Grainger's adoration of all things Norse, including Icelandic sagas, filled his imagination with musical ideas for works featuring irregular rhythms and many voices.
Composer Biography
Percy Grainger's lifelong interest in poetry and prose was fostered by his mother, Rose, who came from a family of avid readers.
Composition History
Grainger considered "The Bride's Tragedy" a personal protest against the 'sex-negation' he felt was offered to young talents in his capitalistic world.
Recording & Production
This album includes several premiere recordings, such as "King Solomon's Espousals," "The Wraith of Odin," and "Thanksgiving Song."
Compositional Technique
Grainger's "King Solomon's Espousals" uses a mammoth orchestra of thirty-two winds, eleven brass, and a full complement of strings, reflecting a fin de siècle tendency for large orchestral canvases.
Performer Biography
Sir Andrew Davis, the conductor for this album, is the Chief Conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and has held prominent positions with the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
Composer's Artistic Vision
In "Marching Song of Democracy," Grainger used 'word-less syllables' for vocal parts, believing it allowed for more varied and instinctive vocalism, representing individualistic democratic tendencies.
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