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44-579: The award is named for composer Edward MacDowell , who, with pianist Marian MacDowell , his wife, founded the MacDowell artist residency (formerly known as The MacDowell Colony) in 1907. The residency exists to nurture the arts by offering creative individuals of the highest talent an inspiring environment in which to produce enduring works of the imagination. Each year, MacDowell welcomes more than 300 architects, composers, filmmakers, interdisciplinary artists, theatre artists, visual artists, and writers from across

88-476: A Manhattan milk dealer, and Frances "Fanny" Mary Knapp. He received his first piano lessons from Juan Buitrago, a Colombian violinist who was living with the MacDowell family at the time. He also received music lessons from friends of Buitrago, including the Cuban pianist Pablo Desverine and Venezuelan pianist and composer Teresa Carreño . MacDowell's mother decided to take her son to Paris, France, where in 1877 he

132-469: A complete listing MacDowell published two books of Technical Exercises for piano; piano duet transcriptions of Hamlet and Ophelia for orchestra (Op. 22); First Suite for orchestra (Op. 42); and a piano solo version of Op. 42, No. 4, The Shepherdess' Song , renamed The Song of the Shepherdess . MacDowell composed his First Piano Concerto in the key of A minor in 1885 and published it as his Op.15. It

176-478: A multidisciplinary artists' retreat, continued to honor the composer's memory after his death by supporting the work of other artists in an interdisciplinary environment. With time, it created an important part of MacDowell's legacy. Marian MacDowell led the Edward MacDowell Association and Colony for more than 25 years, strengthening its initial endowment by resuming her piano performances and creating

220-447: A new valse-like theme (in B minor ) is presented in the brass, which is derived from the principle theme of the first movement. After some 30 bars it ends abruptly with piano stating the cadenza theme ( Poco più lento ). The recapitulation of the first theme entrancingly imitates musical snuff-box ; it is slightly expanded and lacks the final section. Different reminiscences upon the valse theme follow (mostly in D major, showing it to be

264-456: A place proper to its significance in the history of American music. As romantic tradition in music never lost its relevance and importance, the twenty-first century brought a reassessment of MacDowell's legacy not only as a talented piano virtuoso and piano composer, but also as one of America's preeminent composers. On February 14, 2000, he was inducted into a national Classical Music Hall of Fame . MacDowell's two concertos are now perceived as

308-426: A short reprise of the introduction the proper sonata form begins ( Poco più mosso, e con passione ). The theme of the cadenza is incorporated in the first subject, while the introductory one is later transformed into the second (in F major ). The development section is interrupted by the reappearing of the initial cadenza, much more elaborated. After this music proceeds to the recapitulation. Soon states orchestral tutti

352-722: A while in Germany, where he composed, performed on stage and gave piano lessons. He taught piano at various places in Darmstadt during 1881–1884, including the Schmitt's Akademie für Tonkunst (now known as the Akademie für Tonkunst ), and in Wiesbaden , 1884–1888. In 1884, MacDowell married Marian Griswold Nevins , an American who had been one of his piano students in Frankfurt for three years. About

396-429: A wide circle of donors, especially among women's clubs and musical sororities and around 400 MacDowell music clubs . The Edward MacDowell Association backed many American composers, including Aaron Copland , Edgard Varese , Roger Sessions , William Schuman , Walter Piston , Samuel Barber , Elliott Carter , and Leonard Bernstein , in the beginning phases of their careers by awarding them residencies, fellowships, and

440-699: A window, smiling patiently from time to time at those about him, turning the pages of a book of fairy tales that seemed to give him a definite pleasure, and greeting with a fugitive gleam of recognition certain of his more intimate friends". The Mendelssohn Glee Club raised money to help the MacDowells. Friends launched a public appeal to raise funds for his care; among the signers were Horatio Parker , Victor Herbert , Arthur Foote , George Whitefield Chadwick , Frederick Converse , Andrew Carnegie , J. P. Morgan , New York Mayor Seth Low , and former President Grover Cleveland . Marian MacDowell cared for her husband to

484-499: Is heard and leads to a coda. The finale is the most complicated movement. It begins again with a dark introduction ( Largo ) recalling the main theme of the first movement. Even the piano cadenza manage to reappear. This section is in D minor, but the finale itself (in an unusual ¾ time ) turns out to be in D major ( Molto allegro ). Its main theme gives place soon to a second idea ( Poco più mosso , in F major), rhythmically pert and skittish. Nor statement of this requires long time, and

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528-544: Is in three movements: Maestoso - Allegro con fuoco , Andante tranquillo, and Presto Published compositions for orchestra (complete) Published songs Piano Concerto No. 2 (MacDowell) The Piano Concerto No. 2 in D minor , Op. 23 by Edward MacDowell was completed in late 1885. Although some obvious similarities with Edvard Grieg 's, Camille Saint-Saëns 's and Franz Liszt 's concertos have often been stated, MacDowell’s composition proves to be quite original, at least compared to his First Concerto . It

572-590: The Edward MacDowell Medal . Between 1925 and 1956, Copland received a fellowship eight times; in 1961 he was awarded the Edward MacDowell Medal, and he served himself for 34 years on the board of Association and Colony. Amy Beach was at MacDowell on fellowships from its beginning for many summers while she was in her middle to later career. After his death, MacDowell was considered a great, internationally known American composer. In 1940, MacDowell

616-480: The "most important works in the genre by an American composer other than Gershwin". His four sonatas, two orchestral suites and multiple solo piano pieces are performed and recorded. The following lists were compiled from information in collections of sheet music, Lawrence Gilman's Edward MacDowell: A Study (1908), Oscar Sonneck's Catalogue of First Editions of Edward MacDowell (1917), and John F. Porte's Edward MacDowell (1922). Published compositions for piano,

660-409: The 1988 awards ceremony. He said that the group of previous winners "represents the brightest constellation of American talent that could be assembled in the latter half of this century", and that "their work has been of supreme value to the world". Composer Stephen Sondheim , who won the award in 2013, was the first winner with a background in musical theater. When California artist Betye Saar won

704-859: The 2014 award, a reporter for the Los Angeles Times commented that she was "joining an elite roster of honorees." Jazz composer and musician Gunther Schuller was scheduled to receive the 2015 award on his 90th birthday. However, Schuller died June 21, 2015, before he could receive the award. The Edward MacDowell Medal has been awarded during a free, public ceremony at MacDowell grounds in Peterborough, New Hampshire , to such figures as Aaron Copland (1961), Robert Frost (1962), Georgia O'Keeffe (1972), Leonard Bernstein (1987), Stephen Sondheim (2013), and Betye Saar (2014). The MacDowell chairperson—currently MacDowell fellow and author Nell Irvin Painter —hosts

748-456: The United States and around the globe Established in 1960 with the first award going to Thornton Wilder , the award is given to one artist each year, from among seven artistic disciplines, "architecture, visual art, music composition, theater, writing, filmmaking and interdisciplinary art." Composer Aaron Copland was the second recipient of the award in 1961. Copland had been a resident of

792-535: The United States in the autumn of 1888. He made Boston his new home, where he became well known as a concert pianist and piano teacher. He performed in recitals with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and other American musical organizations. The MacDowells lived in Boston until 1896, when Edward was appointed professor of music at Columbia University , the first music professor in the university's history. He

836-595: The academic affairs voting rights of Columbia faculty members in the arts and accused MacDowell of unprofessional conduct and sloppy teaching, in February 1904, MacDowell abruptly announced his resignation, raising an unfortunate public controversy. After stepping down from Columbia professorship, MacDowell fell into depression and his health rapidly deteriorated. E. Douglas Bomberger's biography notes that MacDowell suffered from seasonal affective disorder throughout his life, and often made decisions with negative implications in

880-436: The artist's residency eight times between 1925 and 1956, and served as MacDowell's president from 1962 to 1968. Painter Georgia O'Keeffe received the award in 1972. O'Keeffe, who was then 84 years old, decided not to attend, and asked art historian Lloyd Goodrich to accept the award on her behalf. Goodrich explained that O'Keeffe believed that her paintings were more important than her words. When writer Mary McCarthy won

924-411: The award in 1984, The New York Times sent culture reporter Samuel G. Freedman to interview McCarthy and cover the ceremony. McCarthy commented that if she knew that her nemesis, writer Lillian Hellman had won the award in 1976, she would have "probably not" accepted it. McCarthy conceded that the fact that her former husband, writer Edmund Wilson , had received the award in 1964 lent credibility to

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968-906: The beautiful rural setting. His compositions included two piano concertos, two orchestral suites, four symphonic poems, four piano sonatas , piano suites , and songs. He also published dozens of piano transcriptions of mostly 18th century pre-piano keyboard pieces. From 1896 to 1898, MacDowell also published 13 piano pieces and 4 part songs under the pseudonym of Edgar Thorn. These compositions were not mentioned in Lawrence Gilman's 1909 biography of MacDowell. They were listed without opus numbers in MacDowell's Critical and Historical Essays (1912) and in John F. Porte's Edward MacDowell (1922). They were listed with opus numbers in Oscar Sonneck's Catalogue of First Editions of Edward MacDowell (1917). MacDowell

1012-478: The ceremony typically held on a summer Sunday in July or August beginning at noon. Following the award ceremony, guests can have picnic lunches before open studio tours, which are hosted by MacDowell artists-in-residence . † The 2021 recipient had been announced in 2020. Edward MacDowell Edward Alexander MacDowell (December 18, 1860  – January 23, 1908) was an American composer and pianist of

1056-562: The composer, it was inspired by Ellen Terry 's portrayal of Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing . There first subject here is a perpetual motion theme, it sounds somewhat folk-like when played for the second time. Then comes a more lyrical second theme in E-flat minor, which after a shortened version of the first subject is repeated in B-flat minor. A new, full reprise of the scherzo theme

1100-590: The conservatory in early 1880 and attended a recital of student compositions, MacDowell performed Robert Schumann 's Quintet, Op. 44 along with a transcription of a Liszt symphonic poem . The next year, he paid a visit to Liszt in Weimar and performed some of his own compositions. Liszt recommended MacDowell's First Modern Suite, Op. 10 to Allgemeiner Deutscher Musikverein for performance and also introduced him to Leipzig music publishers at Breitkopf & Härtel . After finishing his studies in 1881, MacDowell remained for

1144-428: The darkest months of the year. Bomberger advances a new theory for the sudden decline of MacDowell's health: bromide poisoning , which was sometimes mistaken for paresis at the time, as was the case with MacDowell's death certificate. Indeed, MacDowell had long suffered from insomnia, and potassium bromide or sodium bromide were the standard treatment for that condition, and in fact were used in many common remedies of

1188-406: The day. MacDowell also was in contact with bromides through his avid hobby of photography. A 1904 accident in which MacDowell was run over by a Hansom cab on Broadway may have contributed to his growing psychiatric disorder and resulting dementia. Of his final years, Lawrence Gilman, a contemporary, described: "His mind became as that of a little child. He sat quietly, day after day, in a chair by

1232-538: The end of his life. In 1907, the composer and his wife founded MacDowell (artists' residency and workshop) (formerly known as The MacDowell Colony) by deeding the Hillcrest Farm to the newly established Edward MacDowell Association. MacDowell died in 1908 in New York City and was buried at his beloved Hillcrest Farm. In 1896, Princeton University awarded MacDowell an honorary degree of Doctor of Music. In 1899, he

1276-429: The first movement is largely slow (instead of being fast) and the second is a lively scherzo (instead of a slow one). Principal theme of the first movement (motto) reappears in the third. A typical performance lasts 25–28 minutes, half of which takes the first movement. The first movement opens with a lilting, almost Wagnerian, introduction played by orchestra ( Larghetto calmato ). A stentorian cadenza follows, and after

1320-483: The genteel tradition which had dominated American art since the days of Hopkinson and Hewitt". In the 1970s, John Gillespie reaffirmed Chase's opinion by writing that MacDowell's place in time "accounts for his decreasing popularity; he does not belong with the great Romantics, Schumann and Brahms, but neither can be regarded as a precursor of twentieth century music". Other critics, such as Virgil Thomson , maintained that MacDowell's legacy would be reconsidered and regain

1364-518: The honor. Composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein won the award in 1987. Bernstein observed that it was the first award he had received solely for musical composition. Bernard Holland , writing in The New York Times , noted that Bernstein had "made full use of the quiet and solitude of this venerable refuge for artists" three times previously, having been a resident there in 1962, 1970 and 1972. Award winner and writer William Styron spoke at

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1408-536: The late Romantic period . He was best known for his second piano concerto and his piano suites Woodland Sketches , Sea Pieces and New England Idylls . Woodland Sketches includes his most popular short piece, " To a Wild Rose ". In 1904 he was one of the first seven Americans honored by membership in the American Academy of Arts and Letters . Edward MacDowell was born in New York City to Thomas MacDowell,

1452-438: The main theme, after which the cadenza is heard for the last time. It ends in a gloomy mood. The orchestra repeats the principal theme in D minor, sounding like a funeral march. Surprisingly the soloist soon changes the key to D major , which becomes the key of the second subject. The movement ends peacefully with a brief coda. The tone of the scherzo has much in common with the final of MacDowell's First Concerto . According to

1496-612: The new concerto in Chickering Hall ( New York City ) with New York Philharmonic under Theodore Thomas . The program of this concert also included the American premiere of Tchaikovsky 's Symphony No. 5 . Next year (1890) Breitkopf & Härtel published the orchestral score and an arrangement for 2 pianos (prepared by MacDowell himself). It was dedicated to Teresa Carreño , a famous pianist, who used to be one of MacDowell's earliest piano teachers. The first recording of this concerto

1540-403: The scene, many Americans felt that here at last was 'the great American composer' awaited by the nation. But MacDowell was not a great composer. At his best he was a gifted miniaturist with an individual manner. Creatively, he looked toward the past, not toward the future. He does not mark the beginning of a new epoch in American music, but the closing of a fading era, the fin de siecle decline of

1584-400: The time that MacDowell composed a piano piece titled Cradle Song , Marian suffered an illness that resulted in her being unable to bear children. In Germany, the MacDowells settled first in Frankfurt, then in Darmstadt , and finally, in Wiesbaden . From 1885 to 1888, MacDowell devoted himself almost exclusively to composition. That brought financial difficulties, and he decided to return to

1628-530: Was admitted to the Paris Conservatory after receiving a competitive scholarship for international students. After two years of studies under Antoine François Marmontel and being at the top of his class, he continued his education at Dr. Hoch's Conservatory in Frankfurt , Germany, where he studied piano with Carl Heymann and composition with Joachim Raff . When Franz Liszt and Clara Schumann visited

1672-417: Was also a noted teacher of the piano and music composition. His students included James Dunn , E. Ray Goetz , Frances Tarbox and John Pierce Langs , a student from Buffalo, New York , with whom he became very close friends. Langs was also close to noted Canadian pianist Harold Bradley , and both championed MacDowell's piano compositions. The linguist Edward Sapir was also among his students. MacDowell

1716-456: Was elected as the president of the Society of American Musicians and Composers (New York). In 1904, he became one of the first seven people chosen for membership in the American Academy of Arts and Letters . After this experience, the MacDowells envisioned establishing a residency for artists near their summer home in Peterborough, New Hampshire . The MacDowell (artists' residency and workshop) ,

1760-414: Was made by Jesús Maria Sanromá in 1934 with Boston Pops Orchestra under Arthur Fiedler . Van Cliburn chose this concerto for his professional debut when he was eighteen. The work is scored for solo piano, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (B♭), 2 bassoons, 4 horns (F), 2 trumpets (F), 3 trombones, timpani and strings. The concerto consists of three traditional movements, all in sonata form . However

1804-404: Was often stressed in his position at Columbia University, due to both administrative duties and growing conflict with the new university president Nicholas Murray Butler around a proposed two-course requirement in fine arts for all undergraduate students, as well as creation of combined Department of Fine Arts overseeing music, sculpture, painting and comparative literature. After Butler stripped

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1848-455: Was one of five American composers honored in a series of United States postage stamps. The other four composers were Stephen Foster , John Philip Sousa , Victor Herbert , and Ethelbert Nevin . However, as the twentieth century progressed, his fame was eclipsed by such American composers as Charles Ives , Aaron Copland , and Roy Harris . In 1950s, Gilbert Chase , an American music historian and critic, wrote, "When Edward MacDowell appeared on

1892-523: Was personally invited to Columbia University by its president Seth Low to create a music department. He stayed at Columbia until 1904. In addition to composing and teaching, from 1896 to 1898 he directed the Mendelssohn Glee Club . MacDowell composed some music for the group to perform. In 1896, Marian MacDowell purchased Hillcrest Farm, to serve as their summer residence in Peterborough, New Hampshire . MacDowell found his creativity flourished in

1936-461: Was the first major piano concerto written by an American. It was also the only large-scale composition by MacDowell to remain in standard repertoire. Macdowell's First Concerto was written and performed in 1882, when he was only 22. It was published in 1884. The composer soon began working on his Second. Finished in Wiesbaden in late 1885, for some years it remained unperformed. In 1888 MacDowell returned to America. On March 5, 1889 he performed

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