final
jerks.

_Witch_ has a grotesque and mechanical jauntiness. There are some
powerful and sinister passages in it, the final gesture, with its
sudden tonic minor chord, capping the realism of the piece.

In the revised version of _Marionettes_ the character drawing is
more skilful, and we incidentally notice the illuminating and
characteristic English used in the works of MacDowell's mature
period instead of the conventional Italian musical terms. The
little comedy-drama is opened by a _Prologue_, in which jovial,
wistful and sardonic motives variously indicate the types of
characters in the play, and is rounded off by an _Epilogue_,
which is one of the most beautiful of MacDowell's smaller pieces,
being full of tender feeling, and indicating unmistakably the
deeper and human significance of the composer's Marionette
studies. The whole album comprises one of MacDowell's most
interesting portrayals of everyday human nature, standing quite
alone in its droll half-amusing, half-pathetic mode of expression.
It is something quite apart from the more specialised romantic
and heroic figures of the three symphonic poems, _Hamlet and
Ophelia, Op. 22_, _Lancelot and Elaine, Op. 25_, and _Lamia,
Op. 29_; the three last pianoforte sonatas, _Eroica, Op. 50_,
_Norse, Op. 57_, and _Keltic, Op. 59_; or of the noble _"Indian"
Suite, Op. 48_.

OPUS 39. TWELVE ETUDES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNIQUE AND
STYLE, FOR PIANOFORTE.

_Composed, about_ 1889-90. _First Published_, 1890 (Arthur P.
Schmidt).

BOOK I:

1. _Hunting Song_.

2. _Alla Tarantella_.

3. _Romance_.

4. _Arabeske_.

5. _In the Forest_.

6. _Dance of the Gnomes_.

BOOK II:

1. _Idyl_.

2. _Shadow Dance_.

3. _Intermezzo_.

4. _Melody_.

5. _Scherzino_.

6. _Hungarian_.

These pieces have as their chief object the development of
pianoforte technique, but are quite interesting as poetical
music. In his technical instruction, whether through musical
examples or verbally, MacDowell inspired his subject with the
idealism and vivid thought of the true poet. The poetry of these
studies is not of the composer's finest inspiration, but it is of
a quality sufficient to prevent their being viewed solely as
technical exercises. Generally, they do not require advanced
executive ability to play.

_Hunting Song _(_Allegretto_) is a study for accent and grace,
but not particularly interesting as music.

_Alla Tarantella