Amy Marcy Cheney Beach (1867–1944) was not just a gifted composer and pianist; she was a force of nature in a world unprepared for women with serious musical ambitions. Born in the quiet town of Henniker, New Hampshire, Beach entered the world with an uncanny musical sensibility. Stories from her earliest years border on myth: by the age of one, she could reportedly sing over 40 songs; by four, she was composing her own music.