4. Dance of the Dryads would doubtless attract lovers of the Sydney Smith type of salon music, if there are any of them left. It opens in quite a bewitching dance manner and then goes on tinkling away on top notes, with chromatic runs, half floating arpeggios and all the rest of the stock-in-trade of pretty salon music. There are, however, some rather characteristic touches in it, which distinguish it from its companions. The key transitions from A flat major through distant D major and then F sharp major in bars 22, 23 and 24 (Teichmüller 1912 Edition) respectively are quite personal.
OPUS 20. THREE POEMS, FOR PIANOFORTE DUET.
Composed, Winter, 1884-5. First Published, 1886 (J. Hainauer).
1. Nights at Sea.
2. Tale of the Knights.
3. Ballade.
Like the Forest Idyls, Op. 19, these pieces have a definite poetic basis, but are conceived in a manner that only slightly suggests the individuality of the composer. They are quite musical and well written for a pianoforte duet, but lack the sustained interest one expects to find in MacDowell's work.
OPUS 21. MOON PICTURES AFTER HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN, FOR PIANOFORTE DUET.
Composed, Winter, 1884-5. First Published, 1886 (J. Hainauer).
1. The Hindoo Maiden.