period, which commences with his _Opus_ 47. Its character,
however, is altogether strong 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 Carreño.



OPUS 24. FOUR PIECES, FOR PIANOFORTE.

_Composed, Wiesbaden, Early Summer_, 1887.

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