Ferde Grofé, (1892 – 1972) was an American pianist, arranger and composer.<… Read Full Bio ↴Ferde Grofé, (1892 – 1972) was an American pianist, arranger and composer.
Born Ferdinand Rudolph von Grofé on 27th March 1892 in New York City, of French Huguenot extraction, his family had four generations of classical musicians. His father, Emil von Grofé, was a baritone who sang mainly light opera and his mother, Elsa Johanna von Grofé, was a professional cellist. She was also a versatile music teacher who taught Ferde to play the violin and piano. Elsa's father, Bernardt Bierlich, was a cellist in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in New York and Elsa's brother, Julius Bierlich, was first violinist and concertmaster of the Los Angeles Symphony.
Ferde's father died in 1899 and Elsa took Ferde abroad to study piano, viola and composition in Leipzig, Germany. Given such a musical background, it is perhaps understandable that Ferde became proficient over a remarkable range of instruments including piano (his favored instrument), violin, viola (he became a violist in the Los Angeles Symphony), baritone horn, alto horn, and cornet. This command of musical instruments and composition gave Ferde the foundation to later become first an arranger of other composers' music and then an orchestrator of his own compositions.
Grofé left home at the age of fourteen and variously worked as a milkman, truck driver, usher, newsboy, elevator operator, helper in a book bindery, iron factory worker, and as a piano player in a bar for two dollars a night and as an accompanist. He continued studying piano and violin. When he was fifteen he was performing with dance bands. He also played the alto horn in brass bands. He was seventeen when he wrote his first commissioned work
He died on 3rd April 1972.
Born Ferdinand Rudolph von Grofé on 27th March 1892 in New York City, of French Huguenot extraction, his family had four generations of classical musicians. His father, Emil von Grofé, was a baritone who sang mainly light opera and his mother, Elsa Johanna von Grofé, was a professional cellist. She was also a versatile music teacher who taught Ferde to play the violin and piano. Elsa's father, Bernardt Bierlich, was a cellist in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in New York and Elsa's brother, Julius Bierlich, was first violinist and concertmaster of the Los Angeles Symphony.
Ferde's father died in 1899 and Elsa took Ferde abroad to study piano, viola and composition in Leipzig, Germany. Given such a musical background, it is perhaps understandable that Ferde became proficient over a remarkable range of instruments including piano (his favored instrument), violin, viola (he became a violist in the Los Angeles Symphony), baritone horn, alto horn, and cornet. This command of musical instruments and composition gave Ferde the foundation to later become first an arranger of other composers' music and then an orchestrator of his own compositions.
Grofé left home at the age of fourteen and variously worked as a milkman, truck driver, usher, newsboy, elevator operator, helper in a book bindery, iron factory worker, and as a piano player in a bar for two dollars a night and as an accompanist. He continued studying piano and violin. When he was fifteen he was performing with dance bands. He also played the alto horn in brass bands. He was seventeen when he wrote his first commissioned work
He died on 3rd April 1972.
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Grand Canyon Suite: I. Sunrise
Ferde Grofé Lyrics
No lyrics text found for this track.
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
Ole Flogger
Back in 2014, I had previously flown over the GC many times during business trips between the coasts.
I was always on the wrong side of the plane, or, it was night. So, I never saw it.
Finally, my wife decided (I was 71) that we'd vacation at the Venetian in Vegas, rent a Caddy, and drive to Zion, Bryce, and the South Rim, 2 days there, then followed by Meteor Crater, Painted Desert, Petrified Forest, back to Flagstaff, and Sedona. Driving to GC from Bryce only a small non-GC look on the way. Definitely NOT the GC.
We got to the South Rim late afternoon. Still no views. We checked in.
"Come on, let's go(!). It's almost time for the Sun to set", she insisted. So, we walked from the Motel over to the Rim. You actually walk uphill a bit. So, I saw nothing, ..., yet.
Then(!!!!!), the whole world just seemed to drop away. I couldn't breathe for a few seconds (until I realized it and forced myself to breathe).
WOW!!!!! HOLY MCGILLICUTTY!!!
Of course, I had seen maybe hundreds or thousands of photos. They didn't do it justice.
David Burns
I listened to Ferde Grofe over and over when I was only 12 years old. Now, 66 years later, I hiked rim to rim in the Great Grand Canyon. Wow, what a lucky life ... now, I put the music on and revisit that glorious place again and again and will for the rest of my life. The word, "Awesome", just does not quite describe it ... not sure there are words that will do it justice. If you have not been there, preferably hiked it, please go and do it. It may be the best and most impactful spiritual experience of your life.
David Burns
@Giovanna Bossi It allows getting older to be an easier ride. 'Preciate your comment
Giovanna Bossi
Me too I have loved it since we're young
Grace2Hope
So did I!! I am 66 now. My mother had the 33 LP album and played it al the time!
GARY DAVID DERBY
BEINE 81 LOOKING FORWARD
Beverly Swartz
Listening to this via Axios Tampa Bay Newsletter. His grandson is a 77 yrs old runner of 5 mile races and Vietnam veteran.
S.D.M.G
the way this piece was composed, and the caretaker distorted it into what we call stage 2... both this and EateoT are amazing, and both composers are exceptionally talented
Pixel Perfect
I see The Caretaker as less of a composer, and more of an auditory sculptor.
Eric Indiongco
"It became an obsession...I was determined to put it all to music." - Ferde Grofe, on crafting the Suite.
John F
I've played the celeste solo in the 3rd movement, and it is probably the best thing I have performed with an orchestra. It is utterly beautiful and the majesty of the rest of the suite is fantastic.