ABSTRACT
While MacCunn's compositional output and reputation with the press began waning by the mid-1890s, his fame endured. The opera's complex chromatic harmonies hinted at a stylistic evolution, but none of his later works capitalized on this. Doomed by the Marquis of Lorne's problematic libretto, however, Diarmid failed to surpass Jeanie Deans, and has not been performed in its entirety since 1899. In spite of the critics' past complaints about his over reliance on Caledonian topics, MacCunn's Scottish-themed offerings continued to appeal to British audiences, something he counted on with Six Scotch Dances and Highland Memories. MacCunn completed Highland Memories, while writing Diarmid in 1896. It was one of several compositions performed by the Philharmonic Society in response to a complaint made by native composers that British ensembles tended to prefer the works of foreigners. Noting complaints about the lack of melodies in Jeanie Deans, MacCunn composed melodic music for Eila and reserved passionate melodies for the two chromatically-charged love duets.
