MACDOWELL, Edward Alexander (1860-1908) - Lancelot und Elaine (1886)

Obra d'Eugène Lami (1800-1890), pintor francès (1)

- Recordatori d'Edward Alexander MacDowell -

En el dia de la celebració del seu 155è aniversari de naixement

---

Parlem de Pintura...

Eugène Louis Lami (París, 12 de gener de 1800 - París, 19 de desembre de 1890) va ser un litògraf i pintor francès. Va estudiar pintura amb Horace Vernet, qui el 1817 el va enviar a continuar la seva formació amb el pintor Baró Gros a l'Escola de Belles Arts, on també va conèixer a Théodore Géricault i on va aprendre aquarel·la del pintor romàntic anglès Richard Parkes Bonington. Bona part dels seus primers treballs van ser litografies, una tècnica que començava a ser explotada comercialment. Entre el 1819 i 1821, va produir moltes litografies sobre la cavalleria espanyola, així com sèries important per als uniformes de l'exèrcit francès. Les seves representacions de temes militars van despertar l'interès de la família reial. Louis-Philippe li va encarregar nombroses pintures de temes militars per al museu d'Història de França de Versalles. Més tard es va especialitzar en escenes de gènere i en la vida elegant de la cort i de la burgesia. Anys després va tornar a l'aquarel·la, tècnica que ja no abandonaria. Precisament, als 79 anys va fundar Societat d'Acuarel·listes Francesos. Va morir a París el desembre de 1890.

Font: En català: No disponible - En castellano: Eugène Lami (1800-1890) - In english: Eugène Lami (1800-1890) - Altres: Eugène Lami (1800-1890)

---

Parlem de Música...

Edward Mac Dowell (New York, 18 de desembre de 1860 - New York, 23 de gener de 1908) va ser un compositor estatunidenc, considerat un dels músics nord-americans més representatius del segle XIX. De família acomodada, va rebre les seves primeres classes de piano a Nova York, per a més tard perfeccionar el seu art al Conservatori de París i a Alemanya. Amb 21 anys es va convertir en professor de piano al Conservatori de Darmstadt, interpretant per Franz Liszt seu primer Concert per a Piano No.1 a Weimar. El 1886 va compondre el seu Concert per a Piano No.2 que va suposar el seu retorn triomfal als Estats Units dos anys després. La seva reputació va créixer ràpidament i ben aviat es va convertir en el compositor més famós del seu país. A partir d'aleshores va viure a Boston i més tard a Nova York, on va ser professor a la Universitat de Columbia. Va ser un dels fundadors de l'Acadèmia Nord-americana d'Arts i Lletres, transformant la seva casa d'estiu a Peterborough en una colònia per a artistes. Va morir a Nova York el gener de 1908.

OBRA:

Vocal secular:

Songs:
all for 1 voice and piano
— Der Fichtenbaum (H. Heine), US-NYcu
— Lieber Schatz (W. Osterwald), NYcu
11 Drei Lieder, 1881 (Leipzig, 1883): 1 Mein Liebchen, 2 Du liebst mich nicht (Heine), 3 Oben wo die Sterne (Heine)
12 Zwei Lieder, 1880–81 (Leipzig, 1883): 1 Nachtlied (E. Geibel), 2 Das Rosenband (F.G. Klopstock); Nachtlied orchd 1880, Wc
— O mistress mine (W. Shakespeare), ?1884, Wc
26 From an Old Garden (M. Deland), 1886–7 (New York, 1887): 1 The Pansy, 2 The Myrtle, 3 The Clover, 4 The Yellow Daisy, 5 The Bluebell, 6 The Mignonette
33 Drei Lieder, 1887–8 (Breslau and New York, 1889): 1 Bitte (A Request) (J.C. Glücklich, trans. MacDowell), 2 Geistliches Wiegenlied (Cradle Hymn) (Lat. anon.), 3 Idylle (Idyll) (J.W. von Goethe, trans. MacDowell); nos.2 and 3 rev. ?1894, no.2 with Eng. text by S.T. Coleridge (New York, 1894)
34/2 If I had but two little wings, ?1887, MS lost, photocopies, MacDowell Colony and M.M. Lowens’s private collection
34 Two Songs (R. Burns), 1887 (Boston, 1889): 1 Menie, 2 My Jean; no.1 ed. in 1912, no.2 ed. in 1912
40 Six Love Songs (W.H. Gardner), 1890 (Boston, Leipzig and New York, 1890): 1 Sweet blue-eyed maid, 2 Sweetheart, tell me, 3 Thy beaming eyes, 4 For sweet love’s sake, 5 O lovely rose, 6 I ask but this; no.3 ed. in 1912, 1912, nos.1–2 in Hi
47 Eight Songs, 1893 (Leipzig and New York, 1893): 1 The robin sings in the apple-tree (MacDowell), 2 Midsummer Lullaby (after Goethe), 3 Folksong (W.D. Howells), 4 Confidence (MacDowell), 5 The west-wind croons in the cedar-trees (MacDowell), 6 In the Woods (after Goethe), 7 The Sea (Howells), 8 Through the Meadow (Howells); nos.1–8 in Hi
9 Two Old Songs, 1894 (New York, 1894): 1 Deserted (Burns), 2 Slumber Song (MacDowell); no.1 ed. in 19121, 19122
56 Four Songs (MacDowell), 1898 (New York, 1898): 1 Long ago, 2 The swan bent low to the lily, 3 A maid sings light, 4 As the gloaming shadows creep; no.2 ed. in 1912, no.3 ed. in 1912, nos.1–4 in Hi
58 Three Songs (MacDowell), 1899 (Boston, Leipzig and New York, 1899): 1 Constancy (New England AD 1899), 2 Sunrise, 3 Merry Maiden Spring; nos.1–3 in Hi
60 Three Songs (MacDowell), 1901 (Boston, Leipzig and New York, 1902): 1 Tyrant Love, 2 Fair Springtide, 3 To the Golden Rod; no.2 ed. in 1912, no.3 ed. in 1912, nos.1–3 in Hi

Partsongs:
unless otherwise stated, for male chorus in 4 parts and with piano accompaniment
27 Drei Lieder für vierstimmigen Männerchor, unacc., 1887 (Boston and Leipzig, 1890): 1 Oben wo die Sterne glühen (In the starry sky above us) (Heine, trans. MacDowell), 2 Schweizerlied (Springtime) (Goethe, trans. MacDowell), 3 Der Fischerknabe (The Fisherboy) (F. von Schiller, trans. MacDowell)
41 Two choruses, 1890 (Boston, Leipzig and New York, 1890): 1 Cradle Song (MacDowell, after P. Cornelius), 2 Dance of Gnomes (MacDowell)
43 Two Northern Songs (MacDowell), mixed chorus 4vv, 1890–91 (Boston, Leipzig and New York, 1891): 1 The Brook, 2 Slumber Song
44 Barcarole (F. von Bodenstedt, trans. MacDowell), mixed chorus 8vv, pf 4 hands, 1890 (Boston and Leipzig, 1892)
3 Two choruses (New York, 1897): 1 Love and Time (M. Farley), 1896, 2 The Rose and the Gardener (A. Dobson), 1897
52 Three choruses, 1896–7 (New York, 1897): 1 Hush, hush! (T. Moore), 2 From the Sea (MacDowell), 3 The Crusaders (MacDowell)
53 Two choruses (R. Burns), 1897 (New York, 1897): 1 Bonnie Ann, 2 The Collier Lassie
54 Two choruses (MacDowell) (New York, 1898): 1 A Ballad of Charles the Bold, 1897, 2 Midsummer Clouds, 1887
5 The Witch (MacDowell), 1897 (New York, 1898)
— Two Songs from the Thirteenth Century (trans. MacDowell), 1897 (New York, 1897): 1 Winter wraps his grimmest spell (after N. von Reuenthal), 2 As the gloaming shadows creep (after Frauenlob)
6 War Song (MacDowell), 1898 (New York, 1898)
— College Songs for Male Voices, 1900–01 (Boston and New York, 1901): 1 Columbia’s Sons (E. Keppler), unison male vv, 2 We love thee well, Manhattanland (MacDowell), 3 Columbia! O alma mater (MacDowell), 4 Sturdy and Strong (MacDowell), 5 O wise old alma mater (MacDowell), 6 At Parting (MacDowell), unacc.
— Two College Songs (MacDowell), female chorus 4vv, ?1901–2 (Boston and New York, 1907): 1 Alma mater, 2 At Parting [rev. of College Songs for Male Voices, nos.3 and 6]
— Summer Wind (R. Hovey), female chorus 4vv, ?1902 (Boston and New York, 1902)

Instrumental:

Orch.:
reductions for piano(s) by the composer
op.
15 Piano Concerto no.1, a, 1882, 2 pf (Leipzig, Brussels and New York, 1884), fs (Leipzig and New York, 1911); movts 2 and 3, New York, 30 March 1885, complete, Boston, 3 April 1888
22 Hamlet, Ophelia, sym. poems, 1884–5 (Breslau and New York, 1885), pf 4 hands (Breslau and New York, 1885);
Ophelia, New York, 4 Nov 1886, complete, Wiesbaden, 26 Dec 1886
23 Piano Concerto no.2, d, 1884–6, 2 pf (Leipzig and Brussels, 1890), fs (Leipzig and New York, 1907); New York, 5 March 1889
25 Lancelot und Elaine, sym. poem after A. Tennyson, 1886 (Breslau and New York, 1888), pf 4 hands (Breslau and New York, 1888); Boston, 10 Jan 1890
29 Lamia, sym. poem after J. Keats, 1887 (Boston, Leipzig and New York, 1908), pf 4 hands (Boston, Leipzig and New York, 1908); ?Boston, 23 Oct 1908
30 Die Sarazenen, Die schöne Aldâ, 2 frags. after The Song of Roland, 1886–90 (Leipzig and New York, 1891), pf 4 hands (Leipzig and New York, 1891); Boston, 5 Nov 1891
35 Romanze, vc, orch, 1887 (Breslau and New York, 1888), vc, pf (Breslau and New York, 1888); Darmstadt, 1887/8
42 Suite, a, 1888–91 (Boston and Leipzig, 1891), pf 4 hands (Boston and Leipzig, 1883), no.3 added 1893 (Boston, 1893): 1 In einem verwünschten Walde (In a Haunted Forest), 2 Sommer-Idylle (Summer Idyll), 3 Im Oktober (In October), 4 Gesang der Hirtin (The Shepherdess’s Song), arr. pf (1906, 1908), 5 Waldgeister (Forest Spirits); Worcester, MA, 24 Sept 1891, complete, Boston, 25 Oct 1895
48 Suite no.2 ‘Indian’, e, 1891–5 (Leipzig and New York, 1897): 1 Legend, 2 Love Song, 3 In War-time, 4 Dirge, 5 Village Festival; New York, 23 Jan 1896

Piano:
for 2 hands unless otherwise stated
Improvisations (Rêverie), 1876, MS op.1, US-Wc
8 chansons fugitives, 1876, MS op.2, Wc
Petits morceaux, 1876, MS op.3, Wc
3 petits morceaux, 1876, MS op.4, Wc, also as op.5, NYp
Suite de 5 morceaux, 1876: 1 Barcarolle, MS op.5, Wc; 2 La petite glaneuse, 3 Dans la nuit, 4 Le réveille matin, 5 Cauchemar, lost
10 Erste moderne Suite, e, 1880–81 (Leipzig, 1883), rev. 1904–5 (Leipzig and New York, 1906): 1 Praeludium, rev. 1904 (Leipzig and New York, 1904), 2 Presto, 3 Andantino und Allegretto, 4 Intermezzo, 5 Rhapsodie, 6 Fuge
13 Prélude et fugue, d, 1881 (Leipzig, 1883)
14 Zweite moderne Suite, a, 1882 (Leipzig, 1883): 1 Praeludium, 2 Fugato, 3 Rhapsodie, 4 Scherzino, 5 Marsch, 6 Phantasie-Tanz
16 Serenade, 1882 (Leipzig, 1883)
17 Zwei Fantasiestücke, 1883 (Breslau and New York, 1884): 1 Erzählung, 2 Hexentanz
18 Zwei Stücke, 1884 (Breslau and New York, 1884): 1 Barcarolle, 2 Humoreske
19 Wald Idyllen, 1884 (Leipzig, 1884): 1 Waldesstille, 2 Spiel der Nymphen, 3 Träumerei, 4 Driaden-Tanz
20 Drei Poesien, 4 hands, 1885 (Breslau and New York, 1886): 1 Nachts am Meere, 2 Erzählung aus der Ritterzeit, 3 Ballade
21 Mondbilder nach H.C. Andersen’s Bilderbuch ohne Bilder, 4 hands, 1885 (Breslau and New York, 1886): 1 Das Hindumädchen, 2 Storchgeschichte, 3 In Tyrol, 4 Der Schwan, 5 Bärenbesuch
24 Vier Stücke, 1886 (Breslau and New York, 1887): 1 Humoreske, 2 Marsch, 3 Wiegenlied, 4 Czardas; no.1 ed. in A
28 Idyllen, 1887 (Breslau and New York, 1887), rev. as Six Idyls after Goethe, 1901 (Boston and New York, 1901): 1 Ich ging im Walde (In the Woods), 2 Unter des grünen blühender Kraft (Siesta), 3 Füllest wieder Busch und Thal (To the Moonlight), 4 Leichte silberwolken Schweben (Silver Clouds), 5 Bei dem Glanz der Abendröthe (Flute Idyl), 6 Ein Blumenglöckchen (The Bluebell); nos.1 and 3 ed. in A
31 Sechs Gedichte nach Heinrich Heine, 1887 (Breslau and New York, 1887), rev. as Six Poems after Heine, 1901 (Boston and New York, 1901): 1 Wir sassen am Fischerhause (From a Fisherman’s Hut), 2 Fern an schottischer Felsenküste (Scotch Poem), 3 Mein Kind, wir waren Kinder (From Long Ago), 4 Wir führen allein im Dunkeln (The Postwaggon), 5 König ist der Hirtenknabe (The Shepherd Boy), 6 Der Tod, das ist die kühle Nacht (Monologue); no.2, in 1906, ed. in A
32 Vier kleine Poesien, 1887 (Leipzig and New York, 1888): 1 Der Adler (The Eagle) [after Tennyson], 2 Das Bächlein (The Brook) [after Bulwer-Lytton], 3 Mondschein (Moonshine), [after D.G. Rossetti], 4 Winter [after P.B. Shelley]; nos.1 and 3 ed. in A
36 Etude de concert, 1887 (Boston, 1889)
37 Les orientales, 3 morceaux after V. Hugo, 1887–8 (Boston and Leipzig, 1889): 1 Clair de lune, 2 Dans le hamac, 3 Danse andalouse; no.3 1908, ed. in W
38 Marionetten, 1888 (Breslau and New York, 1888); rev. as Marionettes, 1901 (Boston and New York, 1901) [nos.1 and 8 added 1901]: 1 Prologue, 2 Soubrette, 3 Liebhaber (Lover), 4 Bube (Villain), 5 Liebhaberin (Lady-Love), 6 Clown, 7 Hexe (Witch), 8 Epilogue; nos.1 and 8 in 1908, nos.2, 4 and 6 ed. in A
39 12 Etüden, 1889–90 (Boston and Leipzig, 1890): 1 Jagdlied (Hunting Song), 2 Alla tarantella, 3 Romanze (Romance), 4 Arabeske (Arabesque), 5 Waldfahrt (In the Forest), 6 Gnomentanz (Dance of the Gnomes), 7 Idylle (Idyl), 8 Schattentanz (Shadow Dance), 9 Intermezzo, 10 Melodie (Melody), 11 Scherzino, 12 Ungarisch (Hungarian); nos.2 and 10 in 1906, 1908, nos.2 and 12 ed. in A
45 Sonata tragica, g, 1891–2 (Leipzig and New York, 1893)
46 Zwölf Virtuosen-Etüden, 1893–4 (Leipzig and New York, 1894): 1 Novelette, 2 Moto perpetuo, 3 Wilde Jagd, 4 Improvisation, 5 Elfentanz, 6 Valse triste, 7 Burleske, 8 Bluette, 9 Träumerei, 10 Märzwind, 11 Impromptu, 12 Polonaise; nos.1, 4 and 10 ed. in A
49 Air et rigaudon, ?1894 (Boston, 1894); Rigaudon ed. in A
50 Sonata eroica, g, 1894–5 (Leipzig and New York, 1895)
51 Woodland Sketches, 1896 (New York, 1896): 1 To a Wild Rose, 2 Willo’ the Wisp, 3 At an Old Trysting-Place, 4 In Autumn, 5 From an Indian Lodge, 6 To a Water-Lily, 7 From Uncle Remus [after J.C. Harris], 8 A Deserted Farm, 9 By a Meadow Brook, 10 Told at Sunset; nos.5 and 8 in 1906, no.8 in 1908, no.1 transcr. 1v, pf in 19121, 19122, nos.1, 4 and 7–9 ed. in W, nos.1, 5–7 ed. in A, nos. 1–10 in Hii
1 Amourette, 1896 (New York, 1896); in 1906
2 In Lilting Rhythm, 1896 (New York, 1897)
55 Sea Pieces, 1896–8 (New York, 1898): 1 To the Sea, 2 From a Wandering Iceberg, 3 A.D. MDCXX, 4 Starlight, 5 Song, 6 From the Depths, 7 Nautilus, 8 In Mid-Ocean; no.5, as Sea Song in 1906, no.5 in 1908, nos.3 and 5 ed. in W, nos.2, 4, and 5 ed. in A, nos.1–8 in Hii
4 Forgotten Fairy Tales, 1897 (New York, 1897): 1 Sung Outside the Prince’s Door, 2 Of a Tailor and a Bear, 3 Beauty in the Rose-garden, 4 From Dwarfland; no.1 ed. in A
7 Six Fancies, 1898 (New York, 1898): 1 A Tin Soldier’s Love, 2 To a Humming Bird, 3 Summer Song, 4 Across Fields, 5 Bluette, 6 An Elfin Round; no.2 in 1906, no.1 ed. in A
57 Sonata no.3 ‘Norse’, d, 1898–9 (Boston, Leipzig and New York, 1900)
59 Sonata no.4 ‘Keltic’, e, 1900 (Boston, Leipzig and New York, 1901)
61 Fireside Tales, 1901–2 (Boston, Leipzig and New York, 1902): 1 An Old Love Story, 2 Of Br’er Rabbit [after J.C. Harris], 3 From a German Forest, 4 Of Salamanders, 5 A Haunted House, 6 By Smouldering Embers; no.6 in 1906, no.1 in 1908, nos.1, 4 and 6 ed. in W, no.2 ed. in A, nos. 1–6 in Hii
62 New England Idyls, 1901–2 (Boston, Leipzig and New York, 1902): 1 An Old Garden, 2 Mid-Summer, 3 Mid-Winter, 4 With Sweet Lavender, 5 In Deep Woods, 6 Indian Idyl, 7 To an Old White Pine, 8 From Puritan Days, 9 From a Log Cabin, 10 The Joy of Autumn; no.9 in 1908, nos.1, 4, 6, 8 and 9 ed. in W, nos.7 and 9 ed. in A, nos.1–10 in Hii

Other works:
— Suite, vn, pf, ?1877, Wc
— Cadenza for Mozart: Conc., d, k466, 1st movt, pf, ?1882, Wc
— Technical Exercises, Pt 1, pf, 1893–4 (Leipzig and New York, 1894)
— Technical Exercises, Pt 2, pf, 1893–5 (Leipzig and New York, 1895)

Editions, arrangements:
Orch:
J. Raff: Romeo und Juliet Ov., Macbeth Ov., 1890–91 (Boston, 1891) [also arr. 2 pf]

Pf:
kbd pieces by J.S. Bach [6], 1890 (Boston and Leipzig, 1890);
H. Huber, Handel-Lavignac, M. van Westerhout, 1894 (New York, 1894);
Glinka-Balakirev, F. Liszt, M. Moszkowski [2], G. Pierné [2], H. Reinhold, N.V. Shcherbachov, J. Ten Brink, van Westerhout, N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, G. Martucci, P. Geisler, T. Dubois, C. Cui, 1894–5 (New York, 1895);
Liszt, Geisler [2], Alkan, P. Lacombe, F. Couperin, Pierné, 1896 (New York, 1896);
G.B. Grazioli, 1899 (Boston, Leipzig and New York, 1900);
J.B. Loeillet, J.-P. Rameau [2], J. Mattheson, Couperin, C.F. Graun, 1899–1900 (Boston, Leipzig and New York, 1900);
Couperin, 1900 (Boston, Leipzig and New York, 1900);
Loeillet, 1902 (Boston, Leipzig and New York, 1902)

Chorus, 4 male vv:
partsongs by S. Moniuszko, A.P. Borodin, N.A. Sokolov, N.A.M. Filke, G. Ingraham, C. Beines, Rimsky-Korsakov, F. von Holstein, 1897 (New York, 1897);
Sokolov, J.V. von Wöss, M. Arnold, 1897–8 (New York, 1898)

Literatura:

‘Composer versus Student’, Boston Musical Herald, xiii (1892), 47
‘Music at Columbia’, Columbia University Bulletin, no.15 (1896), 13
W.J. Baltzell, ed.: Critical and Historical Essays: Lectures Delivered at Columbia University (Boston, 1912/R1969 with introduction by I. Lowens

Font: En català: Edward Alexander Macdowell (1860-1908) - En castellano: Edward Alexander Macdowell (1860-1908) - In english: Edward Alexander Macdowell (1860-1908) - Altres: Edward Alexander Macdowell (1860-1908)

---

Parlem en veu pròpia o en veu d'altri...

That MacDowell was drawn to the symphonic poem is not surprising, given that his stay in Germany brought him into contact with two of the genre's great exponents, Raff and Liszt. His first endeavour, Hamlet, Ophelia op.22 (1884–5), was conceived as two separate works on Shakespearean characters: op.22 was to include Hamlet, Benedick and Othello, and op.23 Ophelia, Beatrice and Desdemona. Drafts of the discarded movements (as well as of Falstaff) are in the Library of Congress. In 1886 MacDowell turned to Tennyson's Idylls of the King as the literary background for his Lancelot und Elaine; he was to return to this source in his ‘Eroica’ Sonata of 1894–5. The third symphonic poem, Lamia (1887–8), is based on Keats. The fourth (1886–90), consisting of Die Sarazenen and Die schöne Aldâ, on the Song of Roland; MacDowell intended these two surviving pieces as the middle movements of a symphony on the epic. Ophelia and Die Sarazenen are one-dimensional character sketches. But in Hamlet and Aldâ MacDowell's approach was like Liszt's in his Hamlet: a character's inner conflicts are brought to life by dramatic juxtaposition of diatonic and chromatic materials. In Lamia MacDowell adopts a different Lisztian technique to convey various aspects of the character's emotional constitution – thematic transformation – and changes of musical character represent a direct response to the detailed programme printed in the score. In Lancelot und Elaine some events are blatantly depicted, and MacDowell, perhaps hesitant about this, withheld the programme when he published the work.

GROVE MUSIC ONLINE (source/font: aquí)

Gaudiu i compartiu! 

---

Informació addicional... 

INTERPRETS: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; Karl Krueger (1894-1979, conductor)
AMAZON: MACDOWELL, E. - The Symphonic Poems

IMSLP: Edward Alexander Macdowell (1860-1908)

CPDL: No disponible

SPOTIFY: MACDOWELL, E. - The Symphonic Poems

Tant si us ha agradat, com si no, opineu, és lliure i fàcil!