The death of Charles Griffes at the tender age of 35 deprived American music of an original, questing voice. His small but rich legacy includes several works of great distinction. Though he was trained in Germany, Griffes drew a great deal of inspiration from the French Impressionists and his more well known works evince this influence. One, the lush tone poem The Pleasure Dome of Kubla Khan, brought him his greatest acclaim. That work, along with two others in the same coloristic, pictorial vein, Three Poems of Fiona MacLeod and Three Tone Pictures, form the backbone of this indispensable collection.
Click on any of the works listed above for alternative recordings.
