A brief look at the career of Amy Marcy Cheney Beach (Mrs. H.H.A.Beach), who had a celebrated career as a concert pianist and composer.
Amy Marcy Cheney Beach was one of the most prolific composers in America, and the fact that she was largely self taught is amazing, considering the quality of the work she turned out. Born in Henniker, New Hampshire, on September 5, 1867, she was a descendant of one of the oldest New England families, which included the cabinet officer William L. Marcy. She was an amazing child and it is said that she could sing Handel's "See, The Conquering Hero Comes" at the age of two.Other feats followed and she was able to improvise melodies and at the age of four was allowed to study the piano. Her mother was her first teacher, followed by study in Boston from the age of eight. Her serious study was with Ernst Perabo and later with Junius W.Hill, at Wellesley College.
In 1892 her Mass in E Flat was performed by the Handel and Haydn Society, while on the same program she was piano soloist in the "Choral Fantasy," by Beethoven. At the Chicago Exposition, her cantata "Jubilate," was played to dedicate the women's building, and during the fair she and the noted violinist Maud Powell played her "Romance," for violin and piano.
Gaelic Symphony
Beach's symphony built on authentic Gaelic themes was first performed in Boston in 1896, and has been widely performed since that time. She composed many large-scale works including a Piano Concerto, three cantatas: "The Rose of Avonton," "The Minstrel and the King," and "Sylvania." She also wrote many piano pieces, works for violin and piano, and more than sixty songs, many set to words by Shakespeare, Browning and Burns.
Dr. Henry Harris Aubrey Beach
At the age of 18, Amy met and married the 42-year-old prominent Boston physician Dr.H.H.A. Beach, who requested that she leave the concert platform and concentrate on marriage. This she agreed to do, but began studying composition and in this area was largely self taught. She even ceased using her maiden name and from then on was always known as "Mrs. H.H.A.Beach." Many years were spent in perfecting her study of composition and this resulted in a considerable body of works, many in the larger forms. After the death of Dr.Beach in 1910, she embarked on a three-year concert tour of Europe, and for many years after was once again heard in concert. Amy Beach died in New York City in 1944.
Recently there has been a resurgence of interest of Amy Beach's works, most notably the Piano Concerto, which has been performed and recorded by Boston pianist Virginia Eskin.
For further reading about American female composers see Eugenie Rocherolle, Mana-Zucca and Composer Gena Branscombe.
Source
Woman's Work in Music by Arthur Elson, L.C.Page & Company, Boston 1903.
