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Online
EdwardMacDowell,c.
18901908.
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MacDowell[McDowell],Edward(Alexander)
(bNewYork,NY,18Dec1860dNewYork,NY,23
Jan1908).Americancomposer,pianist,andteacher.At
theturnofthe20thcenturyhewasAmericasbest
knowncomposerbothathomeandabroad,particularly
renownedforhispianoconcertosandevocativepiano
miniatures.
1.Life.
MacDowellsancestrywasEnglishonhismotherssideandScottishIrishonhis
fathers.ThoughhisfathersfamilyhadbeenQuakers,thereislittleindicationthat
GroveMusicOnline
MacDowell,Edward
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MacDowellpracticedthisoranyotherreligion.Heshowedskillindrawingand
musicatanearlyage,andwhenhewaseightbeganpianolessonswiththe
ColombianviolinistJuanBuitrago.BuitragointroducedhimasaboytoTERESA
CARREO,whoencouragedhimandlaterbecameapromoterofhismusicinthe
UnitedStatesandabroad.
InApril1876hismothertookhimtoParistoattendtheConservatoire,wherehe
studiedthepianowithAntoineF.Marmontel.Dissatisfiedwiththeinstructionhe
wasreceiving,hewentontoGermanyin1878,andstudiedinturninStuttgart,
Wiesbaden,andFrankfurt(attheHochKonservatoriumwithCarlHeymannfor
pianoandJoachimRaffforcomposition).Onseveraloccasionsin1879and1880
heplayedforLisztatconservatoryconcerts,andthishelpedfurtherhiscareer.
ByAugust1880hehadlefttheconservatoryandbeguntosupporthimselfby
givingprivatepianolessons,whichhediduntil1885,exceptforayearspent
teachingattheStdtischeAkademiefrTonkunst,Darmstadt(18812).
MeanwhilehecontinuedhisassociationwithRaff,whoencouragedhimtosend
hisErstemoderneSuiteop.10toLisztonitscompletionin1881Liszt
recommendedtheworkforperformanceatameetingoftheAllgemeiner
DeutscherMusikvereinin1882andforpublicationbyBreitkopf&Hrtel.This
wasthebeginningofhissuccessasacomposer,andotherGermanfirmswere
topublishhismusicwithinthenextfewyears.In1883TeresaCarreobegan
playinghis(bythen)twoModerneSuiteninconcertsthroughouttheUnited
States.ThenextyearhemarriedMarianNevins,afellowAmerican.(SeeMARIAN
GRISWOLDMACDOWELL),TheysettledfirstinFrankfurt,thenWiesbaden,andfrom
1885to1888MacDowelldevotedhimselfalmostexclusivelytocomposition.In
partbecauseoffinancialdifficulties,hedecidedtoreturntoAmericaintheautumn
of1888.
MacDowellandhiswifelivedinBostonfrom1888to1896,andduringthatperiod
hecomposedhisopp.3751,whichincludehisIndianSuiteandWoodland
Sketches.Theseyearsalsosawhisrisetopublicattentionasaresultof
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concertsinwhichheplayedhisownmusic.InMarch1889hegavethepremiere
ofhisSecondConcertounderthedirectionofTheodoreThomasinNewYorkin
AprilheplayeditagainwiththeBostonSO.Therefollowedperformancesofhis
symphonicpoemsandorchestralsuites,aswellasofhissolopianopieces.A
performancebytheBostonSOofhisFirstPianoConcertoandIndianSuiteat
theMetropolitanOperaHouseinNewYork,inJanuary1896,wasahighpointin
hiscareerhewascriticallyacclaimedasbothperformerandcomposer,and
withinmonthswasofferedanappointmentasColumbiaUniversitysfirst
professorofmusic.
HelivedinNewYorkfrom1896untilhisdeath,workingenthusiasticallyand
devotedlyatthetaskofbuildingColumbiasmusicdepartment,inwhichhewas
thesoleteacherfortwoyears.Healsocontinuedtoteachthepianoprivately,
gaveconcertsduringthewintervacations,conductedtheMendelssohnGlee
Club(18968),andservedaspresidentoftheSocietyofAmericanMusicians
andComposers(18991900).Thoughhefoundtimetocomposeonlyduring
summervacations,hisworksfromthistimeincludeseveralimportantsetsof
pianopieces,aswellaspartsongsandsolosongs.Hisfirstsevenopus
numbers,workseitherforpianoormalechorus,werecomposedandpublished
underthepseudonymofEdgarThorn(e)between1896and1898.Afterhisreturn
fromasabbaticalyear(19023),duringwhichhetouredtheUnitedStatesand
Canadagivingconcerts,hefelloutwithNicholasMurrayButler,thenew
presidentofColumbia,overthedirectionofthefineartsprogramsandresigned
hispositioninmid1904.
Afterthisheremainedactiveasaprivatepianoteacherandasamemberofthe
NationalAcademyofArtsandLetters(towhichhewaselectedin1898),the
AmericanAcademyofArtsandLetters(hewasoneofitsfoundersin1904),and
theAmericanAcademyinRome.Hishealthbegantodeterioratein1904,perhaps
asaresultofatrafficaccidenthehadthatyear,andbytheautumnof1905he
wasalmostcompletelyhelpless,mentallyandphysically.Fortheremainingthree
yearsofhislifeheandhiswifespentwintersinNewYorkandsummersattheir
8/19/2014 MacDowell, Edward in Oxford Music Online
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homeinPeterborough,NewHampshire.
2.Viewsandaesthetics.
MacDowellpresentedhisviewsonmusicinlecturesatColumbiathatwere
publishedafterhisdeathasCriticalandHistoricalEssays.Inonelecturehe
discussedmusicsexpressiveability,callingitalanguage,butalanguageofthe
intangible,akindofsoullanguage.Hismusicoftendrawsonanexternal
stimulus,indicatedbytheworkstitle,butthoughheadmittedthepossibilityof
depictinganobjectorevent,hewasmoreinclinedtocommunicatetheframeof
mindormoodexperiencedbythecomposerwhenhecontemplatedthatobjector
event.Atitle,motto,orpoemwasaffixedtothemusiconlytoindicatewhatthe
stimulushadbeen.Asformusicsexpressivepowers,hecreditedthosetothe
expandedharmoniclanguagehehadinheritedfromWagnerandLiszt.Healso
believedinthecontinuedimportanceofmelody.Arelatedissuewashis
disinclinationtofollowabstractformsfortheirownsakeformforhimwas
inherenttotheidea.
HisstimulicamefromliteratureonmanyofthesubjectsdeartotheRomantic
imagination:medievallegends,landscapes(especiallyforests),seascapes,fairy
tales.HisattractiontoCelticlegendsmayhavebeenfueledbyarenewedinterest
intheminthelaterdecadesofthe19thcenturybywriterssuchasStandish
OGradyandFionaMacleodsimilarly,CelticandNorselegendswerefavorite
subjectsofsuchpreRaphaelitepaintersasEdwardBurneJones,whom
MacDowelladmired.HisinterestinNorselegendsmayalsohavebeenspurred
onbyhiscommunicationswithGrieg.
Inhislatesetsofpianopieceshetendedmoreandmoretoaddtitlesand
epigraphsofhisowncreationmanyrelatetotheAmericanlandscape,
particularlythatofNewEngland.Perhapshewasthusansweringthenationalistic
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challengethatpreoccupiedAmericancomposersinthe1890sbyconveyingthe
personalimpressionsofanAmericanreactingtohisnativeland.In1896he
becameaclosefriendoftheAmericanwriterHamlinGarland,whopromoteda
similarresponseinliteratureGarlanddevotedsomeofhiswritingstothe
Amerindian,asubjectthatinterestedMacDowellaswell.
WhileMacDowelltackledsomelargerforms(insymphonicpoems,concertos,
andsonatas),herevealedhismostindividualvoiceinshortpianopiecesforhe
excelledatcompactexpression,whereaverysubtlemanipulationofharmony,
melodiccontour,ortexturecouldtakeonevocativemeaning.
3.Orchestralmusic.
MacDowellcomposedrelativelylittlefororchestra.Hisfoursymphonicpoems
wereallbegunwhilehewaslivinginGermany,andtheRomanzeforcelloand
orchestraandtwopianoconcertoswereentirelyproductsofhisGermanyears.
OnlythetwosuiteswerecomposedafterhisreturntoAmerica,andthensoon
after:hiswifeattributedhisturnawayfromorchestralmusictothepaucityin
Americaofgoodprofessionalorchestras.
MacDowellsscoresrevealgreatskillinorchestration:inhismostcharacteristic
andeffectivetexturesthestringsplaythemainthematicmaterialwhileflutes
weaveadelicatefiligreeaboveonealsofindsexposedhomophonicwindorbrass
passages,frequentlyindialoguewithstrings.Withrespecttotheirharmonic
language,thesymphonicpoemsandtheSecondSuitearerichinWagnerLiszt
chromaticism.Yetthekeyschemesforthemovementsofthesuitesandpiano
concertosareconservativeincomparisontothoseofthelaterpianosets,the
movementsbeingrelatedbythirdsorfifths.
ThatMacDowellwasdrawntothesymphonicpoemisnotsurprising,giventhat
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hisstayinGermanybroughthimintocontactwithtwoofthegenresgreat
exponents,RaffandLiszt.Hisfirstendeavor,Hamlet,Opheliaop.22(18845),
wasconceivedastwoseparateworksonShakespeareancharacters:op.22was
toincludeHamlet,Benedick,andOthello,andop.23Ophelia,Beatrice,and
Desdemona.Draftsofthediscardedmovements(aswellasofFalstaff)areinthe
LibraryofCongress.In1886MacDowellturnedtoTennysonsIdyllsoftheKing
astheliterarybackgroundforhisLancelotundElainehewastoreturntothis
sourceinhisEroicaSonataof18945.Thethirdsymphonicpoem,Lamia
(18878),isbasedonKeats.Thefourth(188690),consistingofDieSarazenen
andDieschneAld,ontheSongofRolandMacDowellintendedthesetwo
survivingpiecesasthemiddlemovementsofasymphonyontheepic.
OpheliaandDieSarazenenareonedimensionalcharactersketches.Butin
HamletandAldMacDowellsapproachwaslikeLisztsinhisHamlet:a
charactersinnerconflictsarebroughttolifebydramaticjuxtapositionofdiatonic
andchromaticmaterials.InLamiaMacDowelladoptsadifferentLisztian
techniquetoconveyphysicalandemotionalchangesexperiencedbyLamia
thematictransformationwherebyhermusicalsubjectchangescharacterin
directresponsetothedetailedprogramprintedinthescore.InLancelotund
Elainesomeeventsareblatantlydepicted,andMacDowell,perhapshesitant
aboutthis,withheldtheprogramwhenhepublishedthework.
MacDowellhadplannedtowritetwoothersymphonicpoems:MerlinandVivien
andHiawathaandMinnehaha,thelatterprojectedin1887.Hetookupthe
Amerindianmotif,though,inhisSecondSuite,whichisamonghismostoften
performedworks,andtheonlycompleteworkofhistoincorporateAmerindian
melodies.(Individualmovementsdosoinsomeofthelatepianosets.)Thesuite
useswarsongs,festivalsongs,alovesong,andamourningsong,alltakenfrom
TheodoreBakersberdieMusikdernordamerikanischenWilden(1882).
MacDowellreferredtotheDirgemovementasoneofhismostsuccessful
pieces.ThoughnominallythelamentofanAmerindianwomanonthedeathofher
son,itconveysauniversalsenseofgrief.MacDowellwroteitinresponsetothe
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deathofhismentorRaff.Whilethelovemovementisequallyuniversal,theother
threemovements,Legend,InWarTime,andVillageFestival,arecolorful
evocationsofIndianlifeandtheopenspacesofanundevelopedcountry.
MacDowellsearliersuite,op.42,offersfivemovementsunrelatedexceptintheir
titlesemphasisonnatureandtheseasons.Incontrasttothethreedramatic
IndianSuitemovements,whichevolveinafairlyfreemanner,allthemovements
ofop.42haveacertainclassicalformalsimplicity.
WhenMacDowellsSecondPianoConcertowasperformedinNewYorkin1894,
thecriticJamesHunekermadeastrikingcomparison:Itsoundsamodelofits
kindthekindwhichJohannesBrahmsgavetheworldoverthirtyyearsagoin
hisDminorconcerto.TheSecondConcertohasremainedoneofMacDowells
mostappreciatedworks,thoughinbothconcertoshewassomewhatindebtedto
othercomposers.TheFirst,inAminor,openswithapianopassagereminiscent
incontourandtextureoftheequivalentpointinGriegsconcertointhesamekey
bothmaytracebacktoSchumannsconcerto.IntheSecond,MacDowelldivides
thepianocadenzaintothreesegmentsoverthecourseofthefirstmovement,as
hadLisztinhisE concerto.Also,intheirpianowritingMacDowellsconcertos
showconsiderablesimilaritytoTchaikovskys.Yetseveralfeaturesgivethe
SecondConcertoadistinctflavor.Whereasrhythmicmovementinmanyofthe
composersshortpianopiecesisreserved,therhythmsoftheSecondConcerto
areinfectiouslyaliveandvibrant,madeparticularlysothroughtheiruseofdance
figuresandsyncopation.MacDowellunusuallymadehismiddlemovementa
scherzo,derivingthemusicfromthediscardedsketchesforBenedick,and
stroveforahighlevelofcohesionbothwithinandbetweenmovements.Materials
fromtheintroductiontothefirstmovementreturntransformedinitsbody,andfirst
movementideasarebothquotedandtransformedinthefinale.
4.Earlypianomusic.
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Between1876and1890MacDowellcomposed22worksforpiano,onlyfourof
themapplyingtraditionalformalmodels:thetwoModerneSuiten,thePrludeet
fugue,andtheEtudedeconcert.Theotherpublishedworks,withtheexceptionof
theSerenade,arecollectionsinwhichindividualmovementscarryfancifulor
poetictitles,oftenwithapoemincludedintheprintedmusic.
MacDowellsaidthattheparamountvalueofthepoemisthatofitssuggestionin
thefieldofinstrumentalmusic,whereasinglelinemaybeelaboratedupon.Inhis
earlypiecesheturnedforinspirationtothepoetryofGoethe,Heine,Hugo,
Tennyson,Shelley,D.G.Rossetti,HansChristianAndersen,andBulwerLytton.
FoursetsIdyllen(revisedasSixIdylsafterGoethe),SechsGedichtenach
HeinrichHeine,VierkleinePoesien,andMarionettenprovideaconspectusof
hisapproaches.IntheGoethesethecultivatesthemannerhewastomasterin
laterpianosets:triggeredbythepoetry,heprovidesineachmovementhissingle
impression,hispersonalresponsetoanimageofthenaturalworld(undersuch
titlesasIntheWoodsandTotheMoonlight).IntheHeinesethebringsa
psychologicaldynamicintoplay,reactingtopoemsinwhichthecharacters
dreamandreminisce:asaresult,thesemovementsunfoldwithcontrasting
sectionswherechangesofmode,texture,melody,harmony,andrhythmcombine
tosuggestachangeofmindsetorevenanarrestingoftime.Whilethreeofthe
VierkleinePoesienareessentiallysimpleatmosphericimpressions,thefourth
TheEagle(afterTennyson)showsMacDowellsabilitytocapturethedrama
ofapoem,when,initsfinalmeasures,hemovesabruptlyfromppptofff,duringa
precipitousleapupanddescenttodepicttheeaglesfall.Finally,Marionettenisa
wonderfullylight,whimsicalseriesofcharactersketches,inwhicheachpuppet
comestolifeinanappropriatemusicaltexture.Forthe1901Americanedition,the
composerrevisedtheoriginalsixMarionettensubstantiallyandaddedtwo
additionalpieces.
5.Sonatas.
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MacDowellcomposedhisfoursonatasbetween1891and1900.Wherethefirst
carriesonlyatitle,Tragica,theothershavealsoamottoorepigraphto
associatethemwithalegend:fortheEroica,theArthuriantaleofTennysons
IdyllsoftheKingsfortheNorse,theheroiclegendofSigurdandhiswife
GudrunfortheKeltic,theseparatelegendsofDeirdreandofCuchullinfromthe
CycleoftheRedBranch.
MacDowellspronouncementsonhisintentionsinthesesonatasarefoundlargely
inprivatecorrespondence.Heconfirmedthatheintendedeachmovementofthe
EroicatoevokethemoodofsomepartoftheArthurianlegend.Wherethe
NorseandKelticareconcerned,heremarkedthatthemusicismorea
commentaryonthesubjectthananactualdepictionofit.Butdespitehis
disclaimershecrossedtheboundarybetweenmoodevocationanddirect
representationinthefinalesofboththeEroicaandtheKeltic.Theformer
movement,onthepassingofArthur,containsapassagethatmakessenseonly
inrelationtothelegend:atwopagemurmuredinsertiondepictingArthursgradual
weakeninganddeathafterhisbattlewithMordred.SimilarlyintheKelticthelast
movementsconclusiondepictsCuchullinsdeath,asafurious,violentutterance
giveswaytoapassagemarkedbroad,withtragicpathos,beforeagradual
dissipationofsound.InoneofMacDowellsmostliteralusesoftonepainting,a
dartingtwonotemotivesuggeststhebirdthatlandsonCuchullinsshoulderashe
takeshislastbreath.
Ingeneral,though,themovementsofthesesonatasaremoodpieces.Onlythe
TragicaandEroicacontainscherzos,thelattersparticularlyspiritedandelf
liketomatchtheDorillustrationinwhichaknightoftheRoundTableis
surroundedbyelves.TheslowmovementsoftheEroica,Norse,andKeltic
canbeconsidered,accordingtoMacDowellstestimony,tenderevocationsof
Guinevere,Gudrun,andDeirdre.Yeteachmovementevolveswithsomedegree
ofunrestthatresultsinaforceful,transformedstatementofaquiet,tendermelody
beforeareturntoitsinitialstate,anexpressionofemotionalupheaval.Elsewhere
ineachsonatathefemalecharacteristreatedasasingleessencethroughthe
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deviceofcallinguphermelody.InthefirstmovementoftheEroica,MacDowell
anticipatestheGuineveremovementbyusinghermelodyasthelyricalsecond
themecounterparttoArthursforcefulfirstthemehethenevokeshermemory
afterArthursdeathbyrecallingherthemeinthecodaofthelastmovement.
Likewise,Gudrunsthemeisglimpsedbrieflyasaninterruptionwithinthefinaleof
theNorse.
TheopeningmovementsoftheEroica,Norse,andKelticprojectthenoble,
triumphantsideofArthur,Sigurd,andCuchullin,whiletheirfinalessummona
senseofrecklessdrive,ofthesestrongwilledpersonalitiesfulfillingtheirdestinies
eventodeath.TheTragicastandsapartinitsevolutiontowardsamoreheroic,
resolutemood,thoughalingeringsenseofthetragiciscreatedthrough
MacDowellsrecallinthefinaleoftheworksopeninggestureasnaprhythm,
nowelongated.
ThislatterfeatureoftheTragicaillustratesMacDowellstendencytounitethe
movementsofhissonatas.IntheTragica,thesnaprhythmreappearsinthe
secondmovementaswellasthefourthintheEroica,theopeningchordal
musicisquotedintwoothermovementsintheNorse,anintricate,unifyingkey
schemeisworkedoutandintheKeltic,theinitialthemesmelodicandrhythmic
profileisevokedinthesecondmovement,whilethethemeisrecalledintactatthe
veryendofthethird.Thereappearanceofthewomansmelodyinother
movementsoftheEroicaandNorsehasbeennoted.
MacDowellssonataformsrevealcertaincharacteristictraits.Several
movementsreachathirdprincipalkeyarea,eitherintheexposition(Norse,
secondmovement),orinthedevelopment(Eroica,Norse,andKeltic,first
movements).Othersdonotreachastablesecondarykeyarea(Norseand
Keltic,thirdmovements),thoughdevelopmentalprinciplesareevident.There
areafewinstancesofthematictransformation(Tragica,fourthmovement,
wherethemainmelodyistransformedintoalyricalutterance,coincidingwiththe
secondarykeyareaKeltic,thirdmovement,wherethestaccato,impetuous
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melodyistransmutedatthestartofthecodaintoabroad,tragicproclamation).In
general,MacDowellmovedtowardsamorefluidapproachtosonataforminhis
lasttwosonatas.
6.Latepianosets.
Between1896and1902MacDowellcomposedfoursetsofpianopieceswhich
containsomeofhisbestknownmusic:WoodlandSketches,SeaPieces,
FiresideTales,andNewEnglandIdyls.Alltheindividualpieceshavetitles,and
thoseoftheSeaPiecesandNewEnglandIdylsalsocontainepigraphsorpoems,
mostofthembyMacDowell,thoughseveralinSeaPiecescomefromother
sources.
ThetitlesshowtheimportanceoftheAmericanlandscapetoMacDowells
musicalimaginationatthistime:ToaWildRose,ADesertedFarm,A
HauntedHouse,InDeepWoods,FromaLogCabin.OtherAmerican
referencesaretoIndianmotives(FromanIndianLodgeofWoodlandSketches
andIndianIdylfromNewEnglandIdyls),totheUncleRemustalesofJoel
ChandlerHarris(OfBrerRabbitfromFiresideTalesandFromUncleRemus
ofWoodlandSketches),andtothecountrysfoundingPuritans(FromPuritan
DaysofNewEnglandIdylsandA.D.MDCXXfromSeaPieces,thelatter
incorporatingahymnofthanksgiving).ButasidefromA.D.MDCXX,theSea
PiecescontainnospecificallyAmericanallusions.
InsomepiecesMacDowellmasterfullycapturedtheessenceofanimage:the
evanescentdelicacyofawildrosethroughaprofusionofshortmotiveswith
sparinglyplaceddissonances,orthecathedrallikeexpanseofthedeepwoods
throughsoaringmaterialsspacedoversixoctaves.Inothershesuggesteda
vaguesortoflonging,ahazymemoryofsentimentassociatedwithaplace:At
anOldTrystingPlaceandADesertedFarmfromWoodlandSketchesachieve
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thiseffectthroughbothinternalandfinalrepetitionsofamotivethatlingersona
toneotherthanthetonic.Inalloftheseexampleswegainasenseofwhathe
meantbysoullanguage.Onlyinafewpiecesdidheofferadirect,unreserved
emotionalexpression:inNewEnglandIdyls,theepigraphlinesofMid
WinterAndlo!athreadoffateissnapped,abreakingheartmakesmoan
arerealizedatthepointwhenthemuffled,lowlyingchordshavebuiltdramatically
tofff,tobefollowedbyagradualdissipationofsoundthemournfulmoodofFrom
aLogCabinyieldstoapassionate,exuberantclimaxbeforereturningtothe
openingdisquietandinthefinalpieceofSeaPieces,InMidOcean,thereisa
powerfulsurgeofsoundinthepenultimatemoments.
Thesecollectionsofpiecesworkassetsinvaryingdegrees.WoodlandSketches
hasthemostinterwovenkeyscheme,withobvioussymmetriesinthesequence
oftenpieces:Af A F cF Ff A f.Moreover,thefinalpiecequotes
fromnos.3,5,and8,asthoughrecollectingcertainpoignantmemoriesonelast
time.IntheSeaPieces,thethreemovementsthatdealmostdirectlywiththesea,
nos.1,6,and8,allhavethesamemelodicgestureatthesamepitchlevel.The
sixFiresideTalesfollowanimaginative,adventurouskeyscheme:FDA cf
D (notethesymmetricallyplacedaugmentedfourths).ThefinalD provides
balancetothecentralA andalsoreawakenstheD heardinthemiddlesection
ofno.1.NewEnglandIdylsplayswithasymmetricalkeyschemesimilartothatof
WoodlandSketches,andadditionallyaddsaunifyinghalfstepinflectioninseveral
ofthepieces.
7.Vocalmusic.
Inadditionto42solosongs,MacDowellpublishedsome14partsongcollections,
primarilyformalechorus,andmanyofthemfortheMendelssohnGleeClub,for
whichhealsoarrangedsongsbyothers.AccordingtoGilman,MacDowell
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sketchedaswelloneactofamusicdramaonanArthuriansubject,with
comparativelylittlesingingandmuchemphasisontheorchestralcommentary.
MacDowellbegancomposingliederduringhisstayinGermany,settingtextsof
Heine,Goethe,Klopstock,andGeibel.Theseearlysongsshowhisindebtedness
totheEuropeantraditionintheirfairlyfullpianoaccompanimentsthatsometimes
providelinescomplementarytothevoiceandintheirabsorptionofWagners
harmoniclanguage.MacDowellturnedtoEnglishtextsin1886,specificallyto
thoseofBurnsandcontemporaryAmericans:MargaretDeland,WilliamHenry
Gardner,WilliamDeanHowells,and,eventually,himself.Inhismiddleperiod
(roughly188690)hepreferredverysparsepianoaccompaniments,putting
emphasisonasimplelyricismandaconservativeuseofharmoniccolor,andin
somecases(e.g.,thecycleFromanOldGarden)thesesongsrevealinbothtext
andmusicasentimentalityassociatedwiththeVictorianparlor.Criticsofthese
middleperiodsongsnotethatMacDowelltreatedthevoicepartwithpersistent
metricalregularity,withlittleflexibilityorfreedomofexpression.
ThiscriticismwasansweredinMacDowellslastperiodsongs(18931901),
whenheturnedalmostexclusivelytopoemsofhisownandthepredictabilityof
declamationdeclines.Inaninterviewpublishedafewyearsbeforehisdeath,he
saidthatsongwritingshouldfollowdeclamationandmusicandpoetrycannot
beaccuratelystatedunlessonehaswrittenboth.Alongwiththegreater
declamatoryfreedom,theharmonicpaletteisenlivened,thoughMacDowells
characteristichalfdiminishedanddiminishedchordsnowoutweightheearly
periodpredilectionforaugmented6thsandNeapolitanchords.Thelatersongs
continuetofocusonthecomposerspredominantthemesofidealloveandthe
serenityofnature,thoughoccasionally,asinop.47,hissubjectismore
emotionallyintenseanddirect:alostlove(Folksong),acontemptuouslover
(TheWestWindCroonsintheCedarTrees),thepowerfulsea(TheSea).Yet
evenherethemusicrarelyattemptstobeaninstrumentofpreciseemotional
utterance(Gilman).OnlyonoccasiondidMacDowellusetheexpressive
possibilitiesoftheminormodeoroffullfledgedmodulations,and,despitehis
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avowedconcernforwords,heexcelledasasongwriterwhenhegavefreereign
tohislyricgift,insongssuchasAMaidSingsLight,op.56,no.3,and
Confidence,op.47,no.4.
Seealso:MACDOWELLCOLONY.
Writings
ComposerversusStudent,BostonMusicalHerald,xiii(1892),47
MusicatColumbia,ColumbiaUniversityBulletin,xv(1896),1316
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