Encyclopedia, Difference between revisions of "Amy Beach" - New World

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At the beginning of the 20th century, a musical child genuis grew up in the American northeast to later become a most celebrated musical ambassador for America. '''Amy Marcy Beach''' ([[September 5]], [[1867]] – [[December 27]], [[1944]]), was an [[United States|American]] [[pianist]] and [[composer]] of [[american and european classical music|classical music]]. She was the first successful female American composer. Many of her compositions and performances were under the name '''Mrs. H.H.A. Beach'''.
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At the beginning of the 20th century, a musical genuis grew up in the American northeast to later become a most celebrated musical ambassador for America. '''Amy Marcy Beach''' ([[September 5]], [[1867]] – [[December 27]], [[1944]]), was an [[United States|American]] [[pianist]] and [[composer]] of [[american and european classical music|classical music]]. She was the first successful female American composer. Many of her compositions and performances were under the name '''Mrs. H.H.A. Beach'''.
  
She was born Amy Marcy Cheney in [[Henniker, New Hampshire]]. A child prodigy, she was able to harmonize at the age of two, played the piano at the age of three, and composed her first song at the age of 4. At a time when women were not supposed to be in the "limelight", she was still ably taught by her mother who gave Amy her early music lessons and built her confidence.  The family soon moved to Boston and Amy continued her musical instructions in piano, theory and composition with other instructors.  Amy made her professional debut in [[Boston]] in 1883 and shortly thereafter appeared as a soloist with the [[Boston Symphony Orchestra]]. Following her marriage in 1885 to Dr. Henry H.A. Beach, a well-known Boston surgeon, she largely stopped performing (at his request) and devoted herself instead to composition. After her husband died in 1910, she toured Europe the next year as a pianist and was widely acclaimed. She usually performed her own compositions although she was very much at home with selections from the standard classical repertoire. She returned to America in 1914, where she spent time at the [[MacDowell Colony]] in [[Peterborough, New Hampshire]]. She died in [[New York City]].
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She was born Amy Marcy Cheney in [[Henniker, New Hampshire]]. A child prodigy, she was able to harmonize at the age of two, played at the piano at the age of three, and composed her first song at the age of 4. At a time when women were not supposed to be in the "limelight", she was still ably taught by her mother who gave Amy her early music lessons and built her confidence.  The family soon moved to Boston and Amy continued her musical instructions in piano, theory and composition with other instructors.  She made her professional debut in [[Boston]] in 1883 and shortly thereafter appeared as a soloist with the [[Boston Symphony Orchestra]]. Following her marriage in 1885 to Dr. Henry H.A. Beach, a well-known Boston surgeon, she largely stopped performing (at his request) and devoted herself instead to composition. After her husband died in 1910, she toured Europe the next year as a pianist and was widely acclaimed. She usually performed her own compositions although she was very much at home with selections from the standard classical repertoire. She returned to America in 1914 and continued her concertizing, touring and composing. Amy spent time at the [[MacDowell Colony]] in [[Peterborough, New Hampshire]]. She died in [[New York City]].
  
Her compositions include the ''Gaelic Symphony'' (1893), the ''[[Mass (music)|Mass]] in E flat Major'', a [[piano concerto]], a quantity of [[chorus|choral]] music, [[chamber music]], [[piano]] music, and the [[opera]] ''Cabildo'' (1932). She was most popular, however, for her [[song]]s because Amy was able to capture the nuances and moments in everyday life in musical episodes with very coordinated lyrics and verses.  Her songs for solo voice were musical poems which particularly explained so many complex emotions in a simple and beautiful way.
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Her compositions include the ''Gaelic Symphony'' (1893), the ''[[Mass (music)|Mass]] in E flat Major'', a [[piano concerto]], a quantity of [[chorus|choral]] music, [[chamber music]], [[piano]] music, and the [[opera]] ''Cabildo'' (1932). She was most popular, however, for her [[song]]s because Amy was able to capture the nuances and moments in everyday life in musical episodes with very coordinated lyrics and verses.  For example, her Three Shakespearean Songs, Op. 44 combine the verses with melodies which bring episodes from the Tempest and A Midsummer's Night Dream clearly to life.  Her songs for solo voice were musical poems which particularly explained so many complex emotions in a simple and beautiful way.
  
 
On July 9, 2000 at Boston's famous Hatch Shell, the Boston Pops paid tribute to Amy Beach. Her name was added to the granite wall on "The Shell". It joins 86 other composers such as Bach, Handel, Chopin, Debussy, MacDowell and Beethoven. Although Amy Beach is the only woman composer on the granite wall, Amy is a full equal to the other 86 on "The Shell".
 
On July 9, 2000 at Boston's famous Hatch Shell, the Boston Pops paid tribute to Amy Beach. Her name was added to the granite wall on "The Shell". It joins 86 other composers such as Bach, Handel, Chopin, Debussy, MacDowell and Beethoven. Although Amy Beach is the only woman composer on the granite wall, Amy is a full equal to the other 86 on "The Shell".

Revision as of 19:14, 26 April 2006

At the beginning of the 20th century, a musical genuis grew up in the American northeast to later become a most celebrated musical ambassador for America. Amy Marcy Beach (September 5, 1867 – December 27, 1944), was an American pianist and composer of classical music. She was the first successful female American composer. Many of her compositions and performances were under the name Mrs. H.H.A. Beach.

She was born Amy Marcy Cheney in Henniker, New Hampshire. A child prodigy, she was able to harmonize at the age of two, played at the piano at the age of three, and composed her first song at the age of 4. At a time when women were not supposed to be in the "limelight", she was still ably taught by her mother who gave Amy her early music lessons and built her confidence. The family soon moved to Boston and Amy continued her musical instructions in piano, theory and composition with other instructors. She made her professional debut in Boston in 1883 and shortly thereafter appeared as a soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Following her marriage in 1885 to Dr. Henry H.A. Beach, a well-known Boston surgeon, she largely stopped performing (at his request) and devoted herself instead to composition. After her husband died in 1910, she toured Europe the next year as a pianist and was widely acclaimed. She usually performed her own compositions although she was very much at home with selections from the standard classical repertoire. She returned to America in 1914 and continued her concertizing, touring and composing. Amy spent time at the MacDowell Colony in Peterborough, New Hampshire. She died in New York City.

Her compositions include the Gaelic Symphony (1893), the Mass in E flat Major, a piano concerto, a quantity of choral music, chamber music, piano music, and the opera Cabildo (1932). She was most popular, however, for her songs because Amy was able to capture the nuances and moments in everyday life in musical episodes with very coordinated lyrics and verses. For example, her Three Shakespearean Songs, Op. 44 combine the verses with melodies which bring episodes from the Tempest and A Midsummer's Night Dream clearly to life. Her songs for solo voice were musical poems which particularly explained so many complex emotions in a simple and beautiful way.

On July 9, 2000 at Boston's famous Hatch Shell, the Boston Pops paid tribute to Amy Beach. Her name was added to the granite wall on "The Shell". It joins 86 other composers such as Bach, Handel, Chopin, Debussy, MacDowell and Beethoven. Although Amy Beach is the only woman composer on the granite wall, Amy is a full equal to the other 86 on "The Shell".

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Adrienne Fried Block, Amy Beach, Passionate Victorian: The Life and Work of an American Composer, 1867-1944 (Oxford University Press, 1998)
  • Amy Beach, The Sea-Fairies: Opus 59, edited by Andrew Thomas Kuster (Madison, WI: A-R Editions, 1999) ISBN 0895794357

de:Amy Beach

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