Short bio Amy Beach
Birthday:
1867 in Henniker, NH
Died:
1944 in New York, NY
Active:
1890s - 1930s
Genre:
Classical,Avant-Garde
Period:
Post-Romantic
Full biography Amy Beach
Amy Beach was a prominent American composer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in 1867 in New Hampshire, she began composing at a young age and demonstrated a prodigious talent for music. Despite societal norms at the time that discouraged women from pursuing music professionally, Beach continued to hone her craft and eventually became one of the most respected composers of her time.
Beach's music was heavily influenced by the Romantic era, with lush harmonies and sweeping melodies that echoed the works of Chopin, Brahms, and Liszt. Her compositions also incorporated elements of folk music, which she discovered during her travels in Europe and the United States.
One of her most notable works is her Mass in E-flat Major, which was premiered in 1892 and established her as a composer of serious choral music. She also composed numerous art songs, chamber music, and piano works, many of which were published and widely performed during her lifetime.
Despite her success, Beach faced challenges as a woman in a male-dominated field. She was often asked to perform her own music rather than having it performed by others, and critics sometimes dismissed her work as "feminine" or lacking in originality. However, she remained dedicated to her art and continued to compose until her death in 1944.
Today, Beach is recognized as a pioneering figure in American classical music and a trailblazer for women composers. Her legacy lives on through her music, which continues to be performed and studied by musicians and music lovers around the world.
Compositions featuring Amy Beach
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pastorale for woodwind quintet, Op. 151 | 3:23 min | Chamber Music | 1941 |
| 2 | Though I Take the Wings of Morning, for voice & organ or piano, Op. 152 | 3:13 min | Vocal Music | 1941 |
| 3 | Piano Trio, Op. 150 | 14:31 min | Chamber Music | 1938 |
| 4 | Barcarolle, for violin & piano (arr. from piano work, Op. 28/1) | 4:11 min | Chamber Music | 1937 |
| 5 | I Sought the Lord, for voice & organ, Op. 142 | 2:27 min | Vocal Music | 1936 |
| 6 | Evening Hymn ("The Shadows of the Evening Hours"), for soprano, alto & chorus, Op. 125/2 | 5:30 min | Choral | 1934 |
| 7 | Improvisations (5) for piano, Op. 148 | 8:35 min | Keyboard | 1934 |
| 8 | Cabildo, opera, Op. 149 | 45:55 min | Opera | 1932 |
| 9 | May Flowers, song for voice & piano, Op. 137/2 | 1:40 min | Vocal Music | 1932 |
| 10 | I Shall Be Brave, song for voice & piano, Op. 143 | 2:57 min | Vocal Music | 1931 |
| 11 | A September Forest, for piano | 5:16 min | Keyboard | 1930 |
| 12 | String Quartet (in one movement; originally Op. 79), Op. 89 | 14:25 min | Chamber Music | 1929 |
| 13 | Pastorale for flute, cello & piano, Op. 90 | 3:31 min | Chamber Music | 1921 |
| 14 | The Hermit Thrush at Eve for piano, Op. 92/1 | 5:13 min | Keyboard | 1921 |
| 15 | The Hermit Thrush at Morn, Op. 92/2 | 4:33 min | Keyboard | 1921 |
| 16 | The Hermit Thrush, pieces (2) for piano, Op. 92 | 7:07 min | Keyboard | 1921 |
| 17 | The Water Sprites, caprice for flute, cello & piano | 0:58 min | Chamber Music | 1921 |
| 18 | Prelude and Fugue for piano, Op. 81 | 10:36 min | Keyboard | 1917 |
| 19 | Theme and Variations for flute & string quartet in A minor, Op. 80 | 21:37 min | Chamber Music | 1916 |
| 20 | A Thanksgiving Fable, song for voice & piano, Op. 75/2 | 1:23 min | Vocal Music | 1914 |
| 21 | The Candy Lion, song for voice & piano, Op. 75/1 | 1:34 min | Choral | 1914 |
| 22 | Tyrolean Valse-fantaisie, for piano, Op. 116 | 9:54 min | Keyboard | 1911 |
| 23 | Suite Founded on Irish Melodies, for 2 pianos, Op. 104 | 9:21 min | Keyboard | 1909 |
| 24 | Piano Quintet in F sharp minor, Op. 67 | 28:58 min | Chamber Music | 1907 |
| 25 | Autumn Song, for voice & piano, Op. 56/1 | 1:44 min | Vocal Music | 1904 |
| 26 | Go Not Too Far, song for voice & piano, Op. 56/2 | 1:38 min | Vocal Music | 1904 |
| 27 | Invocation, for violin, piano (or organ) & cello obbligato, Op. 55 | 3:59 min | Chamber Music | 1904 |
| 28 | Shena Van, song for voice & piano (also with violin obbligato), Op. 56/4 | 2:31 min | Vocal Music | 1904 |
| 29 | Variations on Balkan Themes for piano (or 2 pianos, or orchestra), Op. 60 | 23:00 min | Keyboard | 1904 |
| 30 | Piano Concerto in C sharp minor, Op. 45 | 35:22 min | Concerto | 1899 |
| 31 | Berceuse for violin & piano, Op. 40/2 | 3:18 min | Chamber Music | 1898 |
| 32 | La Captive, for violin & piano, Op. 40/1 | 3:25 min | Chamber Music | 1898 |
| 33 | Mazurka for violin & piano, Op. 40/3 | 2:41 min | Chamber Music | 1898 |
| 34 | Pieces (3) for violin & piano, Op. 40 | 9:18 min | Chamber Music | 1898 |
| 35 | Nachts (Nights), song for voice & piano, Op. 35/1 | 2:21 min | Vocal Music | 1896 |
| 36 | Nähe des Geliebten (With Thee), song for voice & piano, Op. 35/3 | 3:08 min | Vocal Music | 1896 |
| 37 | Sonata for violin & piano in A minor, Op. 34 | 30:51 min | Chamber Music | 1896 |
| 38 | Sleep, Little Darling, song for voice & piano, Op. 29/3 | 3:42 min | Vocal Music | 1894 |
| 39 | Symphony in E minor ("Gaelic"), Op. 32 | 39:30 min | Symphony | 1894 |
| 40 | Within Thy Heart, song for voice & piano, Op. 29/1 | 2:13 min | Vocal Music | 1894 |
| 41 | Nunc dimittis, response for chorus & organ, Op. 8/1 | 2:21 min | Choral | 1891 |
| 42 | Peace I Leave with You, response for chorus & organ, Op. 8/3 | 1:30 min | Choral | 1891 |
| 43 | With Prayer and Supplication, response for chorus & organ, Op. 8/2 | 1:23 min | Choral | 1891 |
| 44 | Le Secret, song for voice & piano, Op. 14/2 | 2:47 min | Vocal Music | 1890 |
| 45 | Mass for soloists & orchestra in E flat major ("Grand"), Op. 5 | 64:56 min | Choral | 1890 |
| 46 | Songs (3) of the Sea, for 2 voices & piano, Op. 10 | 9:20 min | Vocal Music | 1890 |
| 47 | Sweethearrt, Sigh No More, song for voice & piano, Op. 14/3 | 3:00 min | Vocal Music | 1890 |
| 48 | The Summer Wind, song for voice & piano, Op. 14/1 | 2:35 min | Vocal Music | 1890 |
| 49 | Ye Banks and Braes o' Bonnie Doone, song for voice & piano, Op. 12/2 | 3:02 min | Vocal Music | 1887 |
| 50 | The Rainy Day, song for voice & piano (juvenilia) | 1:58 min | Vocal Music | 1880 |
| 51 | Petite valse, for piano (juvenilia) | 1:42 min | Keyboard | 1878 |
| 52 | Air and Variations for piano (juvenilia) | 3:51 min | Keyboard | 1877 |
| 53 | Menuetto for piano (juvenilia) | 1:31 min | Keyboard | 1877 |
| 54 | Romanza, for piano (juvenilia) | 1:37 min | Keyboard | 1877 |
| 55 | Mamma's Waltz, for piano (juvenilia) | 2:05 min | Keyboard | 1872 |
| 56 | A Bit of Cairo, for piano | 2:14 min | Keyboard | - |
| 57 | A Cradle Song of the Lonely Mother, for piano, Op. 108 | 4:18 min | Keyboard | - |
| 58 | A Humming Bird, for piano, Op. 128/3 | 1:06 min | Keyboard | - |
| 59 | A Mirage, song for soprano & piano trio, Op. 100/1 | 2:55 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 60 | A Prelude, song for voice & piano, Op. 71/1 | 1:20 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 61 | Across the World, villenelle for voice & piano (with cello obbligato), Op. 20 | 4:21 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 62 | Ah, Love, But a Day, song for voice & piano (Robert Browning Songs No. 2), Op. 44/2 | 3:01 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 63 | Anita, song for voice & piano, Op. 41/1 | 2:53 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 64 | Ariette, for voice & piano, Op. 1/4 | 2:11 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 65 | Around the Manger, song for voice & piano (or organ), Op. 115 | 2:32 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 66 | Baby, song for voice & piano (Mother Songs No. 1), Op. 69/1 | 2:22 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 67 | Bal masque, for piano or orchestra, Op. 22 | 4:23 min | Keyboard | - |
| 68 | Ballad for piano in D flat major, Op. 6 | 8:44 min | Keyboard | - |
| 69 | By the Still Waters, for piano, Op. 114 | 2:37 min | Keyboard | - |
| 70 | Canticle of the Sun, for soloists, chorus & orchestra, Op. 123 | 22:09 min | Choral | - |
| 71 | Canzonetta, for voice & piano, Op. 48/4 | 2:11 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 72 | Chanson d'amour, for voice & piano (with cello obbligato), Op. 21/1 | 4:34 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 73 | Children's Album, pieces (5) for piano, Op. 36 | 9:12 min | Keyboard | - |
| 74 | Children's Carnival, for piano, Op. 25 | 9:16 min | Keyboard | - |
| 75 | Come, Ah Come, song for voice & piano, Op. 48/1 | 1:56 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 76 | Communion Responses, for soloists, chorus & organ, Op. 122 | Choral | - | |
| 77 | Constant Christmas, for soprano, alto, chorus & organ, Op. 95 | 4:30 min | Choral | - |
| 78 | Dancing Leaves, for piano, Op. 102/2 | 1:22 min | Keyboard | - |
| 79 | Dark Garden, song for voice & piano, Op. 131 | 1:31 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 80 | Dark Is the Night, song for voice & piano, Op. 11/1 | 1:34 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 81 | Dearie, song for voice & piano (Burns Songs No. 1), Op. 43/1 | 2:03 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 82 | Der Totenkranz (The Children's Thanks), song for voice & piano, Op. 73/2 | 2:19 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 83 | Dreaming, for piano, Op. 15/3 | 5:32 min | Keyboard | - |
| 84 | Ecstasy, song for voice & piano with violin obbligato, Op. 19/2 | 2:25 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 85 | Ein altes Gebet (An Old Prayer), song for voice & piano, Op. 72/1 | 2:10 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 86 | Elle et Moi, song for voice & piano, Op. 21/3 | 2:42 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 87 | Empress of Night, song for voice & piano, Op. 2/3 | 1:56 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 88 | Eskimos, characteristic pieces (4) for piano, Op. 64 | 9:05 min | Keyboard | - |
| 89 | Fairy Lullaby, song for voice & piano (Shakespeare Songs No. 3), Op. 37/3 | 2:10 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 90 | Fantasia fugata, for piano, Op. 87 | 6:06 min | Keyboard | - |
| 91 | Far Awa', song for voice (or 2 sopranos) & piano (Burns Songs No. 4), Op. 43/4 | 1:59 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 92 | Farewell Summer, for piano, Op. 102/1 | 2:38 min | Keyboard | - |
| 93 | Fireflies, for piano, Op. 15/4 | 3:06 min | Keyboard | - |
| 94 | Forgotten, song for voice & piano, Op. 41/3 | 2:10 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 95 | From Blackbird Hills, for piano, Op. 83 | 4:19 min | Keyboard | - |
| 96 | From Grandmother's Garden, pieces (5) for piano, Op. 97 | 12:31 min | Keyboard | - |
| 97 | From Six to Twelve, for piano, Op. 119 | 10:45 min | Keyboard | - |
| 98 | Gavotte Fantastique, for piano, Op. 54/2 | 3:17 min | Keyboard | - |
| 99 | Give Me Not Love, song for soprano, tenor & piano, Op. 61 | 5:13 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 100 | God is Our Stronghold, for soprano, chorus & organ, Op. 133 | 6:22 min | Choral | - |
| 101 | Golden Gates, song for voice & piano, Op. 19/3 | 2:50 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 102 | Good Morning, song for voice & piano, Op. 48/2 | 2:11 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 103 | Help Us, O God, psalm setting for chorus, Op. 50 | 11:31 min | Choral | - |
| 104 | Hush, Baby Dear, song for voice & piano (Mother Songs No. 2), Op. 69/2 | 2:15 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 105 | Hymn of Trust, for voice & piano, Op. 13 (revised with violin obbligato) | 3:31 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 106 | I Send My Heart Up to Thee, song for voice & piano (Robert Browning Songs No. 3), Op. 44/3 | 2:47 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 107 | I Will Give Thanks (Psalm 111), for soprano, chorus & organ, Op. 147 | 5:47 min | Choral | - |
| 108 | Ich sagete nicht (Silent Love), song for voice & piano, Op. 51/1 | 2:30 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 109 | In Autumn, for piano, Op. 15/1 | 2:27 min | Keyboard | - |
| 110 | In the Twilight, song for voice & piano, Op. 85 | 3:21 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 111 | Je demande à l'oiseau (For My Love), song for voice & piano, Op. 51/4 | 2:06 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 112 | Jesus, My Saviour, song for voice & piano, Op. 112 | 3:13 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 113 | Jeune Fille et Jeune Fleur, song for voice & piano, Op. 1/3 | 4:20 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 114 | Juni (June), song for voice & piano, Op. 51/3 | 2:09 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 115 | Just for This, song for voice & piano, Op. 26/2 | 1:10 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 116 | Lento Espressivo for violin & piano, Op. 125 | 3:02 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 117 | Les Reves de Colombine, suite for piano, Op. 65 | 18:27 min | Keyboard | - |
| 118 | Let This Mind Be in You, for soprano, bass, chorus & organ, Op. 105 | 6:29 min | Choral | - |
| 119 | Lord of All Being, for chorus & organ, Op. 146 | 7:21 min | Choral | - |
| 120 | Message, song for voice & piano, Op. 93 | 2:26 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 121 | Mine Be the Lips, song for voice & piano, Op. 113 | 2:09 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 122 | Morceaux caractéristiques (3) for piano, Op. 28 | 14:24 min | Keyboard | - |
| 123 | Movements (3) for piano, 4 hands (juvenilia) | 8:08 min | Keyboard | - |
| 124 | Night Song at Amlafi, song for voice & piano, Op. 78/2 | 1:46 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 125 | Nocturne for piano, Op. 107 | 4:16 min | Keyboard | - |
| 126 | O Mistress Mine, song for voice & piano (Shakespeare Songs No. 1), Op. 37/1 | 2:30 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 127 | O Sweet Content, song for voice & piano, Op. 71/2 | 2:46 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 128 | On a Hill, spiritual arranged for voice & piano | 4:17 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 129 | Only a Song, for female chorus, Op. 57/1 | 1:12 min | Choral | - |
| 130 | Out of the Depths, for piano, Op. 130 | 3:00 min | Keyboard | - |
| 131 | Pieces (3) for piano, Op. 128 | 5:01 min | Keyboard | - |
| 132 | Prelude on an Old Folk Tune for organ ("The Fair Hills of Eire;" revision of Op. 91) | 5:13 min | Keyboard | - |
| 133 | Rendezvous, song for voice & piano with violin obbligato, Op. 120 | 3:53 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 134 | Robert Browning Songs (3) for voice & piano, Op. 44 | 7:01 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 135 | Romance for violin & piano, Op. 23 | 6:20 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 136 | Scottish Legend, for piano, Op. 54/1 | 2:54 min | Keyboard | - |
| 137 | Sea Fever, for male chorus & piano, Op. 126/1 | 3:03 min | Choral | - |
| 138 | Sea Song, for 2 sopranos & piano, Op. 10/3 | 2:23 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 139 | Service for soloists, chorus & organ in A major, Op. 63 | 27:12 min | Choral | - |
| 140 | Shakespeare Choruses (3) for female chorus & piano, Op. 39 | 6:57 min | Choral | - |
| 141 | Shakespeare Songs (3) for voice & piano, Op. 37 | 6:12 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 142 | Sketches (4) for piano, Op. 15 | 5:55 min | Keyboard | - |
| 143 | Songs (2) for soprano & piano trio, Op. 100 | 7:39 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 144 | Spirit of Mercy, song for voice & piano, Op. 125/1 | 3:15 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 145 | Stella Viatoris, song for soprano & piano trio, Op. 100/2 | 3:26 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 146 | Ständchen (Serenade), transcription for piano (after Richard Strauss) | 3:57 min | Keyboard | - |
| 147 | Summer Dreams, suite for piano, 4 hands, Op. 47 | 13:55 min | Keyboard | - |
| 148 | Take, O Take Those Lips Away, song for voice & piano (Shakespeare Songs No. 2), Op. 37/2 | 1:44 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 149 | The Blackbird, song for voice & piano, Op. 11/3 | 1:38 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 150 | The Fair Hills of Éiré, O!, for piano (or organ), Op. 91 | 4:39 min | Keyboard | - |
| 151 | The Host, song for voice & piano, Op. 117/2 | 1:26 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 152 | The Lotos Isles, song for voice & piano, Op. 76/2 | 3:32 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 153 | The Old Chapel by Moonlight, for piano, Op. 106 | 3:59 min | Keyboard | - |
| 154 | The Western Wind, song for voice & piano, Op. 11/2 | 2:11 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 155 | The Year's at the Spring, song for voice & piano (Robert Browning Songs No. 1), Op. 44/1 | 1:16 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 156 | Twilight, song for voice & piano, Op. 2/1 | 3:40 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 157 | Valse Caprice for piano, Op. 4 | 5:31 min | Keyboard | - |
| 158 | When Far from Her, song for voice & piano, Op. 2/2 | 1:40 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 159 | When Soul is Joined to Soul, song for voice & piano, Op. 62 | 4:03 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 160 | Wind o' the Westland, song for voice & piano, Op. 77/2 | 2:37 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 161 | Wir Drei (We Three), song for voice & piano, Op. 51/2 | 2:45 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 162 | Wouldn't That Be Queer, song for voice & piano, Op. 26/4 | 2:57 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 163 | Young Birches, for piano, Op. 128/2 | 2:37 min | Keyboard | - |
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