Exploring America’s musical identity: a comparison study of Indianist piano pieces by Amy Beach and Arthur Farwell

• Main Authors: Khatibzadeh, Natalie M., NC DOCKS at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• Language: English
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: Piano music $x History and criticism; Beach; Amy; $d 1867-1944. $t Eskimos; Farwell; Arthur; $td1872-1952. $t Indian songs; $m mixed voices. $p Mother's vow; $d 1872-1952. $t Indian songs; $m mixed voices. $p Old man's love song; $d 1872-1952. $t Wa-wan choral; $d 1872-1952. $t Domain of Hurikan; $d 1872-1952. $t From mesa and plain. $p Pawnee horses; $d 1872-1952. $t Navajo war dance; $m piano; Indian; eskimo*
• Online Access: http://libres.uncg.edu/ir/uncg/f/Khatibzadeh_uncg_0154D_13118.pdf

This document compares the purposes and philosophies that guided the composition of Indianist pieces by Amy Beach and Arthur Farwell. By relating Beach’s and Farwell’s output to movements of the early twentieth century, including antimodernism and American nationalism, this study suggests ways in which Beach and Farwell deviated from previously established trends. Through each Indianist piece that attempted to arrange Native American songs, Beach and Farwell introduced new strategies for incorporating melodic transcriptions. Musical analyses within the document reflect Beach’s and Farwell’s goals for writing Indianist pieces, including their intentions for how to communicate with audiences. Both composers’ usage of dissonances, manipulation of melodic motives, and treatment of text shaped each piece’s portrayal of Native American music. Beach’s and Farwell’s Indianist pieces are further analyzed in relation to current musical practices, tracing the process through which compositional practices became more inclusive and diverse during the later twentieth century.