Amy Beach ñ Biographical Sketch

Born:  Henniker, NH on September 5, 1867
Died:  New York, NY on December 27, 1944

- Only child to Charles Abbott (paper manufacturer) and Clara Imogene 
(musician) Cheney.
- Descendant of distinguished New England family

At age 1:  singing approximately 40 songs from memory and always in 
the same key
At age 2:  singing alto line to her motherís soprano melody
At age 3:  taught herself how to read
At age 4:  began playing piano by ear, improvising and composing
	     First compositions:  ìMamaís Waltz, Snowflake Waltz and 
		 Marlborough Waltz.î
At age 6:  began piano lessons with her mother
At age 7:  first public performance

1881-1882:  took counterpoint and harmony lessons with Junius W. Hill
1883:  First piece published, ìRainy Dayî by the Oliver Ditson Company.
1885:  Married Dr. Henry Harris Aubrey Beach, 25 years her senior
- He was a physician who lectured on anatomy at Harvard and was also
an amateur singer.  He had a very comprehensive knowledge of music.  
They lived in Boston together for 25 years, until his death in 1910.  
H.H.A was a huge promoter of her creative endeavors, although he did 
encourage that she limited her performances to 2 a year and donating 
all proceeds to charity.  He encouraged her composition and used the 
influence of his position to help support her career.
1885:  Arthur Schimdt and his publication company began to publish her 
music.  He was a big supporter of American music by female composers.
1885-1944:  She composed more than 300 works
1892:  First woman to have a composition performed by the Handel & 
Haydn Society in Boston.
1910:  Death of her husband and her mother (7 months later) that brought 
the end to the most productive period of her creative life.
1910-1911:  Period of inactivity in her compositional career.
1911:  Embarked on a trip to Europe for a performing career.  She spent 
most of her time in Germany.
1914:  Returned to the United States
1915:  Settled in NYC
1925:  Co-founder and first president of the Society of American Women 
Composers
1928:  Received Honorary Masters of Arts from the University of New 
Hampsire
1930s:  Her health began to deteriorate, abandonment of concert career
1944:  Died at the age of 77.



Musical Background

Taught herself how to compose

1881-1882:  studied harmony and counterpoint with Junius W. Hill

learned music theory, counterpoint, and orchestration with scores and 
textbooks

Her comprehensive French background allowed her to translate treaties 
of instrumentation of Berlioz and Gevaert.

Studied piano in Boston for 10 years

Learned fugues from studying Bach

Received success without the benefit of European training

 
Laura A. Poe (2003)