ws: I. 'Legend'; II. 'Love Song'; III. 'In War-time'; IV.
'Dirge'; V. Village Festival'"--a concession in which again one traces
a hint of the inexplicable and amusing reluctance of the musical
impressionist to acknowledge without reservation the programmatic
basis of his work. In the case of the "Indian" suite, however, the
intention is clear enough, even without the proffered titles; for the
several movements are unmistakably based upon firmly held concepts of
a definite dramatic and emotional significance. As supplemental aids
to the discovery of his poetic purposes, the phrases of direction
which he has placed at the beginning of each movement are indicative,
taken in connection with the titles which he sanctions. The first
movement, "Legend," is headed: _Not fast. With much dignity and
character_; the second movement, "Love Song," is to be played _Not
fast. Tenderly_; the third movement, "In War-time," is marked: _With
rough vigour, almost savagely_; the fourth, "Dirge": _Dirge-like,
mournfully_; the fifth, "Village Festival": _Swift and light_.

Here, certainly, is food for the imagination, the frankest of
invitations to the impressionable listener. There is no reason to
believe that the music is built throughout upon such a detailed and
specific plan as underlies, for example, the "Lancelot and Elaine";
the notable fact is that MacDowell has attained in this work to a
power and weight of utterance, an eloquence of communication, a
ripeness of style, and a security and strength of workmanship, which
he had not hitherto brought to the fulfilment of an avowedly
impressionistic scheme.[13] He has exposed the particular emotions and
the essential character of his subject with deep sympathy and
extraordinary imaginative force--at times with profoundly impressive
effect, as in the first movement, "Legend," and the third, "In
War-Time"; and in the overwhelmingly poignant "Dirge" he has achieved
the most profoundly affecting threnody in music since the
"Goetterdaemmerung" _Trauermarsch_. I am inclined to rank this movement,
with the sonatas and one or two of the "Woodland Sketches" and "Sea
Pieces," as the choicest emanation of MacDowell's genius; and of these
it is, I think, the most inspired and the most deeply felt. The
extreme pathos of the opening section, with the wailing phrase in the
muted strings under the reiterated G of the flutes (an inverted
organ-point of sixteen _adagio_ measures); the indescribable effect