This collection of essays explores topics of relevance to understanding Edward MacDowell (1860-1908) and his music. At the height of his career, MacDowell was widely recognized as America's leading composer. He had come of age during an era when the infrastructure of concert music in the United States was expanding rapidly, as outlined in Javier Albo's description of historical concerts in New York during his childhood. MacDowell came from an unusual background that resulted from the interaction between his father's Quaker roots, described in Douglas Bomberger's essay, and his mother's...