Search - Edward MacDowell, James Barbagallo :: Edward MacDowell: Piano Music, Vol. 3

Macdowell's Keltic Sonata and More

Robin Friedman | Washington, D.C. United States | 08/21/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I was prompted to hear this recording of Macdowell's "Keltic" piano sonata because my piano teacher, who plays beautifully, is learning the piece. I thought that if it was worthy of her study, I needed to hear it. I turned to this Naxos recording which is part of its American Classics series. A young American pianist of promise, James Barballo (1952 - 1996) was in the process of recording MacDowell's entire body of solo piano music before his death at the age of 43. He completed four CDs of Macdowell's piano music, including this passionate recording of the "Keltic" sonata. This recording is a reproduction produced by Amazon on demand under license from Naxos. It is identical to the original release but, unfortunately, does not include liner notes. I have been able to draw on the original liner notes prepared by Victor and Marina Ledin in writing this review.



Macdowell (1860 -- 1908) at one time was the United States most highly regarded composer. His reputation has faded as American composers ultimately developed their own musical voice. Musically trained in Europe, Macdowell composed in the style of European romanticism with little apparent American influence.



Composed in 1901 and dedicated to Grieg, Macdowell's sonata no. 4 in e minor, op. 59, "Keltic", is a romantic, heroically styled work in three movements. It opens with a clangorous, large scaled theme which forms the basis for the entire composition which takes approximately 18 minutes to perform. The Keltic has been described as "wild and piercing" music with thunderous chords and large, sweeping arpeggios throughout. For all its force, the music is also lyrical, especially in the slow second movement which Macdowell marks "with naive tenderness". The music is based on Irish mythology. Macdowell inscribed the following lines of his own creation on the cover page of the sonata.



"Who minds now Keltic tales of yore,

Dark Druid rhythms that thrall,

Deirdre's song and wizard lore

Of great Cuchullin's fall."



The "Keltic" is a stunning composition. I was happy to learn of James Barbagallo and to hear his rendition. Perhaps this work will eventually find the wide audience it deserves.



The remaining works on this CD are shorter and tend to be more derivative in character. They nevertheless make for good listening. Macdowell's "Forgotten Fairy Tales" opus 4 consist of 4 short sentimental works he published in 1897 under the pseudonym of Edgar Thorn. Of these pieces I enjoyed most "The Tailor and the Bear" which portrays how a music-loving poor tailor was able to fend off a threatening bear which appeared on his doorstep by playing his violin and moving the bear to dance.



As did many romantic composers, Macdowell loved the poetry of Heinrich Heine. His set "Six Poems after Heine" opus 31 was composed in 1887 and revised in 1898 and 1901, at which time Macdowell published the music with his own translations of the poems. The best of the set is the "Scotch Poem", a lively swirling dance piece.



The final collection on this CD is Macdowell's 12 Virtuoso Etudes, opus 46, composed in 1894. These etudes show the great influence of Chopin's incomparable work with the form, but they are also in Macdowell's own voice. The pieces are in a variety of moods. Some of the more reflective and lyrical of the etudes are no. 4, "Improvisation", no. 9, "Traumerei" (after Schumann's famous short piece of that name); and no. 11, "Impromptu". I especially enjoyed no. 6, a melancholy "Valse Triste." Etude nos. 2 "Moto Perpetuo, 3 "Wild Chase", 5 "Elfin Dance", and 10 "March Wind" are light, fast works. The final etude, no 12 "Polonaise" is a large-bodied work hearking back to Chopin.



Listeners who want to get to know American music will enjoy hearing the neglected "Keltic" piano sonata of Edward Maccdowell together with the other compositions on this CD of this underappreciated American composer.



Robin Friedman"