Amy Marcy Cheney Beach: An American Composer

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Historical Period Amy Beach Lived
Titles of Her Work
Important Information About the Author
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

This paper researches on late Amy Beach, a composer who ventured into the field of music. Fully known as Amy Marcy Cheney Beach, she was an American composer in large-scale art music, including her first symphony, which premiered towards the end of the 19th century. She was a competent pianist who left a legacy during her time by participating in many concerts in the US and Germany. Many feminists recognized her due to her tremendous work in music that inspired women to pursue careers in this field. Born in 1867, Beach’s works such as Gaelic Symphony, the Piano Concert in C-Sharp, and Bal Masque show she was an exemplary composer, who succeeded in conceptualization of music proving that talent conquers societal limits.

Historical Period Amy Beach Lived

Amy Beach lived and composed her songs in the modern era historical period. In terms of music, she laid under the romantic period since she existed and ventured into music in the 19th and beyond, a romantic era. Beach was born into an artistic family with the power to compose and excel in music. She could sing more than forty songs while at age one and read and wrote while at age three (Stewart para. 6). She started composing songs when she was a child despite the absence of a piano. Beach had mastered the art of composing a song in her mind and singing it to her family. The parents saw her interest in music and helped her despite her not meeting the music standards then.

With piano lessons offered during her tender age, Beach opted to get private training from various music teachers who helped her navigate the music paraphernalia further. Beach made an important musical milestone with her Gaelic Symphony, published in 1896 (Stewart para. 6). She relocated to Europe after the deaths of her husband and her father in the early 20th century. She joined other singers to perform in concerts that made her name popular. Beach died in 1944, aged 67, in the US and will be remembered for her exemplary occupation in music (Clarke 27). Her rise to prominence gave her a name that will continue to be studied in musical settings.

Titles of Her Work

Beach is known for various compositions that became popular during and after her time. She composed the Gaelic Symphony in 1896, the Piano Concert in C-Sharp, and an orchestral piece named Bal Masque (Clarke 27). Gaelic Symphony had full harmonic structures and a glimpse of romantic horizons, which consisted of four movements. Composition by Beach revealed her legitimacy regarding music talent in a male-dominated industry. The works by Beach generally show she had enthusiasm in her work because of her excessively heavy orchestration. When listening to the pieces, I feel she had exceptional talent due to the rhythmic structures that can help one understand the contemporary world of life. Beach’s highly elegant music represents women’s victory in socialization and the desire to raise feminine aspect that deserves imitation.

Important Information About the Author

Beach began composing after she realized her acceptance of music, which became part of her tradition. She bought a leaf from North American cultures, such as Native American traditions (Clarke 27). Furthermore, she borrowed her musical knowledge from poets such as William Henly in her works such as Dark Is the Night! Which means she embraced other talents (Clarke 48). Beach was married, but they had no children until her husband’s death. She was once depressed by the demise of family members and felt it was time to leave music. However, she collaborated with other composers to form orchestras that rejuvenated her journey in music.

Having been born into a wealthy family, she had to pursue learning piano and participate in many concerts to show society that she needed to be independent as a person and woman. During those times, women were not allowed to venture into the arts due to societal discrimination against females (Clarke 29). She provided guidance and counseling about pursuing music to young artists, making them realize the essentiality of standing on one’s dream. Beach is known for her famous quote, “Build thee more stately mansions,” which inspires people to uphold universally accepted standards in whatever they do (Harkin para. 4). When she was married to Dr. Henry Harris, a surgeon based in Boston, they agreed that she would only be performing twice so that the couple would find time together. Beach’s income was offered as a charity since she was a humble and generous lady.

Conclusion

After the death of her husband, Beach found the freedom to pursue music fully and ventured into European countries, where she received praise from her fans and music pundits. She performed the Gaelic Symphony with diligence, and she made many friends in Germany and Britain (Harkin para. 14). The start of World War I forced her to return to the US and settle in New York. She continued with her tours and composed many songs. She composed more than 300 works comprising 128 poems (Harkin para. 15). The US recognized her as the country’s first female composer. Due to heart disease, Amy Beach died following an attack that weakened her. She was remembered for her exemplary composing skills and charity work, which was appreciated in the US and other countries.

Works Cited

Clarke, Sabrina. “Synaesthetic Associations and Gendered Nature Imagery: Female Agency in the Piano Music of Amy Beach.” A Century of Composition by Women, vol. 2, no. 5, 2022, pp. 27–51., Web.

Harkin, Sofia. “Amy Beach Biography for Kids.” Lottie Dolls US, 2021, Web.

Stewart, James. “Timeline: Amy Beach.” Vermont Public, Web.

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Amy Marcy Cheney Beach: An American Composer

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