The riot of orchestral colours in this dramatic picture of the monumental Grand Canyon established Ferde Grofé as one of the most exciting American composers of the 20th century. Today he would be described as a “crossover” musician, equally at home composing such famous songs as Daybreak, or writing a series of highly evocative scenes of life in the States. Even before this success, he had vividly captured the escapades of Huckleberry Finn and Festival Time in New Orleans, in the Mississippi Suite. He was to continue with a series of similar suites, the sheer power of Niagara Falls inspiring Grofé to one of his most dramatic scores.