melbourne, Australia, on July 8, 1882. In 1895, his highly ambitious mother, Rose, took him to Germany to study at the Frankfurt Conservatoire. In 1901, Grainger settled in London, and began his career as a concert pianist, performing not only in Britain and his native Australia but also in Scandinavia, for which he developed a deep passion. During this period, he met and formed lasting friendships with Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg and English composer Frederick DELIUS.

In 1914, Grainger moved to New York, serving as a bandsman in the U.S. Army from 1917 to 1919. Following World War I, he became an American citizen and began teaching at musical institutions in New York and Chicago, while continuing to work internationally as a concert pianist. However, tragedy struck in 1922 when his mother, to whom Grainger had been extremely close, committed suicide in their home in White Plains.

During the 1920s, he made repeated visits to Denmark—in part to rebuild his life following the death of his mother—collecting over 200 of that country’s folk songs. In 1928, he married the Swedish poet and artist Ella Strom. Like many composers at the beginning of the 20th century, Grainger was an enthusiastic collector of folk music, and arranged, or recomposed, many of these time-honoured tunes. These ranged from the light (for example “Shepherd’s Hey”) to the deeply moving (such as “Brigg Fair”). In his settings, Grainger could sometimes be daring and innovative, using “free rhythms” (doing away with traditional measures), or requiring singers to whistle, hum, or utter nonsense words and sounds.

Grainger was an unconventional character in attitude, lifestyle and his music. His love of Nordic life and music led him to despise the cultures of southern Europe. He refused to use Italian words when writing music. For example, he would write “louden” instead of the traditional term, crescendo. Grainger always called the violin a fiddle.

Percy Grainger in 1921, with his mother, Rose, in the music room of their home in White Plains, New York. Rose, a strong influence in Percy’s life, committed suicide in 1922.

On a return visit to Melbourne in 1935, Grainger founded a museum of Australian music named after himself. He died on February 20, 1961.

Alan Blackwood

PERCY

GRAINGER