Arts and Letters

With the passing of George W. Chadwick on April 4th, 1931, a definite period in our national musical history was closed—a period rich in achievement and adorned with a goodly number of illustrious names.

Of the New England School of Composers it may be said that it was to music what that of Hawthorne, Emerson, Lowell and all the other writers of their periods were to our national literature. And of this particular epoch, it is Mr. Chadwick who made an indelible impression. There is scarcely any phase of musical experience which was not his—composer in all forms from songs to symphonies, teacher, organist, lecturer, conductor of choral societies and orchestras. And to this full and well-rounded experience, we must attribute the characteristic sureness and conviction which marked everything he said and did.

His integrity as a man and musician, his gift of humor, his wit—sometimes caustic, but underneath always intensely human—are well known, while the depth of his emotions, the spontaneity of their expression, are abundantly reflected in his works.

My experience and friendship with him began when, as a lad of fifteen years, my father took me to Mr. Chadwick's home in Boston and arranged for me to have lessons in counterpoint with him. These hours which I spent every week at the South Congregational Church, where Mr. Chadwick played the organ and where he had a little studio, were and still are lovely memories, very precious to me. George Chadwick did much to instill in my young mind the love of all things beautiful in Art.

As a teacher he was painstaking and thorough, and never failed to interpolate his instruction with witty remarks and anecdotes drawn from his inexhaustible knowledge of the masters. He could always illustrate his points most aptly with examples from the great writers, and in many subtle ways he enlarged the vision and stimulated the imagination of his students.

He had fine taste and sure judgment and always chose the richest, the most expressive colors from his musical palette. I well remember the beauty of a certain passage in his "Lovely Rosabelle,'' a ballad for solo, chorus, and orchestra which he had just then published. He had adroitly combined the low quality of the altos of the chorus with the high register of the tenors, and by thus blending them to the text in unison, he produced a passage with a peculiarly ghost-like, unearthly effect—a very impressive and indescribably beautiful one. And so in all his works, he constantly achieves startling effects through peculiarly skillful instrumentation, and his profound knowledge of the possibilities of the orchestra and voice.

Naturally I eagerly anticipated all of my lessons and never failed to take away something very substantial.

It was my privilege later in life to claim him as colleague and friend. His summer home on Martha's Vineyard Island was close to my own, and there we have spent many happy hours together. As the years passed, a broad humanitarian spirit possessed him and all his views in regard to musical conditions in this country mellowed. His advice was always valuable, and to him I often repaired for sage counsel and sympathetic understanding, in which he never failed me.

His interests were not limited to music. He was a voracious reader—especially of history. He loved painting and sculpture, and numbered among his friends highly distinguished artists and poets. His companionship with the American painters who, at that time, were studying with Duveneck in Munich, led him to a realization of the proximity of the art of color-tone.

George Whitefield Chadwick was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, on November 13th, 1854, and comes in straight line from the old New England stock of 1630. His mother died when he was born, but his father cared tenderly for his little boy. Although Alonzo Chadwick was a farmer he taught a class of singing for many years, marrying the second time a member of one of these classes.

George's elder brother, Fitz-Henry, who was fourteen years older, gave him piano lessons. A family orchestra was later formed with the help of the neighbors and from Fitz-Henry, George learned to play the organ.

Graduating from the high school, he was allowed to study with Carlyle Petersilea who had the advantage of study with European masters. Later he attended the New England Conservatory of which he was destined to become the Director later in life.

At a very early age he was selected as head of the music department of Olivet College, where he taught piano, organ, and harmony. With his manifold duties as teacher and leader of the Glee Club, he gave weekly recitals and lectured on music and aesthetics, in all of which, in spite of his youth, he acquitted himself with much distinction.

He had an ardent desire to study in Europe and, overcoming the objections of his family, he went abroad in 1877. He went to Leipzig where he studied with Reinecke and Jadassohn, the latter declaring that Chadwick was the brightest student of his class. It is said that of Jadassohn he learned to write what has been styled "significant counterpoint" and there is no doubt that through Jadassohn's encouragement to write a capella and in four parts he acquired the technic of his flawless choral style.

He was also encouraged to write chamber music, but the orchestra held greater charm for him. He profited greatly by his study in Leipzig and here produced his String Quartet in C Major and his overture to Rip Van Winkle, both of which were highly praised.

He especially loved the form of the overture and has designated some eight of his compositions by that name, "Melpomene" being best known because oftenest heard.

Upon leaving Leipzig he went to Munich (after a very short stay in Dresden) to study with Joseph Rheinberger. Who can say what the joyous, carefree life in Munich contributed to his inner life and imagination? Here he found free musical utterance. He left Munich about the end of March, 1889, and returned to America to compose, teach, and play the organ.

In 1885 he married Ida May Brooks of Boston and two sons were born to them, Theodore and Noël.

He wrote his first symphony in 1882, and became conductor of the festival choral societies in Springfield and Worcester, Mass.

Among the outstanding works by Chadwick are Angel of Death, Symphonic Poem; Aphrodite, Symphonic Poem; Symphonic Sketches; the Three Symphonies; Tam O'Shanter Symphonic Ballads; Overture, Melpomene; Piano Quintet in E-flat; Phoenix Expirans.

His compositions number well over four hundred.

His death at his home in Boston marks the span of fifty years with an indelible stamp and this contribution we acknowledge with pride and affection.

The recognition of thirty-five years of work at the New England Conservatory is adequately given in the resolutions of the Board of Trustees of the Conservatory which expresses its sincere appreciation of his long and faithful service, his wise, just, and fearless counsel, his friendly help and sympathy for students and faculty alike, his great musical accomplishment and his stimulating force of character and gift of leadership in building the artistic standards of the Conservatory to their present high plane.