The European Yankee: A Study and Performance Guide of George Chadwick’s A Flower Cycle

Abstract

This document examines the solo vocal music of American composer, George Whitefield Chadwick (1854-1931), and focuses on his 1892 collection, A Flower Cycle, with poetry written by Arlo Bates (1850-1918). It highlights the European influence in Chadwick’s writing style that created a Euro-American hybridized style in the United States. Though his instrumental works have been widely performed and analyzed, his art songs have not received the same amount of attention. Excerpts of the songs in A Flower Cycle will be analyzed and compared to various German lied and French mélodie to show the similarities in style and Chadwick’s penchant for being influenced by these European composers. The second intent of this document is to provide a guide with which to perform any or all of the pieces therein with proper understanding of the text and how it is set musically. The poetry is believed to have been written specifically to be set to the music for this collection with the exception of The Jacqueminot Rose, which was the inspiration for the construction of A Flower Cycle