New-York tribune., 1908-01-24
home in Peterboro, n. H. and had failed
rapidly since then. The end not unexpected. as
he had been unconscious for twenty-four hours.

Fdpldly since then. The end was not unexpected as
he had been unconscious for twenty-four hours.
Edward Alex ander MacDowel1 was born in this
city December Is, 1851 His ancestors were
scotch-Irsh. the first member of the family com
ing 70 America about the middle Of the eighteenth
century. His general education was that of the
ordinary middle class New York boy but music soon
took d dominant part in il. AS lad he studied
the pianoforte with Juan Buitrago and Pablo Des-
vernine and for short time with Teresa Carreho,
who has of recent years helped to bring fame To
her erstwhile pupil by playing of his piano.
forte concertos in Europe well as in his native
country. When he was fifteen years old he was
sent to Europe TO continue and complete his mu-
steal studies. New York he had been under
more or less Southern influences. Buitrago and
Carreho were South Americans, DesVernine a
Cuban. In Europe he first imbibed the spirit of
French music. then of German. The fact
some day supply the student Of nationalism in
music with interesting ground for speculation, for
Mr.. MacDoweli eventually came to be looked upon
the representative American composer though
he protested against being measured by any but
universal standard.
He was admitted 90 the Paris Conyrvatoire in
1876 becoming a pupil of Savard in composition
and Marmontel in pianoforte playing he re-
mained at the Conservatoire for three years then
decided TO submit himself the instruction and
influence of German masters. He went to Lebert,
Stuttgart but wearied of the pedanuc
methods which have so long been associated with
the Stuttgart school In less than month he left
Stuttgart and took up his residence IN Wiesbaden
There, during the summer Of 1882. he studied with
Louis Ehlert butin the autumn Joined Karl Hey
manns pianoforte class at the Frankfort Con-
servatorum, and continued hts study of compost
tion with Joachim Raft, the director, between
whom and his pupil there sprang up an affectonate
friendship. The pupils admiration for his master
found expression in the usual way the music OF
Raft becoming the model which MacDoweu strove
TO follow. Raf's influence lasted long and speaks
plainly from the early pianofOrte compositions Of
the young American, well his first suite for
orchestra. Op. A.
When Heynann left the Conservatorium Mac
DoureH applied the vacated position, but osten
siby because Of his youthfulness. but probably
because of his romantic tendencies, he failed Of
appointnent Thereupon he accepted the post Of
head teacher the pianoforte at the Conservatory
in Darmstadt Hard work and little conlpenss-
ton was the rule now, but Mr.. MacDowell. believ-
ing that he could accomplish more in the way of
composition in Germany than in his native coun-
try returned to Frankfort and entered the list OF
private teachers.
At the suggestion OF Raft and with the open
sesame" which that masters friendship with LisZt
provided MacDowell. in the spring of 1882, went to
Weinar and Joined the coterie that always
rounded the great pianist and musician. With
d'AIbert at the second panoforte he played his first
concerto for Liszt's criticism. and secured an in
vltation take part in the meeting of the Allge-
meiner Deutscher Musikverein at Zurich, where he
1882 and Mcdowell leaving Frankfort. set up
home in Wiesbaden, teaching and composing in
dusrriously. until he came TO Boston, in 1881 In
Boston he taught and gave concerts. producing his
two concertos with the Boston Symphony Or
chestra in Boston and the Theodore Thomas Or
chestra in New York. He back to his native
city in 1896 when he called TO I'LL the chair of
music-a foundation-at Columbia University.
He was elected conductor of the Mendelssohn Cleo
Club but the work Of conducting was not congeniaI
70 him and he resigned the post after two years
of service In January, 1904, he became involved IN
a discussion with the faculty Of Columbia Univer-
sity concerning the footing which he thought music
and the fine arts should occupy in the curriculum,
and resigned the professorship Meanwhile. Prince
ton University and the University of Pennsylvania
had conferred the degree Of Doctor Of Music on
him
In 1884 Mr.. Mcdowell married Miss Marion Grs-
void Nevins. daughter OF David AeVlns' or water
ford. Conn.
Concerning Mr.. MacDowel's creative work, the
writer does not feel that he do better than 10
repeat the estimate which he wrote for the new
edition Of Groves Dictionary of Music and Mus-
clans" the third volume of which appeared year
ago:
When Mr. MacDovel: went TO Boston he gave
healthy impulse American composition, Chiefly
through performances OF his works which had
pee been l bX tne altitude Which he ASSUMED as to
lie proper treatment of the American composer
by the American public and press he expressed
himself as opposed TO their segregation for the
n,ITnose either of iaudatton condemnation
Naturally this came somewhat easier to him than
10 some of his fellows. He had Erown artlstcally
into man 5 estate in Germany, and had won quite
him in America when he returned thither. 1t de
crH ed 10 be said he found mis- position upheld
nv the majority of American musicians worthy OK
association with him AS composer MacDOweI
ts p ron,anttcst He believes in poetlcal sugees-
lion and programmatic titles But u musical car
toortct he is not. lie aims depicting the moods
~ things and the moods awakened by things
subjects and titles which like those of mis- master
Ran smack OF the woods-not the greenwood or
thc English ballads, but the haunted forests or
Cerroa1y n which uympIs and dTyads hold their
9-a,-es and kobolds spook. The supernaturallsIn
z,-F,fcb is ineradiGab bic element OF German
rnantIcism breathes through his nTst suite ior
nrChestra. In his second suite, entitled indian,
he makes use of aboriginal American idioms, form
ing hiq principal themes out OF variants OF indian
Tneodies-a harvest song, war song. and women
dance Of the Iroquois. and a love song OF tht.
I0was. similar device IS practised IN the first OF
III Woodland Sketches" for pianoforte. Op. 5l
which mas q melody Of the Brotherton Indians ds
,ts theme Mr. MacDowel contemporaneous
with Tvorak in thus calling attention to the eX-
C,nable of use in a characteristics body of artist
though unlike the composer or the
.,,r,nbonV From the New World ne never per
,,,itted himself 10 he influenced by the meiodic
idinrtg az the negro slave His Indian suite
~, IS fi-st nlayed by the Boston symphony or
Chestrs in New York in January 1876. was fuzzy
sfri7e5 before Dvoraks symphony appeared.
fhourb It was not performed TIL three years
sStery.ard tle composer wishing himself - F.st
tetter sroyat-teS with what 20 him as well as the
world was new kind Of music A. for the rest