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Anyone ever heard of Percie Aldridge Grainger or played any of this guy's music? It's some pretty crazy stuff. Especially that molly on the shore song, is any band ever plays that song......then good luck clarinets and flutes.

I haven't played that piece, but I have played two other pieces by Grainger: Australian Up-Country Tune and The Gumsuckers March. Both of those pieces were pretty nice.

"Percy" Grainger is perhaps a standard composer in the band idiom. Lincolnshire Posy is one of my faves.

We played Molly on the Shore in concert band, not as difficult a piece as others we did by him. In wind ensemble, we've played his Lincolnshire Posy which was fairly difficult, Colonial Song which had an awesome and beautiful melody (I'd love to hear someone do that on field), Children's March Over the Hills (one of my favorites) and Shepherd's Hey (very fun piece).

we played lincoshire posy last year pretty scary stuff

Last year, the Symphonic Band at Villa Park played "Colonial Song" by Grainger, and they played "The Gum-Suckers March" this year.

Grainger is great!

In my opinion, Grainger's two best band pieces are ones you hardly ever hear played: "Marching Song of Democracy" and "The Immovable Do." I never did care much for "Lincolnshire Posy," even though that's probably his most famous work.

I love Grainger---
Maybe it's because I play both the clarinet and piano...

My favorite Grainger piece would have to be "Children's March."


The composer truly is unique--it may or may not surprise you to know that he was a masochist!!

Plus, I've never heard of another Austrailian composer...

I am a big Fan of "The Power of Rome and the Christian Heart" and "The Immovable Do". And I of course LOVE "Lincolnshire Posy". Two Summers ago at a conducting workshop, we went over the songs, what they meant and how the music reflected the words. It is an even more amazing piece when you have those pieces of the puzzle.

Two other outstanding Australian composers are David Stanhope and Ralph Hultgren. Stanhope has a series of Folk Song Suites that are very much in the style of Grainger. Hultgren writes music at ALL levels. From elementary to professional. Amongst his best pieces are "Masada", "Whirr!, Whirr!, Whirr!" and "Bush Dance" .

My director loves to program Grainger and we've played a Grainger at festival every year for as long as I know. We played Austrialian Up-Country Tune my freshman year and last year we played Children's March. Which is my favorite Grainger. We had an incredible piano player and english horn player and it was just awesome. I personally think Grainger is one of, if not the best modern composers of Wind Music.

MaestroY3K wrote:I love Grainger---
Maybe it's because I play both the clarinet and piano...

My favorite Grainger piece would have to be "Children's March."


The composer truly is unique--it may or may not surprise you to know that he was a masochist!!

Plus, I've never heard of another Austrailian composer...

Our wind ensemble is playing that song this year. It's a fun song except for those concert a flat runs on flute. It's not impossible it's just that my fingers get tangled on all the high notes.

I don't exactly like him and I have my reasons...I don't feel like explaining. His music is boring, Molly on the Shore is the only interesting piece I like. I don't think he's a good composer. I don't mind others that like him, that's cool. You have your reasons and I have mine.

When I was a sophomore (seems like such a long time ago, too!), we played Irish Tune from County Derry. Our sectio leader had the trumpet solo, and I was so jealous of him! But later, we found out that we had to play Irish Tune for graduation, and I was like, "Oh crap! I actually have to play a solo!" because I was the oldest lead trumpet player. I still remember that song, and I loved the solo.

His name seems so familiar, I know we've played one of his pieces or maybe it was drumline my frosh year we used one of his pices...... I just can't remember.

This year, we have already played Grainger's orchestration of Bach's "Blithe Bells," and later we'll be playing "Immovable Do"