Born in the United States in 1884, Charles Tomlinson Griffes had established himself as an outstanding pianist before moving to Europe to continue his studies. There he became increasingly interested in composition, and was eventually accepted as a pupil of Humperdinck. On his return to the States he found employment as a schoolteacher, his periods of composition restricted to the evening and holiday periods. The image of Griffes working late into the night, with physical exhaustion leading to his premature death, is probably exaggerated, though it is true that his genius was not perceived in his lifetime. In his thirteen years of composition he wrote a surprising large number of scores, his piano background generating many outstanding works for that instrument. This is the second disc in the world premiere release of Griffes' complete solo and piano duet music.