ALSO KNOWN AS Amy Marcy Cheney Amy Marcy Cheney Beach Mrs. H.H.A. Beach
VOCAL MUSIC BIOGRAPHY
Of her more than 300 musical works, Born in New Hampshire, Amy Beach was a prodigy on the piano, including an opera, a symphony, a playing by ear at age four, and composing soon after. She was almost piano concerto, choral works, and entirely self-taught in composition, teaching herself languages and chamber music, 117 of them were art counterpoint. She debuted as a concert pianist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra when she was 15. She was an active performer songs for voice and piano. Although until she married Dr. Henry Harris Aubrey Beach (25 years her senior) the number of art songs suggests that at the age of 18. She continued to compose and publish most of her she this musical form was important to works during her lifetime, which is particularly unusual for most her, it was actually a way for her to composers, particularly being a female composer who didn't use a take a creative break from her larger male pen name. After her husband's death, she returned to being a works for piano. concert pianist.
Her songs have been set for both low She pioneered the way for female composers to be recognized by founding and becoming the first president of the Society of American and high voice, but most recordings Women Composers in 1925. that can be found are made by the female voice, particularly sopranos. She wrote in the late-romantic style throughout her entire life, and used poetry from Shakespeare, Heine, Victor RECOMMENDED Hugo, and contemporary poets she LISTENING knew personally in her art songs. Three Shakespeare Songs (1897) (English) No. 3 Fairy Lullaby CITED SITES Lauralyn Kolb, Don McMahon AND FURTHER READING Op. 21 Three Songs (1893) (French) No. 3 Elle et Moi Emma Kirkby, Romantic Chamber Group of Song, Carol Kimball London theartsongproject.com Op. 51 Four Songs (1903) (German & French) No. 4 Je demande à l’oiseau Library of Congress Hélène Guilmette, Martin Dubé
