1. Tyrant Love.
2. Fair Springtide.
3. To the Golden-rod.
This is the last song group that MacDowell published. It contains music of great charm and poetic beauty, with a grave tenderness that was ever his own. The verses are all from his pen and show his unusual literary gifts.
Tyrant Love (Lightly, yet with tenderness). This is the least fine of the three, and yet in itself it is a song of rare quality and far above the commonplace. The music is beautiful, although not free from distortion of the words.
Fair Springtide (Very slow, with pathos). This is one of the best and most mature of MacDowell's songs. It makes a lovely solo, full of sweet and tender sadness, seldom failing to move its hearers. Both as regards words and music, it comes straight from the soul of its composer.
To the Golden-rod (With tender grace). This is a pure and delectable piece of lyrical work, in MacDowell's most delightful style. The verse tells of a lissom maid whose wayward grace neither sturdy Autumn nor the frown of Winter can ever efface. The words are obviously fanciful, but the song has a graceful charm and fragrance.
OPUS 61. FIRESIDE TALES, FOR PIANOFORTE.
First Published, 1902 (Arthur P. Schmidt).
Dedicated to Mrs. Seth Low.