Feature of NoteTone Rhythm Pitch Exhibit Materials Now Available Online
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Throughout the past several months, the exhibit Tone Rhythm Pitch: Exploring Percy Grainger's Free Music offered visitors the opportunity to experience the environment in which Percy Grainger developed his Free Music machines alongside his wife, Ella, and friend Burnett Cross. If you did not have a chance to experience the exhibit in person, you can now access an exciting and comprehensive digital version of the exhibit on the PGS website.
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The digital exhibition offers a remarkable view of Grainger's work developing Free Music machines at his home at in White Plains, New York. The collage above is a sample of the many photos included in the online exhibit, which also features samples of Grainger's papers on the topic of Free Music, his drawings, a complete timeline, and links to sample sounds produced by three reconstructed Free Music machines. Additional photos of may be viewed in our latest blog post, "7 Cromwell as a Workshop."
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The exhibit was truly brought to life by the hosts of our past three Sunday Tours: PGS President Paul Jackson, exhibit curators Anne Ocone and Stewart Lee, and Grainger scholar Teresa Balough. Although the exhibit has come to a close, the Gliding Tones on Whistle, Notes on Recorder Free Music machine will continue to be on display in the Percy Grainger Home & Studio. If you would like to contribute to the conservation work of the Percy Grainger Society, please consider making a gift here. We are grateful for your support!
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At the Home & StudioRecapping Teresa Balough's Sunday Tour Presentation
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Above: While viewing Grainger's Gliding Tones on Whistle, Notes on Recorders Free Music machine, Teresa Balough (far right) explains how Grainger often "sourced" household items as materials for the machines.
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We are grateful to Teresa Balough for guiding us through the development of Grainger's Free Music concepts, machines, and compositions in her March 3rd presentation, The Wider Implications of Percy Grainger's "Free Music" at the Percy Grainger Home & Studio (PGH&S). Teresa highlighted the working relationship and friendship between the Graingers and physics teacher Burnett Cross, sharing details of the intricate processes involved in constructing the Free Music machines. Several audio examples also illustrated the connection between sounds occurring in nature, Grainger's Free Music, and his influence on subsequent compositions by other composers. If you would like to walk through the very same spaces where Grainger and Cross built these machines, follow this link to book your tour of the PGH&S!
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Membership HappeningsMember Resources
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Our website is full of information about Percy Grainger, the Society, and the White Plains house and collections. Society events are listed and links are available for the Journal and blog posts. The RESOURCES tab is a great source for members. For example, Items of Interest includes events such as the 2024 all-Grainger concert to be performed on March 17 by the Tri-County Symphonic Band of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Web links and media can also be found under the Resources tab. Explore the website for information, news, and events!
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Save the DateApril Event Reminders
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April 4: Membership & Programs Committee
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The January 6, 2024 Membership and Programs Committee (MPC) meeting brought great discussion and member input. The Percy Grainger Home & Studio, Percy’s residence from 1921 to 1961, will be the program year focus for the 2024-25 Members' Meetings!
Missed the discussion? Check out the notes here.
Have ideas and want to join the discussion? Save-the-date for the meeting on Thursday, April 4 at 4:00 PM (Eastern US) via Zoom. Registration is now open and available through this link to our website.
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April 14: Annual Spring Open House
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Please join us for the Fourth Annual Spring Open House at the Percy Grainger Home and Studio on Sunday, April 14 at 2:00 PM (Eastern US). Pianists Łukasz and Małgorzata Wilga are the featured artists this year, presenting select piano works by Grainger in the intimate setting of Percy Grainger’s historic home. A tour of the Percy Grainger Home & Studio follows the performance.
Each spring, the Percy Grainger Society invites the local community to visit the Percy Grainger Home and Studio at 7 Cromwell Place. From the music room to the bedrooms and beyond, the house quietly illustrates how each Grainger family member made this space an echo of their individual interests and unique personalities. Built in the late 1800s, the house is a beloved White Plains landmark and a graceful reminder of White Plains neighborhoods from days gone by.
While the event is free and open to the public, space limitations require registration. Register here to attend. We look forward to seeing you!
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Event KeyThe Percy Grainger Society is pleased to offer both live and virtual events. You can easily determine if the events listed in this newsletter are live or virtual by the color of the registration button: green for live events blue for virtual events.
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