New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-07
AMERICAN COMPOSERS
Work They Are Doing for the
Music World.

Music World.
Boston, April (Specia).-In a twilight Of
darkened intellect and abandoned hopes. in a
Kew Hampshire village one of the three or four
strongest of the younger school of American mu-
sical composers. Edward MacDowel until lately
n hard and devoted professional worker, is
gounding out the term Of lifetime that has been
slnhappily cut short regards its natural term;
Hnd IA loyal support. alike Of his memory and OF
hss present material needs, friends have or
Eanized a Mcdowell society with the object
of adding 10 his slender income and of making
his works better known 10 the general public.
So that he who has made music TO fit the
Romantic themes of Launcelot and Elaine, of
Others Of the Arihurian legends and OF the
Gaelic "Cuchullin" is likely TO continue to come
30 his own in reputation and popular favor even
slough he has, unfortunately. ceased to be pro-
ductive His considerable body Of works will IL
austrate in a Inanner most intelligent Americans
can understand that We. as well several pres
snt-day nations Of Europe. have composers who
can write things better. technically, than the
stirring marches of the iTeT ressible John Philip
SOusa, regarding whose productions an eminent
German musician is said 10 have remarked re-
gently that he likes them well he is actually
tempted 10 try TO set them TO music.
And IS 10 several others Of the composers Of
our principal music centres. there has come
about in the last Two CT three years q remark
able popular awakening of interest in their
lyrics. sonatas and symphonies. This winter. I'm
particular. the Americans have been getting
something Ike their deserts in their own coun-
Try, disproving the biting sneer Of German
cynic 10 the ,ffect that mankind never appre-
clates works Of genius fresh, like grapes but
always dead and dried. like raisins.
Three Americans who have come especially
stand ,llt rarraSa~ tasft-aS o. st1a tainps
American muscianship can do have been par
\ ticularly in honor of late one Of these is
tf George ". Chadwick. who was lately called 10
Ottawa 10 serve as judge in a musical cOmpeti-
tion FOR a trophy given by Earl Grey for the
hest effort b. an amateur organization. Musi-
cal societies from every part Of The Dominion
We're refresented al this event Again, only
the other day Mr.. Chadwick was called TO Gin
clnnau 10 conduct performance Of MS own
works by the Cincinnati symphony Orchestra,
or which Frank van der Stucken Is conductor.
Dinners and receptions proved Jhat the must
clan is greatly in honor. IN at least one city
Of his OWL country. The Boston symphony
Orchestra has also IN lis tours OF the present
season been featuring Mr. Chadwick's Sin
Sonietta' and other works. So that Mr.. Chad
wick has become distinctly a central feature
sn American music to-day.
Another honOred composer is Frederick S.
Converse. whose Mystic TruTnpeter" based
upon Walt Whitman's poem, has been heard
sn several Cities whose Festival of Pan"
after recognition abroad. well at home,
Symphony Orchestra under Walter DamrOsch.
and whose romantic opera. The Pipe Of De
sire" was performed for the first time in
Boston about a year ago The third is OF
course, Mr.. Mcdowell just mentioned. TO
whom recent programmes great deal Of
personal attention has been directed well
snerted, without doubt by his haunting tone
poems that seem 10 make an answer 20 the
poets query:
Who minds now Kettle tales OF yore,
Dark Druid rhymes that thrall.
Derdres song and wizard lore
OF Great Cuchuliins fan.
These three men represent perhaps effect
lively and popularity any the entire movement
smong the group OF the younger composers
which includes such names as those OF Arthur
4oote. Edgar Stillman Kelley. Mrs. II. II. A
Beach, Miss Margaret Ruthven Lang and Hora-
no Parker OF Yale University.
Mr. Chadwick in particular ranks in a Pc
culiar manner the dean Of the group-a man
well IN the middle OF his productive career for
he was born in 1864, and, by virtue Of his d.
rectorship for many years of the Oldest and
largest Of American music schools the New
1ngland Conservatory OF Music, Boston exert
Eng professional influence upon a whole gen
GRAFTON Of candidates Of the arduous but fas-
clnatlng career OF professional musicianship
lAis musical compositions are already numerous
enough TO prompt wonder how in the midst Of
The busy activities Of teaching with jncassa nt
sehearsals OF the Conservatory Orchestra to
which the director gives just such time and at
tention as the conductor Of a great symphony
organization gives 10 his Organization, he has
been able 10 be 80 prolific. But these are DAYS
when the professional musician is able TO crowd
rnuch labor into the working day
Among Mr.. Chadwick's productions are thirty
or more important works. some of them dating
back 20 days 81 schooling in Germany when he
wrote the popular RIP Van Wrinkle overture
trst publicly performed al "Prifung' or try
ing out concert. at Leipsic IN 1879 The teach
ang which has been part Of his professional
activities throughout has been matter OF con-
giclion rather than OF necessity. for Mr. Chad
WICK believes that the competent musician
should an the time be imparting his knowledge
% others, for The sake Of the advancement az
tho profession His ideas Of the eouipnoent
necessary Tor training ia orchestra chorus and
opera have been followed carefully al the Neyy
tsil6ianc Conservatory. With the result that no
european conservatory Is well provided for
~ these respects IN November, 1904 the pos-
ton Symphony Orchestra for the arst time IN
suction % original works by an American COM
poser This composer was OF course C,eorge
Whitfield Chadwick ' 8
a younger composer and PERTAINS the most
prominent his winter Of the group whom M
NhaoH1cks lifelong affection for his tldtime
teacher in Munich. Rheinberger sent 10 that "a
NOUS master, Is Frederick y Converse Vrbnso
opera al Jordan Hail. Of the New England Con-
ssTvatory q Music IN the spring OF 1906 was
a prelude 10 the present season of general rec
ignition. The opera itself 81 which the subtle
YET tuneful overture has made a particular in1-
preston upon the musical world. was originally
produced with great effectiveness by students
~ the New England Conservatory OF whose
board Of trustees Mr.. Converse IS n member
and where ne has from time TO time taught.
man ~ wealth and thorough education-he
WIS graduated from Harvard im 1893 with
iritofs- -eiF Converse is an indefatigabie work
er. and has met with extraordinary success
e~IA4celns the difficulties OF composing and