and virile, containing many
passages of pure tonal beauty and eloquent expressiveness. The
orchestra is written for with skill and imagination and is on
equal terms with the solo instrument. The only fault of the work
is that its pianoforte part is far too continuously brilliant.

The concerto was enthusiastically received on MacDowell's first
performances of it in New York in March, 1889, and in Boston a
month later. On July 12th of the same year he played it in Paris.
His playing of it at a concert of the New York Philharmonic
Society on December 14th, 1894, was a memorable one and created a
furore, and he not only had to bow several times after each
movement, but at the end was given a storm of cheering and
recalled again and again to receive the acknowledgments of the
Philharmonic audience, which could be very critical when occasion
demanded. On May 14th, 1903, MacDowell visited London and played
the concerto at a concert given by the venerable Royal Philharmonic
Society held at Queen's Hall. The work had been first played in
London (Crystal Palace) three years previously, by Carreno.

OPUS 24. FOUR PIECES, FOR PIANOFORTE.

_Composed, Wiesbaden, Early Summer_, 1887.

_First Published_, 1887 (J. Hainauer. British Empire--Winthrop
Rogers, Ltd.).

1. _Humoresque._

2. _March._

3. _Cradle Song._

4. _Czardas_ (_Friska_).

The interval of time between the preceding work and these pieces
is explained by the fact that MacDowell and his wife had been
travelling, and the latter had passed through a dangerous illness
at Wiesbaden. The _Four Pieces for Pianoforte_ (__ 24) were among
the first productions of the composer after his return to
Wiesbaden, and date from that delightful period when he lived
with his wife in a cottage in the woods, some way from the town.
The pieces under notice are tuneful and well written, but quite
devoid of the individuality that distinguishes the composer's
later works. The brilliant _Czardas_ was revised by MacDowell in
his later period.

OPUS 25. SECOND SYMPHONIC POEM, LANCELOT AND ELAINE, FOR FULL
ORCHESTRA.

_Composed, Wiesbaden_, 1887-8. _First American Performance at
Boston, Mass., January 10th_, 1890, _at a Symphony Concert
Conducted by Nikisch. First Published_, 1888 (J. Hainauer).

_Dedicated to Templeton Strong._

MacDowell was not long in returning to the domain of symphonic
music, the _First Symphonic Poem_, _Hamlet and Ophelia, Op. 22_,
and the _