Within six months of arriving in the United States Grainger had scored triumphs as a composer, recitalist and concerto player before the New York public. He quickly eclipsed his status in London to become one of America's most sought-after musicians. During the War years he toured extensively to raise money for the Allied forces and the Red Cross, and eventually, stung by persistent British charges of cowardice, joined the U.S. Army, where he played saxophone and oboe in bands. During these War years some of his larger compositions, such as In a Nutshell and The Warriors, were premièred in America; his most popular work, Country Gardens, gained its initial successes shortly after the end of the War. In 1919 he became associated with the summer school of the Chicago Musical College, where he would remain a teacher until 1931. His reputation as a pianist remained very high until 1922, when his mother committed suicide. The shock of her death and the surrounding publicity aged him. He cancelled most of his concert commitments and undertook an extended tour of Europe seeking out persons and places associated with their earlier life. In 1923 Grainger privately published a memorial volume of photographs of, and recollections by his mother ‘for her kin and friends’.

ANTONIA SAWYER

(1863–1941)

One morning in the Autumn of 1914 Rudolph Schirmer phoned my office and informed me he was coming over to introduce Percy Grainger, pianist, and his mother. Grainger looked a very young man then and seemed quite indifferent to my questions. Finally Mrs. Grainger said, ‘Do you want Mrs. Sawyer to manage your concerts?’