Presents
Percy Grainger
Handel in the Strand for Piano Quartet
Percy Grainger (1882-1961) was born in the Australian city of Melbourne. His first music lessons were with Louis Pabst in that city. Upon Pabst's recommendation, Grainger at the age of 13, entered the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt where he studied piano and composition. After leaving the Conservatory, he lived in London for 15 years where he pursued a career as a concert pianist and began composing. Subsequently, he moved to the United States where he lived for the rest of his life, although he traveled widely, performing, teaching and composing. Grainger's main musical interest was in folk songs, dances and tunes, primarily British and also Nordic. A prolific composer and arranger, Grainger never wrote formal chamber music per se such as a piano quartet, piano trio, or string quartet. However, he constantly arranged folk songs, both his own originals as well as others, for chamber ensembles, piano and orchestra.
Grainger called Handel in the Strand a clog dance which could be performed both with or without clog dancers. It dates from 1912 and was originally intended for piano quartet, although Grainger returned to it several times, as he did many of his works, to arrange it for other combinations. In 1930, he arranged it for piano, in 1932 for string orchestra and in 1947 for 2 pianos. Of the work, Grainger wrote, "My title was originally 'Clog Dance'. But by dear friend William Gair Rathbone (to whom the piece is dedicated) suggested the 'Handel in the Strand' because the music seemed to reflect both Handel and English musical comedy. The Strand, a street in London, is the home of London musical comedy--as if jovial old Handel were careering down the Strand to the strains of modern English popular music." Though Grainger wrote it could be performed with dancers wearing clogs, it seems unlikely that such a performance ever occurred. The music, no doubt, was meant to convey the idea however.
Long unavailable, Handel in the Strand makes a fine choice where a short work on a program is needed but could also serve as an outstanding encore. Recommended to professionals and amateurs alike.
Parts: $19.95
