The title "Two Hermit Thrush Pieces" is our convenient label referring to the two pieces about a hermit thrush written by Amy Beach in 1921 and sharing the same opus number. She had established herself as among the most often performed of American composers, male or female, but was already becoming something of an elder spokeswoman of a generation whose music was rapidly going out of fashion. In 1921 she stayed for the first time at the MacDowell Colony, an artists¹ and musicians¹ retreat in Peterborough, New Hampshire. The melody of these two pieces was provided by a "most voluble thrush." She noted his song on paper, and began playing it back to him. The bird would answer, and they had a "conversation" in this manner. She then used the tune as the basis for these two charming pieces. The "Morn" piece is bright in tone and pictures the bird¹s exuberant flight. The "Eve" piece is cloudy and twilit in mood, and gets darker as it goes on.

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