This suite, in five movements, was composed in 1891-92. It is MacDowell's last and most important orchestral work. Its thematic material, as he acknowledges in a prefatory note to the score, is based upon melodies of the North American Indians, with the exception of a few subsidiary themes of his own invention. "If separate titles for the different movements are desired," he says in his note, "they should be arranged as follows [I give them here together with the expression marks at the head of each movement, which are highly indicative of their character]:
1."LEGEND"
("Not fast; with much dignity and character")
2."LOVE-SONG"
("Not fast; tenderly")
3."IN WAR TIME"
("With rough vigor, almost savagely")
4."DIRGE"
("Dirgelike, mournfully")
5."VILLAGE FESTIVAL"
("Swift and light")
Although there is no reason to believe that MacDowell has here based his music upon such a detailed dramatic plan as underlies, for example, his symphonic poem "Lancelot and Elaine" (see pages 191-194), it is evident that he was inspired by moods and pictures the nature of which is sufficiently indicated by the titles of the different movements. It may be interesting to note that there is authority for the statement that the principal theme of the first movement ("Legend") was taken from a harvest-song of the Iroquois Indians in New York State; that for his second movement ("Love-Song") the composer used a love-song of the Iowas; that the dominant theme of "In War Time" is one to which the Indians of the Atlantic coast attributed a supernatural origin and character; that a Kiowa theme (a woman's song of mourning for her lost son) dominates the "Dirge"; and that the chief melodic ideas of the last movement are a war-song and a woman's dance of the Iroquois.
In this music, it has been said, MacDowell "has caught and transfixed the essential character of his subject: these are the sorrows and laments and rejoicings, not of our own day and people, but of the vanished life of an elemental and dying race: here is the solitude of dark forests, of vast and windswept prairies, and the sombreness and wildness of one knows not what grim tragedies and romances and festivities enacted in the shadow of a fading past."
[MacDowell's three remaining works for orchestra—the symphonic poem "Hamlet; Ophelia" (Op. 22),[105]the "Suite" (No. 1: Op. 42), and its supplement, "In October"—have no programmes whatsoever. The suite is in four movements, titled as follows: (1) "In a Haunted Forest" (In einem verwünschten Walde); (2) "Summer Idyll" (Sommer-Idylle); (3) "The Shepherdess' Song" (Gesang der Hirten); (4) "Forest Spirits" (Waldgeister). "In October," the supplement, is in one movement. This episode formed part of the original suite, but was not published until several years after (the first four parts were published in 1891; the supplement in 1893). Both are included under the same opus number.]
FOOTNOTES:[101]The headings are those chosen by the composer.[102]See page 12, foot-note.[103]Ganelon (or Ganelonne) was the traitor in Charlemagne's camp through whose perfidy Roland met his death. After the war Ganelon was taken to Aix and was there sentenced by the Emperor to be torn in pieces by four horses, pulling apart his arms and legs; the execution took place before the entire court.[104]This according to the German version used by MacDowell. In the French, Aldâ appears not as the wife, but as the betrothed, of Roland. This is the passage as it occurs in the (modern) French version:"L'Empereur est revenu d'Espagne,Il vient à Aix, la meillure ville de France.Monte au palais, entre en la salle,Une belle damoiselle vient à lui;C'est Aude.Elle dit au Roi, 'Où est Roland le capitaine,Qui m'a juré de me prendre pour femme?'"[105]This work was composed at Frankfort in 1884, and was published in the following year with the title: "Hamlet; Ophelia: Two Poems for Grand Orchestra"; but the composer afterwards changed his mind concerning this designation, and preferred to entitle the score: "First Symphonic Poem (a. 'Hamlet'; b. 'Ophelia')." "Lancelot and Elaine" was published in 1888 with the sub-title: "Second Symphonic Poem."
FOOTNOTES:
FOOTNOTES:
[101]The headings are those chosen by the composer.
[101]The headings are those chosen by the composer.
[102]See page 12, foot-note.
[102]See page 12, foot-note.
[103]Ganelon (or Ganelonne) was the traitor in Charlemagne's camp through whose perfidy Roland met his death. After the war Ganelon was taken to Aix and was there sentenced by the Emperor to be torn in pieces by four horses, pulling apart his arms and legs; the execution took place before the entire court.
[103]Ganelon (or Ganelonne) was the traitor in Charlemagne's camp through whose perfidy Roland met his death. After the war Ganelon was taken to Aix and was there sentenced by the Emperor to be torn in pieces by four horses, pulling apart his arms and legs; the execution took place before the entire court.
[104]This according to the German version used by MacDowell. In the French, Aldâ appears not as the wife, but as the betrothed, of Roland. This is the passage as it occurs in the (modern) French version:"L'Empereur est revenu d'Espagne,Il vient à Aix, la meillure ville de France.Monte au palais, entre en la salle,Une belle damoiselle vient à lui;C'est Aude.Elle dit au Roi, 'Où est Roland le capitaine,Qui m'a juré de me prendre pour femme?'"
[104]This according to the German version used by MacDowell. In the French, Aldâ appears not as the wife, but as the betrothed, of Roland. This is the passage as it occurs in the (modern) French version:
"L'Empereur est revenu d'Espagne,Il vient à Aix, la meillure ville de France.Monte au palais, entre en la salle,Une belle damoiselle vient à lui;C'est Aude.Elle dit au Roi, 'Où est Roland le capitaine,Qui m'a juré de me prendre pour femme?'"
[105]This work was composed at Frankfort in 1884, and was published in the following year with the title: "Hamlet; Ophelia: Two Poems for Grand Orchestra"; but the composer afterwards changed his mind concerning this designation, and preferred to entitle the score: "First Symphonic Poem (a. 'Hamlet'; b. 'Ophelia')." "Lancelot and Elaine" was published in 1888 with the sub-title: "Second Symphonic Poem."
[105]This work was composed at Frankfort in 1884, and was published in the following year with the title: "Hamlet; Ophelia: Two Poems for Grand Orchestra"; but the composer afterwards changed his mind concerning this designation, and preferred to entitle the score: "First Symphonic Poem (a. 'Hamlet'; b. 'Ophelia')." "Lancelot and Elaine" was published in 1888 with the sub-title: "Second Symphonic Poem."