ation into one work, and he named it _First Symphonic Poem_.
The piece is not an altogether unworthy product of his genius. It
bears unmistakable evidence of Teutonic influence, but there is a
certain originality of thought and a freshness of spirit about it
that make for serious work. It was by far the most important of
MacDowell's music up to this period, for in addition to a skill
and brilliance of harmonic and orchestral colouring, it has a
depth of feeling and fuller exposition of personality than its
predecessors. It has a sense of romance, a beauty of melodic
outline and an attempted justification of title that are, at
least, sincerely effected, and although it is far from being one
of its author's representative works, it must be remembered that
he was but twenty-four years of age at its completion. As a
youthful achievement it is very fine, the creation of a gifted,
though immature, tone poet, and full of a promise that the future
was to amply fulfil. The title and dedication of the work are
interesting, and both indicate its link with the English dramatic
world. The performance of the English Shakespearian actors, Sir
Henry Irving and Ellen Terry, inspired MacDowell whilst in London
in 1884, on his honeymoon trip with Mrs. MacDowell.

OPUS 23. SECOND CONCERTO, IN D MINOR, FOR PIANOFORTE AND
ORCHESTRA.

_Probably Commenced Early in 1885 at Frankfort. Completed at
Wiesbaden the same year._

_First Performance in New York City, March 5th 1889, at
Chickering Hall, by the Composer and Orchestra Conducted by
Theodore Thomas._

_First Published_, 1890 (Breitkopf & Haertel).

_Dedicated to Teresa Carreno._

1. _Larghetto calmato_--_Poco piu mosso._

2. _Presto giocoso._

3. _Largo_--_molto Allegro, etc._

This is the most frequently played of MacDowell's two concertos
for pianoforte. It is much the finer of the two, being constructed
with greater skill and artistic confidence than the _First
Concerto, Op. 15_, and of all the works of MacDowell's early
period it is the most enduring. Like its predecessor, it is
one of the composer's few compositions that have no definitely
indicated poetic content. As a whole it is a work full of
feeling, brilliantly cohesive and logical, with good material
that is handled with confident skill, but it is not to be
compared with even the small works of the composer's mature
period, which commences with his _Opus_ 47. Its character,
however, is altogether strong