Composer Amy Beach began her musical training early, singing over 40 tunes accurately at the age of 1, improvising harmonic lines before age 2, and composing at 4. A child prodigy on the piano, Amy began lessons at age 6 and gave her first public recitals at age 7, including works by Handel, Beethoven, and Chopin. Enrolled in a private school in Boston, Amy studied piano, theory, and composition, and taught herself orchestration and fugue. Her earlier development was admired by several, including Longfellow, Oliver Wendell Holmes, William Mason, and Henry Harris Aubrey Beach (her future husband).

Embarking on her professional performing career in 1883, Beach debuted in a concerto performance with an orchestra conducted by Adolf Neuendorff. She performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in March 1885 in the first of several performances. After marrying Dr. Beach, Amy lessened the number of public performances, out of respect for her husband's wishes, and turned her concentration to composition. Her first published work, The Rainy Day (1880), was a setting of a Longfellow poem. Beach's compositional style was that of the late Romantics, rich in lyricism, chromaticism, thick textures, and frequent modulation. She was disciplined in her composition, often producing massive amounts of music in a matter of days. The works written during the period of her marriage (1885-1910) include the Mass in E flat, Op. 5; Eilende Wolken, Op. 18; Symphony, Op. 32; and Piano Concerto, Op. 45, all of which were premiered by the important performing groups of Boston. The significance of this honor lies in the fact that seldom did orchestras perform works of "local" composers, and even less often did they perform works composed by a woman.

Several of Beach's compositions were commissioned for significant events and organizations, including the dedication of the Women's Building of the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago (Festival Jubilate, Op. 17, 1893), the Trans-Mississippi Exposition in Omaha (Song of Welcome, Op. 42, 1898), the International Exposition in San Francisco (Panama Hymn, Op. 74, 1915), and the San Francisco Chamber Music Society (Theme and Variations for Flute and String Quartet, Op. 80). The range of commissions indicates that interest in Beach's music was not limited to the Boston area. In fact, many consider her to be the most successful American woman composer.

After the death of her husband in 1910, Beach traveled to Europe to establish her performing career, to spread her recognition as a composer, and to promote the sale of her published works. She received favorable reviews of both her compositional and performance ability. Beach returned to the United States at the beginning of World War I to a busy touring schedule. She continued to perform and compose, working to promote young musicians, and serving as leader of several organizations. She served in the Music Teachers National Association and the Music Educators National Conference, and was president and co-founder of the Association of American Women Composers. Her recognition did not wane, and honors included two retrospective concerts in 1942, in honor of Beach's 75th birthday. She died in 1944 of heart disease.

[Article taken from All Music Guide]


Possibly one of the first American female composer of significance. There seems to be a newfound interest in her works. She was a great pianist, composer, and she was apart of a group called "The Boston Six," which comprised of several other prominent New England composers.

Came across this - a little history about Maude Powell, and a performance of Amy Beach.

Light piece - certainly listenable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RCfA...layer_embedded

I bought her Gaelic Symphony a few years ago, and grew quite fond of it. It sounds very much of its time - not that there's anything wrong with that. Her story is quite a moving one: abandoning almost all performing at her husband's request, only resuming her career after he died. That's a lot to be asked to give up.

But to anyone with an interest in that late Romantic style, her Gaelic Symphony will be of interest I think, and the experiment won't cost much if you buy the Naxos disc. If she'd been a man, or if the music had carried the name of Parry or Stanford, a lot more fuss would have been made of it, I reckon.

really quick, Amy Beach f-ing rocks!!!!

Yes, this is the recording I have coming and I'm looking forward to hearing it. I've heard nothing but good things about her music.

I think it is interesting that she is a female composing classical music. I mean this is quite unheard of, but not that it hasn't happened before. Look at Carla Schumann or Germaine Tailleferre they were both good female composers, but they never achieved the kind of success their male compatriots attained.

Anyway, it will be an interesting listen for sure and I look forward to it.

A woman expressing herself through art! This is repugnant. I shall be contacting Krummhorn to have this thread removed immediately.

She should have told him to stick it where the sun don't shine and gone on to do whatever she pleases. Good disc that one by the way, I agree.

One nice Amy Beach recording I like is on BIS, Emma Kirkby (of all people) & group called
the 'Romantic Chamber Group of London' doing songs & some chamber pieces. Very
pretty. I think it's called 'Amy Beach: Chanson d'Amour.' Rachel Barton Pine's tribute album to Maud Powell features some Beach works.

Ed

I quite agree. She needed to stay in her burqa and keep quiet.

Try the Beach songs on Bridge Records. Truly fine.

Jim

I'll be really shocked if it doesn't win you over - it's not extravagant or original, but it makes interesting use of celtic tunes and has very genuine feeling. Not one of the 'greatest' symphonies maybe, but one definitely worth a place in the repertoire. (Reminds me of Parry's symphonies in that respect.)

You keep mentioning Parry and he's somebody who I haven't heard yet and you know how I'm fond of English composers. I know Chandos has a set of Parry's symphonies. Do you have any recommendations, Elgarian?

By the way, I'm sure I'll like the Beach recording. I haven't been disappointed with anything I've bought, except for set of Mendelssohn with Claudio Abbado on Deutsche Grammophon that was particularly lackluster. Abbado isn't a good Mendelssohn conductor. Anyway...

The Parry set on Chandos is the one I own. Highly recommended as well as the Stanford set. Must haves for the English composer fanatic (like myself).

Jim

Thanks Jim. I've owned two cycles of Stanford for a while now: Handley and Lloyd-Jones and not to mention the "Six Irish Rhapsodies" disc with Handley/Ulster Orchestra on Chandos, but I think we've talked about his before.

We have,thats right. The symphonies of Stanford are really the revival of the English symphony and paved the way for the flood that followed by Bax,Vaughn-Williams,Wallace,Elgar,etc,etc. Stanford's teachings were instrumental(pardon the pun) in forming the new British cycle of composers. Parry as well though on a more limited scale.
Granted,Stanford's compositions are not on par with Elgar or Vaughn-Williams by any degree. But they are good and at times charming in their own way.

Just my opinions of course. I have them on my computer here at work I like them that much. And yes, the Irish Rhapsodies are sheer delight. I like them better than the symphonies actually.

Jim

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