Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-11
MRS. Mcdowell
GIVES RECITAL
Wife Of Famous Composer Appears
Before Appreciative Audience at
Penney Memorial Church - Plays
Husbands Compositions

A woman and a piano-the entertain
mcnt for an entire evening. Perhaps,
you might say, trying combination
to the lover of the best IN music. But
Mrs. Edward Mcdowell, wife Of the
late famous American composer, kept
her audience Tuesday evening at the
Penney Memorial church in a state of
high appreciation and ecstacy as she
went from one masterpiece to another
all the art of her husband. The re-
cital was under the auspices of the
Cecilia Club. Mrs. MacDowell brought
with her a living. breathing, feeling
message, coming straightcr from the
heart of the late composer and closer
allied to his dreams. his aspirations
and his ideal, than perhaps II could
be humanity possible for any other in
dividual to do. Realizing this, as it
was early i'm IMPRESSED upon her audience,
the folks who heard her Tuesday eve
ming could not but feel that the cur
tains were drawn aside and that they
were given inside glimpses which no
one else could show them. Her manner
Was LIdt u d uutlLut wiz, VI VII
memory-loving widow with a labor Of
love to perform. She told how many
lof the pieces came to be written, CIV
ing the story which went with many
of them, and throughout the program
made it doubly nteIesting because she
was. as she chose to call herself.
"phonographic-like of MacDowelrs
music.
The Mcdowell society. located at
Peterboro, \. IT,. was described by
Mrs. Mcdowell. She spoke of the
modest little studio which was first
started by Mr.. MacDowell; Of its ideal
location for him when he was work
ing; of the society which was formed
to aid those artists who needed just
such a place in which to work. In Ter
Introductory remarks she stated sne
was appearing under the MacDowell
society.
Most fitting was the first selection in
the piano suite. 1t was the prelude
which Mcdowell composed when he
was So years old and was studying IN
Germany. Could the audience see the
-
playing his first big effort?
With all the restlessness of the sea
was "To the Sea- which she next
played 1t was as thunderous as one
would wish and It danced on the
waves as much as the most hardy
sailor would desire. Following close
upon 1t was ''Thc Sea Song" which
brought to mind. even as she had
previously prefaced, the scene on
deck when the sailor wound the rig
ging. as he went about his task with
a song on his lips. The third num-
Der of the group 1.-The 1920" was
just what the title implied, backed by
a grimness, spurred on by a nobility
a music picture that brought to mind
pictures of Pilgrim days.
An old French dance was another
pretty thing. Gay cascades Of notes
chased twinkling toes in and out the
intricate steps. AS she went from
one selection to another. this person
and that person was interested. IL
play that" my daughter has that"
perhaps were some of the uncon-
scious remarks which fell. And there
was added interest in the listening.
Mrs. Mcdowell prettily explained
that IL a selection was played well
and beautifully then it was played
correctly. even though. it might not
be played as the composer would do
it. She explained that she felt she
played Mr.. MacDowell's pieces per-
haps nearer as he would. than any
one else as he had taught her. He
told her so often, that he could teach
her so much more effectively. be-
cause he could talk to her, perhaps
roughly. while he could not treat his