The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-10

Mr.. Mcdowell, who is Of Scotch descent,
was born in New York thirty five years ago
He began the study Of the piano when he wa,
very young. and was at one time a pupil Of
Teresa Carreho. When he WAS 10 years old
nv p" went to Paris: and after two years study
pupil OF MaImontel In the piano and Savard
n theory. This period OF study in France
ticular satisfaction.
After two years of it he went to .wiesbaden.
later. when he moved to Frankfort, he studied
composition with Joachim Ran and plano with
p paPil's h sSrf. and Ran q, one ss ,i%. ,5ia E Efai; sS., his
compositions would be played long after his
own were forgotten. 1t was RafI who. in 1851.
then only - years old, that he Accept the place
OF irst piano teacher in, the conservatory at
1t was also Raff who urged him a year later to
make a trip to Weimar and play there for
LisIt. List became so much interested in Mr..
Macdowell, That he invited him to play his first
suite Tor the piano, opus 10. at a convention OF
the General German Musical Union held In
Zurich. After this appearance Mr.. Mcdowell
P pays 10 ot. zen IN Gfermmaany in concert, and in
years he devoted himself TO composition aud
teaching the piano. In 1883 he returned to
the United states and settled In Boston. With
has been in this country ever since. Mr.. Mac
dowel. married one of his pupils, who is also
a me musician. and il is said that she is of
great assistance to him in his work.
Many critics have thought that Mr.. Mac
uo"cll Itul taNlt was 1pT composition rather
than, for executive performance, and one of
the hest known wrote of him: piano play
ing beyond certain limits becomes for him a
bore, lie Is primarily Il composer. He lives
Tor the mu steal idea. not In its reproduction"
Mr. Nacdoweils compositions nave secured in
Europe not only the commentator OF critics
In Gernany and France. nut the famous COM
poserS have repeatedly praised his work. In
France Massenet was particularly enthusiastic
over Mr.. MHcuowell's second piano concert to
when lie played II there at one Of the Paris
Exposition concerts. More than fifty conuo-
sitiOns represent his achievements up to date.
Among. the best known are ConCertos In A and
In y minor and the symphony poems Hamlet
and ophclia" and "Lnncelot and Elaine" his
Sonata Tragica' and sonata Civica," his
Indian Suitor,' II number of songs, and other
orchestra. and piano compositions.
Before he returned 10 this country his or
chestral works, had been played in 81. Peters
burg. Amsterdam. Paris, berlin. Dresden.
leiPzig, Niennn. Frankfort. Wicshaden. Darn
stadf ohuershansen, Cologne, Baden Baden,
and Breslau. tits said that lie is an extremely
modest man. rs we'll ~ one Of great indepen-
drnce OF character. Two stories illustrate both
these traits, One tells how. last summer, be-
fore the public performance Of one Of his sue
cessful compositions, he was on the point of
It,, as he was not confident Of its
merits; and the other has It that when the
IolunIola University committee wrote to him
N regard TO the appointment. and requested
mat ne submit some of his YORK. lie refused, on
ne ground that his works could he found any
where, and were well enough Known.