Edward MacDowell (1860-1908); USA

Edward MacDowell (1860–1908) was an American composer and pianist, born in New York City. After early musical training in the United States, he studied in Paris and Germany, notably at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt, where he studied composition with Joachim Raff. He established himself as a pianist and composer in Germany before returning to the United States in 1888. In 1896 he became the first professor of music at Columbia University, a position he held until 1904. His wife, Marian MacDowell, later founded the MacDowell Colony in Peterborough, New Hampshire, in his memory.

MacDowell was one of the first American composers to gain substantial international recognition. His music is rooted in the late-Romantic European tradition and is especially notable for its poetic and pictorial character. His best-known works include Piano Concerto No. 2, the piano suites Woodland Sketches, Sea Pieces, and New England Idyls, and four piano sonatas. Woodland Sketches contains his most familiar miniature, To a Wild Rose.

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MacDowell, Edward (Alexander) (b NY, 1860; d NY, 1908). Amer. composer and pianist. Teacher of pf., Darmstadt Cons. 1881. In 1882 visited Liszt at Weimar; on Liszt's recommendation, First Modern Suite for pf. and 1st pf. conc. were pubd. From 1885 to 1888 lived at Wiesbaden. Returned to USA 1888, settling in Boston. Soloist in f.p. of 2nd pf. conc., NY 1889. First head of mus. dept., Columbia Univ., NY, 1896-1904. His mus. is romantic in style and charmingly melodic. The MacDowell Colony in Peterboro, New Hampshire, where composers and other artists can work peacefully, was founded in his memory. Prin. works:

ORCH.: sym.-poems Hamlet and Ophelia (1885), Lancelot and Elaine (1886), Lamia (1887-8), Suite No.1 (1888-93), No.2 (Indian) (1891-5).

CONCERTOS: pf., No.1 in A minor (1882), No.2 in D minor (1884-6); Romance, vc., orch. (1888).

PIANO: 1st Modern Suite (1880-1), 2nd Modern Suite (1882-3); Forest Idyls (1884); Idyls (1887, rev. as 6 Idyls After Goethe, 1901); 12 Studies (1890); Sonatas: Tragica (1893), Eroica (1895), Norse (1900), Keltic (1900); 12 Virtuoso Studies (1894); 10 Woodland Sketches (1896, No.1 is To a Wild Rose); 8 Sea Pieces (1898); 6 Fireside Tales (1902); 10 New England Idyls (1902).Also many songs, part-songs, arrangements, and works pubd. under pseudonym Edgar Thorn.

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