Arts and Letters

The story of the evolution of serious music in America is an interesting one, and Hadley's influence in its development has been very important and far-reaching. From the early and successful efforts of John K. Paine as a composer of symphonic works and as the founder of an important department of theoretical music at Harvard College in 1870, down to the present time, there has been a steady growth of ability and accomplishment among our native composers of serious purpose.

In the generation which succeeded Paine, the names of Chadwick, Foote, MacDowell, Mrs. Beach, Whiting, Damrosch, Herbert, Parker, Kelley, and Loeffler stand out conspicuously. Their influence as teachers and in some cases as performers was not less important than their productiveness as composers.

In the next, or third, generation, speaking musically, one finds the familiar names of Hadley, Hill, Mason, Gilbert, David Stanley Smith, Taylor, Griffes, Powell, Shepherd, Schelling, Hanson, Miss Mable Daniels, and many others—so quickly has the procession grown to large proportions. In a recently compiled list of New England composers alone, there were some three hundred names, and who shall say whether they all deserve the distinction. The sorting of such a list is a job for Father Time alone to undertake. He is probably at it already.

Hadley, then, belonged to the third generation of composers, which began to function actively about 1900.

Composers of music are much influenced by the artistic and aesthetic influences which surround them in their youth. Beethoven reflected Mozart and Haydn in his early works, while Wagner showed strongly the influence of Beethoven and Von Weber, as well as that of Meyerbeer.

Young composers of Hadley's generation were subjected to the stimulating and overwhelming influence of Richard Wagner and his cult. The echoes of his revolt against the pedantic and firmly entrenched Classicism of Germany at that time were still resounding in this part of the world. One was almost forced to take sides.

Soon the rich and powerful current of Wagner's emotional and romantic style carried all things musical before it in an irresistible flood of gorgeous sound. Young and impressionable natures were gladly enthralled by the strong enchantment. Almost all music in Europe and in America was tinged with its glowing sunset colors. Was it really sunset, or was it perhaps a new dawning? No one can yet say.

Then came Wagner's great successor and disciple, Richard Strauss, to complete the conquest and to show the possibilities of descriptive realism through the medium of orchestral sound. This was a fascinating plaything, which often diverted the attention of composers as well as listeners from the essential value of the musical thought.

At this period hardly anyone escaped these influences, except Brahms, with his sturdy neo-classic style, and after a few years Debussy with his gentler impressionism.

Hadley, like others, was deeply moved by it all. In his early compositions one finds a glowing richness of orchestral tone expressing his own melodic fervor, energy, and enthusiasm. The buoyant spirits and frequently exalted sentiments that pervade all his works were already in evidence.

The prodigious extravagances of later days which began to appear in the work of Schoenberg, Stravinsky, and their followers had no noticeable influence on Hadley's style. I do not think he liked them, though he seldom criticised other composers harshly, and I am not sure. At all events, he continued to say what he wished to say in a natural, coherent, and forcible way, always retaining a broad melodic style.

The late distinguished critic, Henry T. Finck, said of his work:

Few contemporary composers know how to handle the orchestral forces with such supreme command of their possibilities as Henry Hadley. His tone poem "Ocean" being orchestrated with a cleverness that Strauss himself could scarcely surpass.

Says another writer, Mr. H. R. Boardman:

A spirit of lofty idealism pervaded the art of Henry Kimball Hadley. His message is one of joy and optimism, characteristically American, inherently uplifting. The music of this master rings true; sincerity is stamped on every page.

Hadley had the great advantage of musical surroundings from his earliest youth. Both his father and his brother were professional musicians of high standing, and besides these, the sympathetic understanding of his mother, as well as the great musical abilities of his devoted wife, were no doubt of enormous help to him throughout his whole career.

Born in Somerville, Massachusetts, in 1871, he was steeped in an atmosphere of music in his earliest years. He learned very early to play the piano and the violin, and also studied theoretical subjects with George W. Chadwick, the noted composer of Boston, so that by the time young men are usually just beginning to think about a professional career in music as a possibility, Hadley was well advanced on the difficult road to technical mastery of his art. His subsequent studies in Europe broadened his outlook and improved his skill. There he had practical experience in training opera choruses and in conducting an occasional opera,—just the sort of valuable experience that was so difficult, if not impossible to acquire in America at that time. When he returned to this country after several years passed in Germany, France, Italy, and England, he was eminently fitted to conduct, to compose, or to teach. All these things he did for several years. He led orchestras in Seattle and in San Francisco, and taught music for a while in St. Paul's Episcopal School for Boys in Garden City, New York. Working constantly at composition all the while, he soon began to receive great encouragement in this field by many performances accorded to his works both at home and abroad. He often spoke warmly of the help and encouragement he received from Victor Herbert in his early years as a composer.

Throughout the succeeding years, his works found their place on symphonic programs everywhere, and are now well established and frequently heard. They have a universal appeal because of their sincerity and frankness, their fervent and beautiful melodic content as well as their skillful orchestral treatment,—qualities which will undoubtedly assure them a long life.

There is another side of Hadley's career which deserves special commendation. It would hardly be possible to say enough in praise of his generous, unselfish encouragement to other composers, both young and old. He seems to have been utterly free from any taint of envy, and was just as ready to help his contemporaries by bringing out performances of their works as he was ready and anxious to help real talent, wherever he found it among his younger colleagues. For the struggles of others he always showed the most sympathetic interest, and provided he sensed a real talent, was anxious to secure recognition for it. His achievements in this direction, especially as assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and later with the Manhattan Orchestra, which was organized, maintained for several years solely by his efforts for the avowed purpose of encouraging American composers, were notable.

I have recently learned from one of his Boston friends, a well-known publisher of music who also has done much for the cause by publishing many American works, that the now famous Berkshire Festival was originally Hadley's idea and that he outlined it to him many years ago; that he also enlisted sufficient interest among his acquaintances in the Berkshire region to enable him to finance and give two series of summer concerts there.

Not only in America did he work for the cause of American music, but presented American works in many foreign countries where he acted as guest conductor, notably England, Germany, South America, and Japan.

Taken all in all, the cause of American music has had no more able, unselfish, or helpful champion in all its history than Henry Hadley. His name will long continue to be respected and revered as one of its foremost promoters.

He was the recipient of many honors during his long career, among them a Degree of Doctor of Music from Yale University and a decoration from the French Government, but above them all he valued his membership in the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He was indefatigable in his labors for the musical interests of the latter institution. Since his death his good work for American music is being carried on by the National Association of American Composers and Conductors, of which he was the founder and first President, and his memory has been fitly honored in the establishment of the Henry Hadley Foundation, of which the acting President is Mrs. William Vanamee and the Honorary President, Dr. Jean Julius Christian Sibelius, the great Finnish composer.