Percy Grainger

Percy Grainger (1882–1961) – an American-Australian pianist, composer and folklorist. From 1895 to 1901, he was a pupil of James Kwast, and in 1903 a piano pupil of Ferruccio Busoni. He performed around the world, gaining renown as a virtuoso. He collected and arranged folk songs (especially Scottish, Irish, Danish and Norwegian), something that was enthusiastically noted by Grieg, and he referred to folklore in his own compositions. His aesthetic outlook was marked by anti-intellectualism: music was to reflect primarily nature, then feelings and lastly intellect. Grainger promoted the music of Grieg, whom he met in 1906 in London. In the summer of 1907, Grainger stayed in Troldhaugen for ten days when preparing for a performance of Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor at the Leeds Festival. After the Norwegian composer’s death, Grainger promoted his music through his concert, recording, editing and literary work.