... The mystery of immortal things
  Broods o’er the woods at eve.

The piece was one of the composer’s favourites; he inscribed its opening bar on a portrait of himself which he gave to Mr. W.W.A.  Elkin, his London publisher and friend.

6. Indian Idyl (Leggiero, ingenuo).  This is a lovely tone poem, opening with a characteristic little figure reminiscent of the opening of the Love-Song in the Indian Suite for Orchestra (Op. 48).  The theme is punctuated by little flute-like embellishments.  The middle section, poco piu lento, is idyllic, with a perfectly balanced, swaying rhythm.  In playing this portion, the left hand should describe an equal series of semicircles as it alights first on the low chord, and then on the single note two octaves higher.  The opening theme returns with the flute-like embellishments prominent, but all heard softly, as from

  ... afar through the summer night
  Sigh the wooing flutes’ soft strains.

7. To an Old White Pine (Gravemente con dignita).  The characteristic feature of this piece is its sense of alternate mounting and declining strength.  At about the middle of the movement a deeper solemnity is noticed, in a passage suggesting the swaying, gentle forest trees that whisper at the feet of the huge old pines of an American forest.  Some expressive and ingenious little woodland touches are included in the quiet concluding bars.

8. From Puritan Days. “In Nomine Domini” (Con enfasi smisurata).  A stern theme opens this piece, while a passage marked implorando seems to suggest the pious attitude of the immortal founders of the New England States.  Soon the music becomes hurried and more impassioned, the pious, despairing motive being prominent.  The opening theme is now thundered out fortissimo and the piece ends with a sense of stern and rock-like strength of character.

9. From a Log Cabin (Con profondo espressione).  This piece, which should be played with great expression, stands on a level with Mid-Winter, No. 3 in this album.  It strikes the new and sombre note already referred to and carries with it a sense of deep and vast import.  The composer’s unerring feeling for atmosphere is given full play.  The piece as a whole is deep and problematic.  The lines at its head: 

  A house of dreams untold,
  It looks out over the whispering tree-tops
  And faces the setting sun.

refer to MacDowell’s log-cabin in which he used to compose, and they are the same that are inscribed over his grave. From a Log Cabin opens quietly, with a grave theme and a clashing accompaniment that produces a different effect to that of any of the composer’s earlier work, but recalls vividly the bleak second theme of Mid-Winter.  Some powerful though small climaxes may be noticed,