# The Second New England School



## JTech82

The Second New England School is a hypothetical group of classical music composers who lived during the late 19th and early 20th centuries in New England, a northeastern region of the United States of America. They were particularly based in and around the city of Boston, Massachusetts, which was an emerging musical center. The Second New England School is viewed by musicologists as pivotal in the development of an American classical idiom that stands apart from its European ancestors.

The Second New England School did not function as a bonafide organization. Since individuals did not view themselves as members of the school, its 'membership' can only be approximated by musicologists who draw aesthetic and philosophical links between composers. The Cambridge History of American Music, for example, lists composers who were associated with New England educational institutions. The list includes *John Knowles Paine* (1839-1906),* Arthur Foote* (1853-1937), *George Chadwick* (1854-1931), and _*Amy Beach*_ (1867-1944). Additional sources will include* Edward MacDowell* (1861-1908), *George Whiting* (1861-1944), *Horatio Parker* (1863-1919), and others.

John Knowles Paine, who served as the first Professor of Music at Harvard University, was considered as the leading compositional authority during his lifetime and, unofficially, the leader of this group. Paine held seniority in age and experience over most of his colleagues.

During the Second New England School's years of prominence, American musical education was still in its infancy. Americans often learned musical theory and composition in Europe or from European musicians who had emigrated to the United States. As a result, large portions of American classical music written at the time reflects European influences, especially from Germany. Members of the Second New England School are credited with steering American classical music in new directions that led to the work of internationally-known figures such as Aaron Copland, Samuel Barber, William Schuman, and Leonard Bernstein.

[Article taken from Wikipedia]

Does anyone know anything about any of these composers? Do you own anything by any of them?


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## JTech82

Being an American, I'm ashamed to admit I don't own anything by any of these composers. The only ones I have heard of are John Knowles Paine, Amy Beach, and George Chadwick.


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## Guest

MacDowell and Beach I have heard of, but I do not have any of their works


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## LvB

I have quite a bit of Chadwick, and several works each by all the others except Whiting. Chadwick definitely deserves revival on a large scale. The symphonies, though worth hearing, strike me as slightly too constrained by Chadwick's awareness of their formal elements, whereas the symphonic poems and suites are freer and more imaginative. The best, imo, is _Aphrodite_; though episodic in structure, it contains some absolutely gorgeous writing, especially the coda, and _Tam O'Shanter_ is quite exciting (I'd bet it would make a tremendous impression in a live performance). Based on my somewhat erratic awareness of the music of the late 19th an early 20th centuries in the United States, I'd put Chadwick at or near the top rank (Ives, of course, being in his own category-- though I would argue that his first two symphonies are no better than Chadwick's last two (I don't know his first)), and would probably be less interesting if we didn't know they were by Ives.

MacDowell's most famous piece is probably his second piano concerto, in d minor, which at one point was something of a repertory piece. Both concerti are solid Romantic works (and have been recorded in the Hyperion Romantic Piano Concerto series), as are the piano sonatas, which have been getting more widely performed in recent years. He has several tone poems as well, but these I don't know.

Amy [Mrs. H.H.A.] Beach wrote in just about every genre except opera. Her Mass was, and is, highly respected; her 'Gaelic' Symphony and c# minor piano concerto are rambling but often quite effective. Probably her best piece is the Violin Sonata (a minor, Op. 34), though there's a string quartet which I rather enjoy. Some of her smaller pieces are among the best of their type (her salon piano music is, I think, better than Chadwick's, though both composers wrote charming examples of the genre).


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## Sid James

I have heard some of MacDowell's and Beach's pieces on the radio in the past, but I can't say they were exactly memorable. Their work has begun to get some airplay in the past few years, though it's not yet firmly entered the concert repertoire.

However, the importance of these composers cannot be underestimated, because, prior to them, there wasn't much of a tradition of classical music in the USA. It's difficult to imagine this today, espcially as the country now houses some of the best music academies, like the famous Julliard School. & also some of the best orchestras. So they were groundbreakers (much like Elgar was in England, who revitalised classical music there after it had lain dormant for at least two centuries). Most of them died around the 1930's and 40's, exactly at the time when New York was taking over as the international centre of art from Paris. So they were important figures, leading up to this transition.


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## Romantic Geek

I've heard a few pieces from most of the composers on your list and I know probably 70% of Edward MacDowell's repertoire very well (like I can sing along to it).

The most famous Edward MacDowell piece is definitely "To a Wild Rose," however, it really does absolutely no justice to the quality of works he composed. His Second Piano Concerto is standard repertoire today. After that, it's probably the Woodland Sketches. The vast majority of MacDowell's works are for solo piano. He did not write many orchestral pieces. He has two piano concertos, two suites for orchestra, and 4 "tone" poems/"program" music. It's not really program music by definition...but it was inspired by a story.

His piano sonatas are VERY difficult. That is probably why they aren't as popular. They're truly splendid works, but when it takes a virtuoso pianist to play them well, it's usually not worth their time (compared to tackling things like Liszt or Chopin). The latter two sonatas are more famous, but I personally prefer the first two. His piano cycles though are excellent and could definitely gain popularity. He fell out of popularity because of his association with Germany. Basically once WWI started, no one wanted to listen to his music anymore. At one point he was the most famous American composer out there. While he was trained in Germany and drew inspiration from foreign composers, his music is undeniably American in flavor. Every once in a while you'll get a whiff of Brahms or Liszt, but he has a very unique composition style especially for the piano.

As far as the "tone poems," I'd hardly call them that. He gives names to a lot of his pieces, but they are not technically tone poems. He just gets most of that association from his composition teacher Joachim Raff whose most famous works were tone poems.

Amy Beach is probably the second best of them on that list. I love her violin sonata. She really is under appreciated as a composer as well. I would definitely put her in the conversation for the best female composer pre 1900. 

Paine doesn't sound very American in his composition approach. He is very trained from what I've heard, but I'd describe it as what Schumann would have wrote in his later period if that would have ever occurred. 

I've heard bits and pieces of the rest, but not enough to comment. I'm studying music theory and am hoping to revive this period of American music. MacDowell did some real advanced composition that people really haven't appreciated other than a few poorly written dissertations. I'm sure several of these composers really deserve a revival.


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## handlebar

I adore many of the composers mentioned,especially Beach,MacDowell and Foote. Horatio Parker was delightful as well composing some tuneful works that occasionally are played.
Chadwick was decently represented in Chandos American music series and Foote and MacDowell are featured well in the Naxos catalog.

I would say of the above listed that Beach and Foote are my fav's due to the chamber music and Beach's Symphony and Piano Concerto. Foote's chamber music compositions are very well done and have a truly American flavour added to a European base. 

Jim


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## Romantic Geek

I just listened to a bit of the Beach Piano Concerto. Seems a bit lopsided when the first movement takes as much times as movements 2, 3, and 4 combined...but it definitely is a quality composition and severely underrated.


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## Romantic Geek

Diving a bit more into the Second New England School - I listened to about 10 Amy Beach works for solo piano.

Her Ballad is extremely sophisticated and very difficult to play but sounds wonderful. Also, her Variations on a Balkan Theme is an incredible piece from start to finish. Two masterpieces, one relatively early in her career, the other during the mid portion of her career.

Currently, I'm listening to her Symphony...and it's a very very well written symphony. I'm honestly quite astonished at how good her works are.


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## TrevBus

The composer I like a great deal from the 1st School; Frederick Converse. A cd of his music I have is a treasure. 
It's on the Dutton/Epoch label.
Song of the Sea: tone poem after Whitman
Festival of Pan op 9
American Sketches: symphonic suite for orchestra


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