Introduction

Biography

Marston at­tend­ed the Sand­wich Aca­de­my, and be­gan stu­dy­ing mu­sic in 1852. He be­came or­gan­ist at the Con­gre­ga­tion­al church in Sand­wich in 1856, and lat­er taught pi­ano and played the or­gan at the Bap­tist church in Wa­ter­ville, Maine.

In 1860, he set­tled in Port­land, Maine, where he stu­died un­der John W. Tufts and con­tin­ued teach­ing. He al­so vis­it­ed Eur­ope twice and stu­died pi­ano­for­te un­der Buon­a­mi­ci in Flor­ence, and com­po­si­tion in Ger­ma­ny. On re­turn, he set­tled in Bos­ton as a teach­er.

Works

His bal­lad com­po­si­tions include: Across the Far Blue Hills, Ma­rie, Mar­guer­ite and Doug­las, and Ten­der and True. He al­so wrote the can­ta­ta Da­vid; two books of Ger­man songs; a book of Eng­lish songs, Grave and Gay, and ma­ny Te De­ums, an­thems, songs and pi­ano piec­es.