The year 1891 was a successful one for MacDowell, for it saw two
performances of a large orchestral work, _First Suite, in A
minor_, he had just completed; the production of his symphonic
_Fragments_ (_Op_. 30); and his first pianoforte recital in
America.

MacDowell's prestige continued to grow steadily. He was
invariably received with enthusiasm on the numerous occasions of
his public appearances as a pianist, while each new composition
he issued was remarkably well received by the public and the
newspaper musical critics. The Boston Symphony Orchestra was
especially encouraging to him, placing both his _"Indian" Suite,
Op. 48_, and his _First Concerto, in A minor, Op. 15_, on the
programme of one of its New York concerts. Teresa Carreño, the
famous pianist from whom he had had a few lessons when a boy,
played some of his music at most of her recitals. She was also
instrumental, with the ready help of Sir (then Mr.) Henry J.
Wood, in making MacDowell's D minor concerto known in England.
The popular London Queen's Hall conductor was impressed with the
work, and has ever since recommended it to budding young pianists
as a concerto worth studying.

The occasion of MacDowell's performance of his D minor concerto
with the Philharmonic Society of New York on December 14th, 1894,
is worthy of note. He then achieved one of the most conspicuous
triumphs of his career. His playing was described by Henry T.
Finck, the distinguished American musical critic, as being of
"that splendid kind of virtuosity which makes one forget the
technique." MacDowell received a tremendous ovation such as was