Nautilus, Op. 55, No. 7

Edward Alexander MacDowell (December 18, 1860 – January 23, 1908) was an American composer and pianist of the late Romantic period. He was best known for his second piano concerto and his piano suites Woodland Sketches, Sea Pieces and New England Idylls. Woodland Sketches includes his most popular short piece, "To a Wild Rose". In 1904 he was one of the first seven Americans honored by membership in the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

He was born in New York City and studied at the Paris Conservatory and Dr. Hoch's Conservatory in Frankfurt. Liszt was an admirer . He was appointed professor at Columbia University in NYC, where his task was to "create a music department." He was often stressed with his work at Columbia, ahd resigned abruptly.

He was subject to depression, which increased severely, and his final illness began when he was run over by a hansom cab in NYC in 1904. Of his final years, Lawrence Gilman, a contemporary, described: "His mind became as that of a little child...

"Nautilus" comes from his Op. 55 "Sea Pieces," composed in 1898.

The nautilus (from the Latin form of the original Ancient Greek for 'sailor') is a pelagic marine mollusc of the cephalopod family Nautilidae. (GOT IT?!?)

Nautilidae are characterized by involute or more or less convolute shells that are generally smooth, with compressed or depressed whorl sections. If you'd like to see one in the water: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaU7BFU-OJM

The fine transcription was done by Clement Charlton Palmer (1871-1944) who was Assistant Organist of Lichfield Cathedral, and then Canterbury Cathedral (1908-1937). He was a fine player, and one of the first English organists to be recorded.

I think he captured the "magic" of this piece! It's not "hard" to play, but it's tricky to get it right!

To hear one of his original pieces: http://www.contrebombarde.com/concerthall/music/7556

The score is attached below, as well as a picture of a nautilus, MacDowell, Palmer, etc.