パーシー・グレインジャーの寂しい末路

ＢＢＣラジオ３の「今週の作曲家」も今日がいよいよ最終回。
作曲家として正当な評価が得られず自分自身もその業績に否定的だったという侘しい晩年、ストコフスキーとの協働作業は数少ないグレインジャーの慰めとなった。

Composer of the Week
Percy Grainger (1882-1961)
Episode 5
Today, 12:00 on BBC Radio 3

The main work in today's programme is Grainger's Jungle Book
cycle, which he worked on, on and off, for nearly 50 years. It's the
culmination of his boyhood love of Rudyard Kipling, instilled in him
in his teens by his father, who wanted to "tickle up the British lion
in him" during his years at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt.
Shortly before Grainger completed his Kipling cycle, he had
performed the Grieg Piano Concerto at the Hollywood Bowl under
the baton of Leopold Stokowski. The two men enjoyed working
together, and a couple of years later, Stokowski, a master-
arranger himself, wrote to Grainger asking if he would make fresh
arrangements for a new recording of his 'greatest hits' - Molly on
the Shore, Irish Tune from County Derry, Early One Morning,
Handel in the Strand, Mock Morris and Country Gardens. Grainger
was evidently very pleased with the resultant recordings, but
remained deeply ambivalent about his own achievements as a
composer: "I am not very fond of my own music. If there is
anything I hate it is listening to my own silly music and having to
sit there like a fool while I see how much others also dislike it".

Percy Grainger — Duke of Marlborough Fanfare vers. orchestra
Conductor: Richard HICKOX
Performer: BBC Philharmonic
CHANDOS, CHAN 10638, 1-1

Percy Grainger — The Beaches of Lukannon
for male chorus and 9 strings
[Kipling Jungle Book Cycle no.5, Kipling Settings no.20]
Conductor: Stephen LAYTON
Performer: Polyphony
Performer: Polyphony Orchestra
HYPERION, CDA-66863, 1-2

Percy Grainger — Molly on the Shore for orchestra vers.
"Stokowski version"
Conductor: Richard HICKOX
Performer: BBC Philharmonic
CHANDOS, CHAN 9584-, 1-6

Percy Grainger — Irish Tune from County Derry for orchestra vers.
"Stokowski version"
Conductor: Richard HICKOX
Performer: BBC Philharmonic
CHANDOS, CHAN 10638, 2-7

Percy Grainger — Early One Morning for orchestra vers.
"Stokowski version"
Conductor: Richard HICKOX
Performer: BBC Philharmonic
CHANDOS, CHAN 10638, 2-6

Percy Grainger — Handel in the Strand (Stokowski version)
for piano and orchestra
Conductor: Richard HICKOX
Performer: BBC Philharmonic
CHANDOS, CHAN 10638, 1-10

Percy Grainger — Mock Morris for orchestra vers.
"Stokowski version"
Conductor: Richard HICKOX
Performer: BBC Philharmonic
CHANDOS, CHAN 10638, 2-12

Percy Grainger — Country Gardens (Stokowski version)
for piano and orchestra
Conductor: Simon RATTLE
Performer: City Of Birmingham S O.
EMI, 6975962, 1-6

「自分の作曲がどうにも好きになれない。自分の馬鹿げた音楽を聴きながら愚か者みたいにその場に身を置くと、ほかの連中もいかに忌み嫌っているかがよくわかる。これにはおぞけが走るね」──そんな言葉すら口にした不遇な作曲家。

歿後五十年目の今こそパーシー・グレインジャーを蘇らそう。