Dates

• Existence: December 18, 1860 - January 23, 1908

Biography

Edward MacDowell was born December 18, 1860, in New York to Thomas MacDowell and Frances Knapp. At the age of eight, MacDowell was introduced to the world of music. He began studying piano under Juan Buitrago, Pablo Desverine, and Teresa Carreño. In 1876, he traveled to France to continue his musical education at the Paris Conservatory, and then the Hoch Conservatory (1879) in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

As his studies in the art of music concluded, MacDowell became an instructor for the Darmstadt Conservatory, where he taught for a year. He also taught privately soon after his departure from the Darmstadt Conservatory. It was at this time in 1880 when Marian Nevins traveled to Frankfurt am Main, Germany to study piano under Clara Schumann. It became impossible to study under Schumann so she, Marian, sought out Joachim Raff, who referred Edward MacDowell. She began studying under Edward MacDowell. Four years later on July 11, 1884, Edward and Marian were married.

For a period, Edward and Marian lived in Germany, but they decided in 1888 to return to the United States. They lived in Boston for a lengthy period and then moved to New York, where Edward MacDowell served as Professor of Music at Columbia University (1896-1904). The year 1896 also marked the year that Edward and Marian MacDowell became the new owners of a property called Hillcrest, in Peterborough, New Hampshire, which became the MacDowell Colony (1907).

Edward MacDowell composed Die Schöne Alda, Hamlet & Ophelia, First Modern Suite, Op. 10, Woodland sketches, To A Wild Rose, Sea Pieces, From the Sea, Fire Side Tales, and other notable works.

Edward MacDowell died January 23, 1908, in New York.

Sources: - Rausch, Robin. The House That Marian Built: The MacDowell Colony of Peterborough, New Hampshire. 2001. Library of Congress. 3 May 2008. /memory.loc.gov/ammem/awhhtml/aw08e/aw08e.html>. - Edward MacDowell, 1860-1898. Library of Congress. 3 May 2008 /lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200035715/default.html>.

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