Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 August 1909 — MacDowell’s “Wild Rose.” [ARTICLE]

MacDowell’s “Wild Rose.”

In a biography of Edward MacDowell by Lawrence Gilman the writer quotes some of the famous musician’s witticisms. On one occasion he had been told of a performance of his composition, “To a Wild Rose.” played by high school girl on a high school piano at a high school graduation festivity. “Well,” MacDowell remarked, “I suppose she pulled it up by the roots!” Some one sent him at about this time, relates Sir. Humiston. a program of an organ recital at which this same “Wild Rose” was to be played. “He was not pleased with the Idea, thinking doubtless of a style of performance which plays Schumann’s ‘Traumere.’ on the great organ diapasons. He remarked simply that it reminded him of a hippopotamus wearing a clover leaf In his mouth.” A member of one of his classes at Columbia, finding more unoccupied space on the page of his book after finishing the exercise, filled up the vacancy with rests. When his book was returned the page was covered with corrections—all except these bajs of rests, which were inclosed in a red line and marked: “This is the only correct passage in the exercise.”