The rapid progress of music in America renders it impossible to do
justice to piano playing in this country. However, the pioneer work of
=William Mason=, a pupil of Moscheles, Dreyschock and Liszt, active
as pianist and teacher, the author of “Touch and Technic” and other
technical treatises; of B. J. Lang, a pupil of his father, F. C. Hill,
Salter and Alfred Jaell, an active pianist, teacher, and conductor,
of W. S. B. Mathews, Otto Dresel, Ernst Perabo, and others, was of
great importance. Later =Carl Baermann=, a Liszt pupil, Carl Faelten,
=William Sherwood=, also a Liszt pupil, Carl Stasny, Arthur Whiting,
Edward MacDowell and many others have continued the work so ably begun.
=Edward MacDowell= is easily the most noted American composer-pianist.
His technical equipment, personality, and interpretative gifts justly
entitle him to this distinction. A pupil of Mme. Carreño, Marmontel
and Carl Heymann, he has had thorough training. His pianistic career
has been limited by his efforts as a composer, and by his work as
Professor of Music at Columbia, which position he resigned in 1904, as
well as his activity as a teacher. His studies, concertos and smaller
pieces show great individuality of technical style, besides being
among the most valuable contributions to piano literature since Liszt.
MacDowell has appeared with leading orchestras in this country; he has
given many recitals, including a tour of the United States in 1904.