Ferde Grofé (1892-1972)
Last updated: 07.10.25
According to the Internet source given below, Ferde Grofé was an American composer, arranger, pianist and instrumentalist.
He was taken abroad in 1899 by his mother to study piano, viola and composition in Leipzig, Germany. He was proficient on a number of instruments including piano, violin, viola, baritone horn, alto horn and cornet.
Leaving home aged 14 he played in a piano bar for two dollars a night also as an accompanist as well as numerous other jobs. Still just 14 he composed his first work, Four Rags for Piano (1906), and his first commissioned work when 17.
By 1920, he was playing jazz piano with the Paul Whiteman orchestra. and went on be Whiteman's principal arranger. As well as being a composer of many works (including orchestral) he recorded, worked on radio and TV, conducted and taught.
He was taken abroad in 1899 by his mother to study piano, viola and composition in Leipzig, Germany. He was proficient on a number of instruments including piano, violin, viola, baritone horn, alto horn and cornet.
Leaving home aged 14 he played in a piano bar for two dollars a night also as an accompanist as well as numerous other jobs. Still just 14 he composed his first work, Four Rags for Piano (1906), and his first commissioned work when 17.
By 1920, he was playing jazz piano with the Paul Whiteman orchestra. and went on be Whiteman's principal arranger. As well as being a composer of many works (including orchestral) he recorded, worked on radio and TV, conducted and taught.
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Ferde Grofé | Biography by wikipedia.org. |
| Title | Attribution | Instruments | Source | Remarks |
|---|
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Suez (1922) | F. Grofé (music) Peter DeRose (coauth.) Will Pancoast (words) Walter Davidson (perf.) |
Piano, Voice | Indiana Sheet Music Singer |
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This list is arranged in chronological order and contains 21 works by Ferde Grofé (1892-1972).
It does not claim to be complete and represents only the number of items located. Keys:
(w&m)
(w&m)
| Title | Year | Attribution | Remarks |
|---|
| Harlem | 1906 | from Four Rags for Piano | |
| Hobble | 1906 | from Four Rags for Piano | |
| Persimmon | 1906 | from Four Rags for Piano | |
| Rattlesnake | 1906 | from Four Rags for Piano | |
| Russian Rose | 1922 | Peter De Rose (co-author) | |
| Stop Your Kiddin' | 1922 | Jimmy McHugh (co-author) | |
| Suez | 1922 | Peter DeRose (co-author) Will Pancoast (words) Walter Davidson (perf.) Vincent de Lopez (perf.) |
|
| Cyclone, The | 1923 | Pub. | |
| Daybreak | 1926 | Harold Adamson (words) Tommy Dorsey (perf.) Harry James (perf.) Art Kassel (perf.) |
|
| Father of Waters | 1926 | ||
| Mardi Gras | 1926 |  |
|
| ⇑ Old Creole Days | 1926 | |
|
| Alice Blue | 1927 | |
|
| Heliotrope | 1927 | ||
| Indigo (w&m) | 1927 | Pub. | |
| Musette | 1928 | Pub. | |
| Blue Flame | 1929 | Pub. | |
| Free Air | 1929 | ||
| Count Your Blessings | 1933 | Irving Caesar (words) Edgar Guest (words) Jimmie Durante (perf.) Stuart Erwin (perf.) Marjorie Rambeau (perf.) Lupe Velez (perf.) |
|
| Symphony in Steel | 1936 | ||
| Miss Mischief | 1937 | Pub. |