Discography

The Mac Dowell Colony was founded in 1896 by Edward Mac Dowell, one of the most distinguished American composers of the late nineteeth century.

When I was asked to prepare a recital of works for voice and piano as part of the Colony’s centennial celebration, I obtained a list of the composers who had been in residence. Looking through the hundreds of names of composers, I found an embarassment of riches. Curiosity led me to obtain a list of the Mac Dowell Colony’s best known writers and I saw that a fascinating history of the sweep and scope of American music and literature was unfolding before me.

Using the works of Mac Dowell colonists, this recording juxtaposes the work of some of the most distinguished American composers and authors; highlighting the diversity of styles and developments in language and expression that occurred during the past hundred years.

Susan Narucki

With songs by Aaron Copland, Ruth Crawford Seeger, Ned Rorem, David Rakowski, Virgil Thompson, Joel Phillip Friedman, Beth Wiemann, Scott Lindroth, David Del Tredici, David Diamond, Roger Sessions, Aaron Jay Kernis, John Peel, Charles Wuorinen, Edward Mac Dowell and Amy Cheney Beach.

With poetry and prose of Elizabeth Bishop, Galway Kinnell, James Baldwin, May Swenson and Willa Chather.