Edward MacDowell: A Great American Tone Poet, His Life and Music

"Edward MacDowell: A Great American Tone Poet, His Life and Music" by John Fielder Porte is a biography that beautifully illustrates the life and musical achievements of Edward MacDowell, a renowned American composer, at the beginning of the 20th century. It presents MacDowell's life as a story of ambition, revealing his innovative techniques and his yearning for acceptance in the world of classical music. The book starts by displaying the high regard in which MacDowell was held by his peers, while also sharing his personal thoughts on art and music. Readers learn about his early musical training in both New York and France, discovering the inspirations that molded his unique style. The account carefully draws MacDowell's attempts to balance conventional standards with his personal quest for musical independence, thereby building a solid foundation for assessing his works and their importance to American culture.