 Grainger 's own works fall into two categories : original compositions and folk music arrangements . Besides these , he wrote many settings of other composers ' works . Despite his conservatory training he rebelled against the disciplines of the central European tradition , largely rejecting conventional forms such as symphony , sonata , concerto and opera . With few exceptions his original compositions are miniatures , lasting between two and eight minutes . Only a few of his works originated as piano pieces , though in due course almost all of them were , in his phrase , " dished up " in piano versions . 
