om MacDowell had
received one or two early lessons in pianoforte playing, performed
the _Suite_ in New York City on March 8th, 1884, and toured three
movements of it in the following year, in other parts of the United
States.

OPUS 15. FIRST CONCERTO, IN A MINOR, FOR PIANOFORTE AND
ORCHESTRA.

_Composed, Frankfort_, 1882. _First Published_, 1885 (Breitkopf &
Haertel).

_Dedicated to Franz Liszt._

1. _Maestoso, Allegro con fuoco._

2. _Andante Tranquillo._

3. _Presto_--_Maestoso_--_Molto piu lento_--_Presto_.

Joachim Raff frightened MacDowell into composing this concerto.
He called on his young American pupil one day and asked him what
he had in hand? MacDowell, who stood in great awe of his master,
was confused and hardly knowing what he was saying replied that
he "was working at a concerto." Raff told him to bring it along
on the following Sunday, but when that day arrived MacDowell had
only the first movement completed, which had been commenced as
soon as Raff had left him. He evaded his appointment, and his
master named the following Sunday for their meeting, but
MacDowell's visit had to be further postponed until the following
Tuesday, and by that day he had finished the concerto. On Raff's
advice he took the work to Liszt, arranging a second pianoforte
part for the purpose. The old master received him kindly and
asked D'Albert, who was present, to play the second pianoforte.
At the finish he not only complimented MacDowell on his
composition, but on his ability as a pianist, which pleased the
young American immensely, for he had not yet come to regard his
compositions as of any value, and pianoforte playing was his
first study. Afterwards MacDowell wrote to Liszt asking him to
accept the dedication of the concerto, which the venerable
Hungarian did.

The _First Pianoforte Concerto_ hardly ranks as one of
MacDowell's finest works, it having been written before he had
attained, in any notable degree, to his mature impressionist
style. It is, however, brilliantly written, bold and original in
harmonic treatment and full of youthful fire and vigour. With the
second concerto (_Op. 23_), it is one of his few large works not
having some definitely indicated poetic content. If it has not
the significant expression of its greater successors, it has at
least a strength and fervency that indicate a youthful genius of
no common order. Its interest is not of mere historic value as an
early example of