Edward MacDowell: His Work and Ideals

By Elizabeth Fry Page

This is not merely an appreciation of Edward MacDowell as a man and a composer, but a study of the influences and natural endowments that combined to produce his style, a comparison of his work with that of others who achieved fame in other branches of the fine arts, all of which he felt were closely allied and supplemental, and a glance at his ideals and their evolution at Peterboro. Most of his compositions are written around some poetic idea and are so suggestive and appealing to the imagination that in studying them the native poetic fancy is easily aroused; but the full effect is lost to the casual listener who is not familiar with the theme. The accompanying poems are interpretations of some of his best-known piano numbers, based upon the briefly indicated poetic idea upon which they are founded, reinforced by a careful intellectual study of each composition and its appeal to the individual creative faculty of the author.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Good Press
• Release date: Dec 19, 2019
• ISBN: 4064066164409

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Elizabeth Fry Page

Edward MacDowell

His Work and Ideals

Published by Good Press, 2022

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EAN 4064066164409

Table of Contents

PREFACE

EDWARD MACDOWELL

HIS WORK AND IDEALS

POETICAL INTERPRETATIONS

TO MACDOWELL

A.D. 1620

SONG

IN DEEP WOODS

SHADOW DANCE

AT AN OLD TRYSTING-PLACE

TO A WATER LILY

TOLD AT SUNSET

TO A WILD ROSE

THE SPIRIT CALL

A DESERTED FARM

IN MEMORIAM

PREFACE

Table of Contents

This is not merely an appreciation of Edward MacDowell as a man and a composer, but a study of the influences and natural endowments that combined to produce his style, a comparison of his work with that of others who achieved fame in other branches of the fine arts, all of which he felt were closely allied and supplemental, and a glance at his ideals and their evolution at Peterboro.

Most of his compositions are written around some poetic idea and are so suggestive and appealing to the imagination that in studying them the native poetic fancy is easily aroused; but the full effect is lost to the casual hearer who is not familiar with the theme. The accompanying poems are interpretations of some of his best-known piano numbers, based upon the briefly indicated poetic idea upon which they are founded, reinforced by a careful intellectual study of each composition and its appeal to the individual creative faculty of the author.

The sonnet to MacDowell was written at the beginning of the two darkened years preceding his death, when he forgot that there was such a thing as music.

A.D. 1620 and Song are from the Sea Pieces. The former describes the sailing of the galleon bearing the Pilgrim Fathers to America. The Song, which is distinctly Irish in its melody, seems to me to be sung by a lad on board the galleon, who sings and whistles to keep up the courage of his fellow-pilgrims, thereby forgetting his own pain.

The Shadow Dance is written three notes to two, and this difficult musical form is represented by the three shadows dancing before two people. A Deserted Farm is a lyric description of the now beautiful Hill Crest as he found it. The Spirit Call is suggested by the Celtic vein of mystery and haunting sadness pervading most of the MacDowell music.

The sonnet "To a