Born in the Melbourne, Australia suburb of Brighton on July 8, 1882, Percy Aldridge Grainger was a prodigiously gifted pianist, as well as brilliant and highly original composer. He would eventially move to the U.S. in 1914 become an American citizen in 1918—and become one of the great musical stars of his time as well, touring widely in the U.S. and around the world. As a collector and arranger of folk music he would also be credited with helping spark the revival of interest in British folk music in the 20th Century.
The famously eccenric musician was also an inveterate walker (there is a story that he once walked from Grand Rapids to Muskgon, while on a concert tour in Michigan), was an early advocate—and practionier—of "free love," and was also known to have designed his own highly unconventional wardrobe. Inspired by indigenous textiles he saw in New Zealand, his designs drew heavily from Maori and South Sea island fabrics, as well as ancient Scandinavian and Saxon dress (you can see an example above). These often gender-fluid garments were then crafted out of thick Turkish bath towels, which believed would be cool in summer, warm in winter, and easily washable. Grainger created over 20 distinct garments out of this sort of towelling and famously gave piano lessons and went on composing holidays wearing these brightly colored homemade garments, viewing them as a practical, democratic use of machine-made textiles
On Wedensday afternoon's Classical Music With Foley Schuler, we will, in honor of Grainger's birthday, hear both some of his best known and loved compositions, and also showcase Grainger the pianist by way of a piano roll of him playing his solo piano arrangement of the Piano Concerto in A Minor by Edvard Grieg, who was one Grainger's great mentors. This will set the stage for a presentation of what is widely considered to be his orchestral masterpiece, The Young Warriors. Often subtitled "Music to an Imaginary Ballet," it is his largest scale composition—20 minutes in length and calling for massive instrumental forces (including, count 'em, three pianos)—and remains his most boldly experimental work.
You can hear Foley Schuler's musical selections—and stories behind the music—every weekday afternoon from 1 until 4 on Blue Lake Public Radio.
