Edward MacDowell / His Work and Ideals

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 Wild Rose was inspired by a rumor from the
musician's sick room that his night had passed and he would recover;
but this was a false hope, and it was not long until he was sleeping
on a green hill-side at Peterboro, his resting-place, in the grandeur
of its simplicity, suggesting the modest, child-hearted, nature-loving
man who had passed on beyond earth's discord.