- PB - THE WARRIORS PERCY GRAINGER PERCY GRAINGER (1882-1961) (Melbourne, 1882—White Plains, 1961)

Percy Grainger was one of the great “originals” of The music was digitally recorded with the 1 The Warriors [17.55] 20th century music. Australian-born, he studied Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in February piano with his mother while a boy and later 1989, at the acoustically excellent South 2 Irish Tune from County Derry [5.26] went to Germany where his career as a virtuoso Melbourne Town Hall. The album was originally pianist began. Tours of Great Britain, Australia, released in Australia by ABC Classics Danish Folk-Music Suite New Zealand and South Africa consolidated his and elsewhere by Koch International. 3 I. The Power of Love [3.32] early successes, but it was his first appearances 4 II. Lord Peter’s Stable-Boy [2.49] in America in 1915—where his playing of 1 The Warriors: Music to an Imaginary 5 III. The Nightingale and The Two Sisters [4.40] the Grieg Piano Concerto won him standing Ballet 6 IV. Jutish Medley [7.49] ovations—that caused him to make his home there and eventually become an American citizen. In 1910, Sir Thomas Beecham gave the first 7 Hill-Song No.1 [13.10] * performance of Delius’s Mass of Life. Percy As a composer he was largely self-taught and Grainger attended and was so gripped by the 8 Beautiful Fresh Flower (arr. Peter Sculthorpe) [2.34] * strongly influenced by the folk music of Great experience that he presented the conductor with Britain and Ireland. Many of his “miniatures”— the score of his English Dance. The following 9 Colleen Dhas [3.05] * such titles as Country Gardens, Handel in the year this work was duly premiered by Beecham, 0 [4.47] * Strand and Molly on the Shore—established his who then mentioned his idea of creating a ballet Hill-Song No.2 composing credentials very early on. But Grainger scenario for which Grainger would write the was also an inveterate innovator and experimenter music. Beecham was at that time heavily involved Total timings: [66.46] in music, and the kaleidoscopic aspects of his with presenting Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes in compositional creativity—evident in highly London though quite how serious his suggestion *World Premiere Recording imaginative works often with unprecedented to Grainger was remains open to question. In any rhythms, harmonies and scoring—are fully event, his proposed ‘scenario’ never materialised represented in the programme heard here. so Grainger wrote a purely orchestral ‘danceable’ MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA work which had the possibility of adaptation Geoffrey Simon conductor into ballet music, should it be so required. calasignum.com - 3 - Grainger began working on the score in 1913. hardships forgot; a sort of Valhalla gathering snatches of quick martial music are faintly orchestral version of 1920, for which Grainger He finally completed it three years later in San of childishly overbearing and arrogant savage heard from behind the platform. 6—Dance orgy, employed a novel, hauntingly chromatic and Francisco, and conducted the first performance men and women of all ages—the old Greek beginning gently but working up to a high pitch of highly effective harmonisation. at the Norfolk Music Festival, Connecticut, heroes with fluttering horse-haired helms; commotion and excitement. 7—Climax. The chief in 1917. The composer dedicated the work to shining black Zulus, their perfect limbs lit with theme of the composition is given forth slowly Danish Folk-Music Suite Frederick Delius “in admiration and gratitude” fire-red blossoms; flaxen-haired Vikings clad and majestically by the full orchestra. 8—The 3 I. The Power of Love and supplied his own notes to the score. in scarlet and sky-blue; lithe bright Amazons dance orgy is resumed with vigour, but is broken 4 II. Lord Peter’s Stable-Boy “No definite programme or plot underlines in windswept garments side by side with squat off suddenly while at its height, whereupon 5 III. The Nightingale and The Two Sisters the music,” wrote Grainger, “though certain Greenland women in ornately patterned furs; the work ends with an abrupt anticlimax.” 6 IV. Jutish Medley mind-pictures set it going. Often the scenes Red Indians resplendent in bead-heavy dresses of a ballet have flitted before the eyes of my and negrito Fijians terrible with sharks’ teeth 2 Irish Tune from County Derry In April 1905, Grainger began collecting folk- imagination in which the ghosts of male and ornaments, their woolly hair dyed pale ochre songs in Lincolnshire. Six months later he broke female warrior types of all times and places with lime; graceful cannibal Polynesians of both If any two popular works by Grainger have kept his off his field work and, with his friend the cellist are spirited together for an orgy of war-like sexes, their golden skins wreathed with flowers name before the public, they are Country Gardens Herman Sandby, embarked on a month-long dances, processions and merrymakings broken, and winding tendrils—these and all the rest and the Irish Tune from County Derry (also known concert tour of Denmark. There he met the or accompanied, by amorous interludes; their arm in arm in a united show of gay and innocent as The Londonderry Air and Danny Boy). Grainger’s Danish folk-song collector Hjalmar Thuren, frolics tinged with just that faint suspicion pride and animal spirits, fierce and exultant.” first setting of the latter was for unaccompanied who in turn introduced him to the work of Evald of wistfulness all holiday gladness wears. six-part wordless chorus in 1902 and called Irish Tang Kristensen (1843-1929). The following The work is continuous but falls into eight Folk Song. Numerous other versions followed, year, Lucy Broadwood of the English Folk- Song “I see the action of the ballet shot through, sections, as here described by the composer: including one for piano which much impressed Society lent Grainger a copy of Kristensen’s again and again, with the surging onslaughts “1—Fast. Martial or dance-like in character. Busoni (as also did Hill-Song No.1) when Grainger Danish folk-songs. It was, Grainger wrote, of good-humouredly mischievous revellers who 2—Slow and langorous. 3—Fast. Begins in the played it to him. Another version for strings so “the greatest joy to me… They are full of what carry all before them in the pursuit of voluptuous dance spirit but gradually becomes broader and impressed Alexander Siloti that he made his own I regard as the typical Danish character.” pleasures. At times the lovemakers close at more “flowing” in style. 4—Slow pastoral melody solo piano version, not knowing of Grainger’s. hand hear from afar the proud passage of on the bass oboe, accompanied by a tremolo Leopold Stokowski commissioned a brand new The two collectors were not to meet until harnessed fighting-men, and for the final picture of muted strings and a staccato organ-paint arrangement in 1949, one of half a dozen or November 1913. “I have spent the whole morning I like to think of them all lining up together in consisting of harp harmonics and piano strings so pieces selected by the great maestro for a with him,” wrote Grainger. “He is marvellous, brotherly fellowship and wholesale animal glee; struck by marimba mallets. 5—Slow langorous special recording project. The version recorded very amusing to be with. Perhaps I will spend 3-4 all bitter and vengeful memories vanished, all music (similar to section 2). At the same time, here is the “large room-music, elastically scored” days with him next summer or autumn with the

- 4 - - 5 - phonograph so that together we can collect some from the singing of Tang Kristensen’s wife) in Frankfurt and England, and scored for 2 These highly innovative works make extensive remnants of Danish folk-songs.” However, plans and Hubby and Wifey (a quarrelling duet) piccolos, 6 oboes, 6 cor anglais, 6 bassoons use of irregular barring and are harmonically for a trip in August 1914 had to be abandoned, gathered in August 1922. The Danish Folk- and 1 contra-bassoon. “All the double reeds adventurous, employing whole-tone scales first because of his mother Rose Grainger’s Music Suite, completed in 1928 and revised in should produce a wild, nasal, ‘bagpipe’ and “mild discords”. Also close to Grainger’s illness, and then because of the outbreak of war, 1941, is scored for a large orchestra including quality of tone,” he specified. Finding the heart was the concept of “democratic whereupon Grainger and his mother emigrated “tuneful percussion”, with substantial parts for original scoring not feasible, Grainger tried polyphony” in which each tone or instrumental to America. It was not until after Rose’s suicide piano, harmonium and organ. The individual different alternative combinations, and the part should enjoy an equal prominence. in 1922 that Percy was able to meet up with movements and folk-songs exist in a number final rescoring of 1923 (recorded here for the This principle of democracy might be said Kristensen, then in his eighties. Together they of other versions (some in vocal arrangements) first time) is much fuller, including single to extend throughout Grainger’s output in made three trips through the Jutland region—in and are often performed independently. woodwinds, trumpet, euphonium, saxophones, what he called “elastic scoring”, making 1922, 1925 and 1927—seeking out and recording harmonium, piano, percussion and a string works performable by different instrumental folk-singers with the aid of a phonograph. 7 Hill-Song No.1 septet. In their original versions, both Hill-Songs combinations and numbers of performers. As Grainger had written in 1907: “To collect (the second, heard later, dates from 1907) without a phonograph (until there’s something In 1900, before completing his studies at the illustrate the composer at an early age leaning The Hill Songs are a striking evocation of better) is mad and criminal.” The Danish Frankfurt Conservatorium, Grainger journeyed towards small instrumental combinations or the spirit and wildness of an unpeopled Folk-Music Suite is the fruit of these travels. with his mother through Europe to England. Their “room music” as he termed it. The example highland. Woven into the score is the recurring travels took them to Scotland where Percy seized had been Bach, after Grainger had heard triplet phrase Mother o’ Mine from his 1901 The first two movements are based on folk- the opportunity for a three-day hike through West performances of the Brandenburg Concertos Kipling setting, Dedication. It is perhaps not songs collected in August 1922—The Power Argyllshire. Hill-Song No.1 was a direct response and the Passions in Frankfurt. “These sounds,” surprising that towards the end of his life, of Love and Lord Peter’s Stable-Boy—and are not only to “the soul-shaking hillscapes” of the he wrote, “(2 flutes and harpsichord and mixed Grainger could write: “I consider Hill-Song “lovingly honour-tokened” to the memory of region but also to particular tonal memories chorus accompanying a solo voice) sounded No.1 by far the best of all my compositions.” Rose Grainger. The third movement, dedicated of music which he had encountered on his so exquisite to my ears… that I became to Sandby, uses two folk-songs, The Nightingale Continental travels: the “hard-toned rustic convinced that large chamber music (from 8-25 8 Beautiful Fresh Flower and The Two Sisters, also collected in August oboe in Italy”; “some extremely nasal Egyptian performers) was, for me, an ideal background (Orchestrated by Peter Sculthorpe) 1922. The finale, Jutish Medley, dedicated to double-reeds at the Paris Exhibition”; and for single voices or a small chorus.” Grainger Kristensen “as a token of boundless admiration”, “bagpipes in the Scottish Highlands”. extended the idea to the Hill-Songs in their In 1935, on reading a book by the American incorporates four tunes: Choosing the Bride and specification for 21-24 instruments, each musicologist Joseph Yasser, which gave The Dragoon’s Farewell, gathered in October The first version of Hill-Song No.1 was composed being cast in one continuous movement. examples of purely pentatonic harmonisation, 1927, The Shoemaker from Jerusalem (collected between March 1901 and September 1902 Percy Grainger took the Chinese folksong

- 6 - - 7 - Beautiful Fresh Flower, harmonised it by using Lincolnshire in 1906, he came across a variant in concerts in 1912 and 1913 helped establish Sinfonia (London), the Bloomington Symphony only the tune’s five notes, and set it for piano The Pretty Maid Milkin’ Her Cow which he also set. Grainger’s reputation as a composer. Orchestra (Indiana), the Orquestra Simfònica solo. (The melody is one of the several authentic de Balears “Ciutat de Palma” (Mallorca) and Chinese tunes used by Puccini in Turandot, though 0 Hill-Song No.2 © 2020 Steven Lloyd, Edward Johnson the Sacramento Symphony (California). With the Puccini’s harmonisation is not pentatonic.) Palma Orchestra he conducted Paul Patterson’s In 1985, Ronald Stevenson played Grainger’s The two Hill-Songs, which both set off in “fast Te Deum for the King and Queen of Spain, and setting in China, and the Chinese musicians walking measure”, are closely interrelated, as the GEOFFREY SIMON with the Sacramento Symphony he created expressed great admiration, one of them even composer’s own note explains: “Hill-Song No.2 is the World View series of concerts, attracting claiming “Percy could certainly speak Chinese the result of a wish to present the fast, energetic Australian conductor Geoffrey Simon is audiences from twenty non-European cultures. in music!” Grainger’s orchestration employed elements of Hill-Song No.1 as a single-type resident in London and has appeared there here—strings, vibraphone and tam-tam—has whole, without contrasting types of a slower, with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Geoffrey Simon is Music Director Emeritus of the been made especially for this recording by fellow more dreamy nature. To this end, the bulk of the London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Northwest Mahler Orchestra in Seattle, with which Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe. (From fast, energetic elements (of Hill-Song No.1) were Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, he has conducted the Mahler symphonic cycle and information kindly supplied by Ronald Stevenson.) used, together with about the same extent of new London Chamber Orchestra, London Mozart Messiaen’s Turangalîla Symphony. He is Consultant material of a like character, and composed in Players and English Chamber Orchestra. for Classical Special Projects for Arts Global (a 9 Colleen Dhas London in April 1907, in which month the whole foundation for emerging artists, London, Montreux was put into shape. Hill-Song No.2 was scored Internationally, he has appeared with the and New York) and has served as a jury member Colleen Dhas (or The Valley Lay Smiling) was April 8-20, 1907, at Svinkløv, Jutland, Denmark, Adelaide, Atlanta, Bournemouth, Canberra, for Young Concert Artists, PianoTexas, Australian composed in Denmark in October 1904 and for 24 wind instruments, and dished up for two City of Birmingham, Fort Worth, Melbourne, Cello Awards and Royal Over-Seas League. first performed by an impromptu band of local pianos, August 21-23, 1907, at Svinkløv.” Milwaukee, Queensland, Sapporo, Shanghai, musicians while Grainger was staying at the St Louis, Sydney, Tasmanian, Vermont and West Geoffrey Simon was a student of Herbert von home of Herman Sandby’s brother, a village The Hill-Songs are available in their original Australian Symphony Orchestras, the Israel, Karajan, Rudolf Kempe, Hans Swarowsky doctor and amateur flautist. It is Grainger’s first versions for woodwind and also for two pianos Moscow, Munich and New Japan Philharmonic and Igor Markevich, and a major prize- “room-music” setting of a folk-song, taken from and, in the case of Hill-Song No.2, for wind Orchestras, the American Symphony, the winner at the first John Player International Thomas Moore’s ten volumes of Irish Melodies band and for symphony orchestra without Residentie Orchestra of The Hague, the Tokyo Conductors’ Award. He has made forty six which Stanford re-edited in 1895. “Colleen Dhas” trombones, tuba or violins (as recorded here Metropolitan Symphony and the Australian Opera. recordings for a number of labels, combining is Gaelic for “pretty maid”, and while Grainger for the first time). Grainger dedicated this work discoveries with familiar works by Tchaikovsky, was collecting and recording folk-songs in to his life-long friend Balfour Gardiner, whose His music directorships have included the Albany Respighi, Borodin, Mussorgsky, Smetana, Symphony Orchestra (New York), the Australian

- 8 - - 9 - Bloch, Grainger, Debussy, Ravel, Saint-Saëns and Les Six. Amongst the contemporary composers he has recorded are Barry Conyngham, John Downey, Paul Patterson and Zhou Long.

For Cala Signum Geoffrey Simon has brought together large ensembles of single instruments— violins, violas, cellos, double basses, horns, trumpets, trombones and harps—drawn from London’s leading solo, orchestral and chamber musicians. Known as The London Sound Series, the recordings have attracted interest amongst instrumentalists worldwide. Geoffrey Simon’s virtuoso 20-cello ensemble, The London Cello Orchestra, has performed for H.M. The Queen and H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh, and appeared in New York, Switzerland and South Korea.

Recorded in South Melbourne Town Hall, Australia 22nd to 28th February 1989 Producer and Engineer: Tim Handley Associate Producer – Maria Vandamme Associate Engineers – Jim Atkins, Phil Brennan Editing – Tim Handley Remastering – Phil Rowlands (philrowlands.com) Programme Notes: © 2020 Steven Lloyd, Edward Johnson

Publishers: The Warriors, Irish Tune from County Derry, Danish Folk Music Suite – Schott (UK) / Schirmer (USA) Hill-Song No.1 – Universal Edition Beautiful Fresh Flower (arr. Peter Sculthorpe) – Faber Music Colleen Dhas – Bardic Edition Hill-Song No.2 – Bardic Edition (UK) / MCA (USA)

P 1989 The copyright in this sound recording is owned by Cala Records, under exclusive license to Signum Records © 2020 The copyright in this CD booklet, notes and design is owned by Cala Signum.

Any unauthorised broadcasting, public performance, copying or re-recording of Cala Signum Compact Discs constitutes an infringement of copyright and will render the infringer liable to an action by law. Licences for public performances or broadcasting may be obtained from Phonographic Performance Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this booklet may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Cala Signum Ltd.

Cala Signum, Suite 14, 21 Wadsworth Road, Perivale, Middlesex, UB6 7LQ, UK. +44 (0) 20 8997 4000 E-mail: [email protected] calasignum.com

- 10 - - 11 - ALSO AVAILABLE on CALA Signum

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“Geoffrey Simon has assembled two brilliantly successful discs of “The performances are warmly affectionate, beautifully played Debussy’s piano music dressed in orchestral garb.” and flattered by the rich-textured sound.” Classic FM Magazine Gramophone

Available through most record stores and at calasignum.com. For more information call +44 (0) 20 8997 4000

- 12 - - 12 - CTP Template: CD_INL1 COLOURS Compact Disc Back Inlay CYAN Customer SignumClassics-Cala MAGENTA YELLOW Catalogue No. SIGCD2164 BLACK Job Title: Grainger Cala Signum SIGCD2164 THE WARRIORS

PERCY GRAINGER (1882-1961) Grainger: THE WARRIORS MELBOURNE SYMPHONY / Simon 1 The Warriors [17.55]

2 Irish Tune from County Derry [5.26]

3 - 6 Danish Folk-Music Suite [18.56]

7 Hill-Song No.1 [13.10] *

8 Beautiful Fresh Flower (arr. Peter Sculthorpe) [2.34] *

9 Colleen Dhas [3.05] *

0 Hill-Song No.2 [4.47] *

Total timings: [66.46]

*World Premiere Recording

Grainger: THE WARRIORS MELBOURNE SYMPHONY / Simon / SYMPHONY MELBOURNE WARRIORS THE Grainger: MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

GEOFFREY SIMON CONDUCTOR

LC15723

Cala Signum, Suite 14, 21 Wadsworth Road SIGCD2164 Perivale, Middlesex UB6 7LQ, UK. P 1989 Cala Records Ltd. DDD SIGCD2164 © 2020 Cala Signum Ltd. calasignum.com 24 bit digital recording 6 35212 21642 2 Cala Signum