Abstract:
This study has focused on the American composer Amy Cheney Beach and her Three Browning
Songs, Op. 44. These works use the poetry of Robert Browning and the first was commissioned
by the Boston Browning Society to celebrate the poet’s birthday. Beach was known for her
romantic, lyrical, and memorable melodies, her religious outlook, and her love of nature. All of
these qualities are seen in Browning’s poetry making them the perfect fit for Beach’s
compositions. By looking at the context of the poetry Beach uses and understanding the views of
both poet and composer, a singer can better make musical decisions and choices when preparing
these pieces.