Thepresent work places before the public a phase of theprofessional activity of Edward MacDowell quite differentfrom that through which his name became a householdword in musical circles, that is, his work as a composer.In the chapters that follow we become acquainted withhim in the capacity of a writer on phases of the historyand æsthetics of music.
It was in 1896 that the authorities of Columbia Universityoffered to him the newly created Chair of Music,for which he had been strongly recommended as one ofthe leading composers of America. After much thoughthe accepted the position, and entered upon his dutieswith the hope of accomplishing much for his art in thefavorable environment which he fully expected to find.The aim of the instruction, as he planned it, was: “First,to teach music scientifically and technically, with a viewto training musicians who shall be competent to teach andcompose. Second, to treat music historically and æstheticallyas an element of liberal culture.” In carrying outhis plans he conducted a course, which, while “outliningthe purely technical side of music,” was intended to givea “general idea of music from its historical and æstheticside.” Supplementing this, as an advanced course, healso gave one which took up the development of musicalforms, piano music, modern orchestration and symphonicforms, impressionism, the relationship of music to theother arts, with much other material necessary to forman adequate basis for music criticism.
It is a matter for sincere regret that Mr. MacDowellput in permanent form only a portion of the lecturesprepared for the two courses just mentioned. Whilesome were read from manuscript, others were given fromnotes and illustrated with musical quotations. This wasthe case, very largely, with the lectures prepared for theadvanced course, which included extremely valuable andindividual treatment of the subject of the piano, its literatureand composers, modern music, etc.
A point of view which the lecturer brought to bearupon his subject was that of a composer to whom therewere no secrets as to the processes by which music is made.It was possible for him to enter into the spirit in whichthe composers both of the earlier and later periods conceivedtheir works, and to value the completed compositionsaccording to the way in which he found that theyhad followed the canons of the best and purest art. It isthis unique attitude which makes the lectures so valuableto the musician as well as to the student.
The Editor would also call attention to the intellectualqualities of Mr. MacDowell, which determined his attitudetoward any subject. He was a poet who chose toexpress himself through the medium of music rather thanin some other way. For example, he had great naturalfacility in the use of