The Later 19^th Century and the Second New England School

In the late 19^th Century, there is more emphasis on concert music in big cities and on Nationalism Composers of Orchestral music and people who promoted music by American composers:

· William Henry Fry (1813-1864): wrote the first American opera to be produced in America (Leonora, 1845)

· George Bristow (1825-1898) wrote works with American subjects but were very much in German style. His opera Rip Van Winkle (1855) was the second opera written in America,

· Theodore Thomas (1835-1905) a German immigrant who founded some orchestras and increased programming of American works

Second New England School

· These composers are associated with Academia: many taught in music departments of colleges or universities: gives them stigma of being “Ivory Tower” group

· John Knowles Paine (1839-1906): the oldest member of group, followed typical pattern:

· Studied with German-born immigrant musician

· Went to Europe to study for a few years;

· Returned to US,

· Joined University Faculty (Harvard)

· Musical style is like early German Romantics e.g. Mendelssohn.

· Paine took Mendelssohn as model: his Fuga Giocosa (“Playful fugue”) Op. 41 No. 3 is on familiar tune

· Paine’s piano music exploited romantic trends, e.g. Romance for Piano Op. 12: takes Chopin for model

· Paine was prolific: wrote couple of symphonies, oratorio, some cantatas, some symphonic poems, songs, choral music, chamber music, organ works (lots of genres), a Centennial Hymn (1876)

· Had very long tenure at Harvard (43 yrs), influenced 2 generations of composers who studied there

· George Chadwick (1854-1931): Massachusetts native, studied in Boston, head of Music Dept. at Olivet (MI) College for a year, then went to Germany to study at Leipzig Conservatory. Stayed on in Europe (Paris, Munich) then returned to US and taught harmony at New England Conservatory

· Musical Style: Like Paine, based on German romanticism, although late in his career, some French Impressionism comes into a few works; also suggestion of Negro Spiritual Melodies as suggestion of the establishment of “American” style of music.

· Arthur Foote (1853-1937): wrote lots of orchestral music, esp. Symphonic Poems

· Horatio Parker (1863-1919): best-known for choral and organ works for church. Also wrote orchestral works, >100 art songs, ~100 works as teaching pieces, chamber music and piano works

· Amy Marcy Cheney or Mrs. HHA Beach (1867-1944): first famous female composer in this country. Included in this group because her studies were in Boston (piano with German-born musician; mostly self-taught as composer). She was an accomplished pianist, wrote several orchestral pieces, e.g. Symphony in E Minor (“Gaelic” 1896) was played by Boston Symphony, a rare honor, esp. for woman composer in early 20th century. This was first symphony composed by any American woman, first comp. by a woman to be played by Boston Symphony.

· Musical style influenced by Brahms and Wagner, hints of French Impressionism

Music emphasizing American Folklore, especially about Indians and Blacks; music of cowboys, lumberjacks etc. serve as inspiration, although results are romanticized versions. Many of these composers still very influenced by Germans, but more Liszt and Wagner (progressives) than Mendelssohn and Brahms (conservatives). Liszt and Wagner were trying to bring music to new levels of expression, rejected previous conventions, especially formal structure.

· Edward MacDowell (1861-1908) Studied in Europe, had several works published in Germany. Returned to US in 1888, composing in Boston, then joined faculty at Columbia University in 1896. Often considered the best American composer of his time.

· One of his American Theme works is the Indian Suite Op. 48. Inspired by a book by Theodore Baker, Music of the North American Wilderness. MacDowell didn’t try to imitate style of Iroquois music; but programmatically tried to capture aspects of Native American experience (from his perspective)