Photo: Bergen Public Library / No restrictions (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Percy Grainger is the kind of glorious eccentric I cannot help but love. Born in Melbourne in 1882, he poured his energy into reviving British folk music, and his arrangement of County Derry Air still anchors wind-band repertoires today. But the folk songs are only part of the story: a brilliant pianist, a saxophonist, a conductor, later an American citizen, he even dreamed of a boundary-free Free Music decades ahead of his time. I find that purity intoxicating, the genius who lives just one step from oddity. The St. Olav's Medal feels earned. He deserves to be remembered, vividly.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Percy Grainger
- Name (Japanese)
- パーシー・グレインジャー
- Reading
- ぱーしー・ぐれいんじゃー
- Born
- July 8, 1882 – February 20, 1961
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Cancer / Horse
- Origin
- Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- pianist / composer / saxophonist / conductor / musicologist
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 1954 St. Olav's Medal
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | County Derry Air | — | |
| Notable work | Afterword | — | |
| Notable work | Shallow Brown | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Percy Grainger born?
July 8, 1882 – February 20, 1961.
Where is Percy Grainger from?
Percy Grainger is from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
What does Percy Grainger do?
Percy Grainger works as pianist, composer, saxophonist, conductor, musicologist.
What is Percy Grainger known for?
Notable works include County Derry Air, Afterword, Shallow Brown.
Pianist — see all → · Composer — see all → · More people from Australia →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.