 After fulfilling a hectic schedule of concert engagements in Britain and continental Europe , in August 1908 Grainger accompanied Ada Crossley on a second Australasian tour , during which he added several cylinders of Maori and Polynesian music to his collection of recordings . He had resolved to establish himself as a top @-@ ranking pianist before promoting himself as a composer , though he continued to compose both original works and folksong settings . Some of his most successful and most characteristic pieces , such as " Mock Morris " , " Handel in the Strand " , " Shepherd 's Hey " and " Molly on the Shore " date from this period . In 1908 he obtained the tune of " Country Gardens " from the folk music specialist Cecil Sharp , though he did not fashion it into a performable piece for another ten years . 
