A Percy Grainger Suite: Timpani
By Percy Grainger / arr. Frank Erickson
Grade: 3 (Medium Easy)
Item: 00-PC-0001635_TMP
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Description
Country Gardens is typical of Grainger's humor and literary style where as the Irish Tune from County Derry Grainger expresses his grateful acknowledgment to Miss J. Ross who has made a large collection of the popular unpublished melodies of the Country of Londonderry, which she has very kindly placed at his disposal. Molly on the Shore was originally set for strings four-some or string band (summer 1907), also set for symphony orchestra, theater orchestra, violin and piano (early 1914).
Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, A Percy Grainger Suite: Timpani comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.
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Additional Details
Series:
Frank Erickson Publications
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
134
SKU:
00-PC-0001635_TMP
More about this title
About the Composer: Percy Aldridge Grainger
Percy Grainger (1882-1961) was an Australian-born composer and pianist who became one of the most innovative musicians of the early twentieth century. His folk song arrangements and original compositions broke from Victorian conventions; he transcribed melodies from phonograph recordings, championed new musical notation, and arranged his works for virtually every conceivable ensemble. Grainger's prolific output for concert band and his tireless experimentation with orchestration made him a transformative figure in American musical life during his decades teaching and composing in the United States.
Grainger's approach to folk melody was scholarly yet deeply personal. He credited the people who shared their songs with him, collected variants across regions, and created arrangements that honored the source material while showcasing his harmonic imagination. His concert band works combine accessibility with sophisticated orchestration, making them essential repertoire for directors seeking pieces that engage both performers and audiences.
Why we love this
Frank Erickson's arrangement captures the essential character of Grainger's three most beloved folk-inspired works while tailoring them perfectly for concert band forces at Grade 3. The suite moves seamlessly between the pastoral charm of Irish Tune from County Derry, the boisterous energy of Molly on the Shore, and the wry humor of Country Gardens, giving your band a complete exploration of Grainger's genius within a single rehearsal cycle. Erickson's orchestration balances transparency with color, ensuring that every section contributes meaningfully while younger and intermediate players experience authentic Grainger sonorities.
What to expect
These arrangements radiate the warmth of folk memory without sentimentality. Irish Tune from County Derry unfolds with quiet reverence; Molly on the Shore bounces with infectious good spirits and rhythmic zest; Country Gardens reveals Grainger's impish wit through unexpected harmonies and orchestral surprises. Together, they create an evening of music that feels both rooted in tradition and distinctly individual.
Who it's for
This suite serves intermediate concert bands and adult community bands seeking substantive yet approachable repertoire. It works equally well for directors building programming around Grainger's folk sensibilities or looking for pieces that showcase the concert band's ability to render orchestral colors with clarity and warmth.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance the melodic line against Erickson's active accompanying parts; these pieces succeed when the folk tune sings above well-shaped inner voices rather than getting buried in harmonic texture.
- Attend closely to Grainger's marked dynamics and articulations. His attention to detail in phrasing (particularly in Country Gardens) drives the humor and character that make these pieces distinctive.
- Shape the transitions between movements as distinct musical moments. Each tune carries its own regional flavor, and clear sectional contrast will strengthen the suite's overall arc.
How to use it
This suite anchors a concert celebrating folk traditions or Twentieth Century British composers. It pairs beautifully with other Grainger concert band works or with modern pieces that similarly engage with vernacular melody. The three movements allow flexibility: program them together as a complete suite, or select individual movements to balance a concert's architecture.
Skills your students will build
- Sustaining lyrical singing tone in slower folk melodies
- Articulating rhythmic vitality and lilting dance rhythms
- Balancing melody against active harmonic accompaniment
- Responding to detailed dynamic and expressive markings
- Understanding how folk material functions as orchestral source material