and
fancy than judgment as to which are the favourites.

OPUS 27. THREE PART-SONGS, FOR MALE CHORUS.

_Composed, Wiesbaden_, 1887. _First Published_, 1890 (Arthur P.
Schmidt).

1. _In the Starry Sky Above Us._

2. _Springtime._

3. _The Fisher-boy._

These are spirited and well written part-songs. They contain
expressive matter and make good and contrasting numbers for
male-voice choirs. The fact that they savour of the influence of
the German romantic school does not detract from their general
merit, although they are not truly MacDowell-like.

OPUS 28. SIX LITTLE PIECES, IDYLS (AFTER GOETHE), FOR PIANOFORTE.

_Composed, Wiesbaden_, 1887. _First Published_, 1887 (J. Hainauer.
Revised Edition--Arthur P. Schmidt. British Empire--Winthrop
Rogers, Ltd.).

1. _In the Woods_.

2. _Siesta_.

3. _To the Moonlight_.

4. _Silver Clouds_.

5. _Flute Idyl_.

6. _The Bluebell_.

These pieces were suggested to the composer by lines by the
German poet, Goethe. The music attempts to suggest the various
scenes indicated by the verses quoted at the head of each piece.
It is an advance on the preceding small pieces for pianoforte,
and foreshadows the later MacDowell of inimitable poetic
suggestion in music. The whole set was later revised by the
composer in his mature period, and in this form they are
acceptable, but even now not satisfying to those who are
acquainted with his greater work.

OPUS 29. THIRD SYMPHONIC POEM, LAMIA (AFTER KEATS), FOR FULL
ORCHESTRA.

_Commenced, Wiesbaden_, 1888. _Completed, Boston,_ _Winter,_
1888-9. _First Published_, 1908 (_Posthumously_) (Arthur P.
Schmidt). _Dedicated to Henry T. Finck_.

MacDowell refrained from publishing this work because he had been
unable to try it over in America with an orchestra, as he had
been able to do in Germany with his earlier symphonic works, and
he was not altogether certain of its effect. He, however,
published his two later suites for orchestra, Ops. 42 and 48,
with confidence.

The chief demerit of _Lamia_ is that it is obviously influenced
by the music of Wagner, and has but little of MacDowell's
customary individual expression. Apart from this defect, however,
it is undoubtedly effective, strongly and well written, and
interestingly scored. MacDowell himself considered it at least
the equal of his two earlier symphonic poems, _Hamlet and
Ophelia, Op. 22_, and _Lancelot and Elaine, Op. 25_, and intended
re