Recently revisiting Parry's choral music, I was struck by the remarkable quality of his inspiration and would strongly recommend the following four substantial scores to any members unfamiliar with this glorious music:
The Lotos-Eaters (1892), Invocation to Music (1895) and The Soul's Ransom (1906) - http://www.chandos.net/details06.asp?CNumber=CHAN%20241-31 (http://www.chandos.net/details06.asp?CNumber=CHAN%20241-31)
Ode on the Nativity (1912) - http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2007/aug07/Parry_SRCD270.htm (http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2007/aug07/Parry_SRCD270.htm)
In these recordings you will find sumptuous melody, thrilling choral climaxes, (uncharacteristically) rich orchestration and superb performances!
From the BBC website:
The Prince And The Composer
Friday 27 May
7.30-9.00pm BBC FOUR
HRH The Prince of Wales offers his unique perspective on composer Sir Hubert Parry
Sir Hubert Parry is simultaneously one of Britain's best and least known composers. Jerusalem is almost a national song, regularly performed at rugby grounds, schools, Women's Institute meetings and the Last Night of the Proms, while Dear Lord And Father Of Mankind is one of Britain's best-loved hymns. Everyone knows the tunes, yet hardly anyone knows much about the man who wrote them.
In The Prince And The Composer, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, a longstanding enthusiast for Parry's work, sets out to discover more about the complex character behind it, with the help of members of Parry's family, scholars and performers.
This feature-length documentary by award-winning director John Bridcut offers fresh insight into the life and work of Hubert Parry through the unique perspective of HRH The Prince of Wales.
The Prince of Wales? Who knew? Maybe we'll see him signing up to UC? I'll reserve the username "HRH" for him.
If I remember correctly, Parry hated the name Hubert and preferred to be called Charles. Or was it the other way around?
David
No, Parry's preferred name was Hubert, usually abbreviating his full name if required to C. Hubert H. Parry.
Parry's House, Shulbrede Priory, will be open to the public this August bank holiday. His great grand daughter will be there and is always happy to answer any queries about him, his music and the family in general.
Quote from: giles.enders on Saturday 14 May 2011, 10:43
Parry's House, Shulbrede Priory, will be open to the public this August bank holiday. His great grand daughter will be there and is always happy to answer any queries about him, his music and the family in general.
Can you give me information on Parry's residence at Chulbrede Priory? I live in Rustington, West Sussex, England, just a few minutes' walk from Kinghtscroft House in Sea Lane, Rustington, the house Parry had built in 1879 and where he lived from 1880 until his death (a victim of the dreadful Spanish flu epidemic) in October 1918. When did he live in Surrey?
Quote from: giles.enders on Saturday 14 May 2011, 10:43
Parry's House, Shulbrede Priory, will be open to the public this August bank holiday. His great grand daughter will be there and is always happy to answer any queries about him, his music and the family in general.
Having done a little research, I find that it was not Parry who lived at Shulbrede Priory (some sources seem incorrectly to claim this), but his daughter Dorothea and her husband Arthur Ponsonby. They had married in 1898 and moved to Shulbrede in 1902. While it is true that Parry formed firm links with Shulbrede (the piano he used to play when visiting there is still in the house), he never lived there. Shulbrede was also a convenient stopping-off place for Parry, being half way between his home in Rustington and London.
I will find out times and see if there is a map one can google Shulbrede is about two miles from Hazelmere. It is very hard to find as there are no gates or anything like that just a narrow entrance through woods. It is worth a visit because there is a fair amount of Parry memorabilia, Laura Ponsonby will be there to answer questions and the place is interesting in itself.
Excuse the oddity/curiosity.
In the 1979 "big" (and fine to me) movie "Yanks" (director John Schlesinger) Vanessa Redgrave was an aristocrat lady who, between a lot of things, rehearsed (as a cellist) Parry's "English Suite" for strings in a country church wartime concert.
Shulbrede Priory will be open to the public on 29th and 30th May from 2-6pm and again on Sunday and |Monday for the August bank holiday at the same times. Laura Ponsonby will be there to answer any questions.
On BBC4 on Friday 27th May at 7.30, there is a programme about Hubert Parry which is presented by Prince Charles.
If you missed the above programme, there is another chance to see it on 6th June 9pm BBC4
Quote from: giles.enders on Wednesday 01 June 2011, 17:32
If you missed the above programme, there is another chance to see it on 6th June 9pm BBC4
... or on BBC iPlayer if you're in the UK (which is going to have to be my route, as I wasn't able to watch it 'live').
I am just listening to Invocation to Music for the first time - absolutely thrilling music. Of course Elgar didn't emerge from nowhere: the context included this magnificent, heartwarming music. May I therefore second Albion's recommendation at the beginning of this thread?
The Symphonic Variations are a masterpiece - I prefer them to the Enigma Variations of Elgar.
I saw the Parry programme last night. I have to admit I was disappointed. Prince Charles definitely 'got in the way' and dwelt far too long on minor details sometimes at the expense of presenting a more rounded portrait of Parry. Nothing was said about his nearly forty years living in Knightscroft House, Rustington, Sussex (where he wrote most of his major works, including Jerusalem), nor many of his other major works (glad that the Magnificat and 5th Symphony were featured, however), nor that he was a victim of the terrible Spanish flu epidemic in 1918, which caused his death.
A useful and enjoyable programme that could have been better.
Quote from: Delicious Manager on Tuesday 07 June 2011, 11:09nor that he was a victim of the terrible Spanish flu epidemic in 1918, which caused his death.
There is a persistent fallacy that Parry died from Spanish flu. In fact he died on 7th October 1918 from blood poisoning caused by a badly supperating cyst in his groin. This in turn was the result of his bossy musical assistant, Emily Daymond, insisting on a long cycle ride on 6th September: from Parry's diary -
Emily, overhasty, bustled along all the way to Littlehampton Common. I was by that time very tired. At dinner I chaffed her about it and she took violent offence and sulked all dinner and went to bed directly after.
By the following day a new and particularly nasty protuberance had developed. Prone to cysts, Parry had only recently had an operation to remove one the previous June and had still not fully recovered from the ordeal. An attempt was made to produce a vaccine from his blood cultures, but his system was chronically weakened and his last month was spent in agonising pain.
Quote from: Albion on Tuesday 07 June 2011, 16:25
Quote from: Delicious Manager on Tuesday 07 June 2011, 11:09nor that he was a victim of the terrible Spanish flu epidemic in 1918, which caused his death.
There is a persistent fallacy that Parry died from Spanish flu. In fact he died on 7th October 1918 from blood poisoning caused by a badly supperating cyst in his groin. This in turn was the result of his bossy musical assistant, Emily Daymond, insisting on a long cycle ride on 6th September: from Parry's diary -
Emily, overhasty, bustled along all the way to Littlehampton Common. I was by that time very tired. At dinner I chaffed her about it and she took violent offence and sulked all dinner and went to bed directly after.
By the following day a new and particularly nasty protuberance had developed. Prone to cysts, Parry had only recently had an operation to remove one the previous June and had still not fully recovered from the ordeal. An attempt was made to produce a vaccine from his blood cultures, but his system was chronically weakened and his last month was spent in agonising pain.
You live and learn! ;)
YUCK! Thank you for sharing. Talk about coming to a bad end! :P
Oh no! I missed the show... :'(
Anyway, I don't even know if BBC television has an online service.
Has anyone recorded the feature? Or knows about plans to release a DVD?
With the recent additions to the download section, it may be useful to take stock of the major choral works that can now be accessed either there or on disc:
Prometheus Unbound (1880) - BMB
Blest Pair of Sirens (1887) - several recordings including Chandos CHAN 241-31, etc.
Ode on St Cecilia's Day (1889) - BMB
Eton (1891) - BMB
De Profundis (1891) - BMB
The Lotos-Eaters (1892) - Chandos CHAN 241-31 and BMB
Job (1892) - Hyperion CDA 67025 (now archive service only)
Invocation to Music (1895) - Chandos CHAN 241-31
The Pied Piper of Hamelin (1905) - BMB
The Soul's Ransom (1906) - Chandos CHAN 241-31
Ode on the Nativity (1912) - Lyrita SRCD.270
The Chivalry of the Sea (1916) - Dutton CDLX 7172
Of course a number of these renditions are less than ideal, but it is at least now possible to obtain a broader overview of Parry's choral output.
Exciting news is that there may be a possibility of L'Allegro ed Il Penseroso (1890) being revived next year - http://www.ism.org/news/article/resurrecting_rootham_and_parry (http://www.ism.org/news/article/resurrecting_rootham_and_parry)
:)
I must say I think Parry's best work is in his choral music (and his English Lyrics), which I prefer greatly to his orchestral ones. I'm looking forward to hearing 'Prometheus Unbound' on here, when I've worked through the many other UC downloads! It would be great if we could hear 'Judith' too. I know that his oratorios are not considered his best choral music, but Vaughan Williams claimed 'I thrill to the majesty of Job and Judith', which is enough for me to long to hear the latter (already knowing the former thanks to Hyperion)
Worth recalling that Bernard Shaw disagreed somewhat with Vaughan Williams about the merits of Parry's 'Job'.
Shaw desribed 'Job' as
"the most utter failure ever achieved by a thoroughly respectworthy musician. There is not one bar in it that comes within fifty thousand miles of the tamest line in the poem."
Now THAT is criticism ;D ;D ;D
Yes, Shaw's review was pretty damning. It has been claimed that he heard a particularly bad performance. 'Job' is not my favourite Parry by any means: he tried to change the traditional oratorio by having the voice of God be the chorus and with the very long 'lamentation of Job', but it doesn't really hang together. But I like the 'lamentation' itself, and I have often thought it may have inspired Judas' long solo before his suicide in 'The Apostles'.
Shaw said some horrible things about a lot of British composers and said them so memorably that they are still remembered. How many other music critics is that true of?
Agreed.
When a critic writes something quite so damning about a work it actually becomes almost more intriguing to hear it and then judge for oneself ;D
Absolutely: I have thus got into Sullivan's Ivanhoe, Stanford's Irish Symphony and Parry's Job, and I am very fond of the former two, though I still love Shaw's bitchy little comments about them. I always wonder with Stanford whether they had some long-standing feud, both having been born in the small community of Protestant Dublin within a few years of each other. Stanford was really good at upsetting people.
I really wish there was a better version of his Piano Concerto. The Hyperion one was unfortunately very disappointing. The tempo especially in the 1st movement was draggy. A faster tempo would have made all the difference! I hope I'm not the only one who feels this way !?!
Yes, it didn't inspire me much. And a shame, as it appears to be his only venture into concertante music
The broadcast version listed under British Music Broadcasts is at livelier tempi than the subsequent recording - that's why I uploaded it, even if the sound is a little rough.
Oh, I'll give that a go, thank you.
I noticed but have not yet heard a piece for organ and orchestra on a recording with his first symphony- I assume though that the treatment of the organ isn't concertante in style in that work (I do not know, not having heard it)?
I have no idea: Jeremy Dibble's biography doesn't list anything like that. Stanford wrote a Concert Piece for Organ and Orchestra: it couldn't be that, could it?
Quote from: eschiss1 on Monday 21 November 2011, 14:07I noticed but have not yet heard a piece for organ and orchestra on a recording with his first symphony- I assume though that the treatment of the organ isn't concertante in style in that work (I do not know, not having heard it)?
The only two recordings of Symphony No.1 are on Chandos -
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51uF-7ELfAL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
and Nimbus
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51JAFLhwfQL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
From Death to Life (1914), included on the Nimbus disc,
does feature an organ in the orchestration and the instrument is also used in several choral scores, including
Invocation to Music (1895) and
The Soul's Ransom (1906).
There is, however, no concertante work by Parry for organ and orchestra.
:)
for some reason I thought the concertstück included a part for organ- I think I am thinking of a work by another composer or am just confused. Sorry about that! (However, I must correct- Nimbus is not a sublabel of Chandos, and probably would take exception to being so considered.)
Quote from: eschiss1 on Monday 21 November 2011, 17:09However, I must correct- Nimbus is not a sublabel of Chandos, and probably would take exception to being so considered.
I don't think I implied that it was.
???
Yes, the title 'Concertstueck' is a bit confusing, as many romantic composers seem to have used it for works for piano and orchestra (York Bowen, Walter Macfarren and Frederic Cowen, for example), but Parry's is a work for orchestra alone.
ah. you said both recordings were on Chandos- I misunderstood. Sorry!
Re: critics and their meritricious comments about meritorious composers, see:
Lexicon of Musical Invective: Critical Assaults on Composers Since Beethoven's Time
Nicolas Slonimsky (Author)
Quote from: eschiss1 on Monday 21 November 2011, 23:37ah. you said both recordings were on Chandos- I misunderstood. Sorry!
There's a little bit of relevant text between the two cover illustrations.
;)
ah. I'm more pro-text than con-text...er... apologies, I mean. Anyhow. Whoops...
I wonder also if Parry's first two (MS) string quartets were ever broadcast (I have somewhere or other a tape of a BBC broadcast of the 3rd, possibly incomplete)...
Does anyone have a special opinion about the Chandos set of the 5 Symphonies?
They are magnificent. How's that?
Thanks, Alan. That's the push I need to purchase the set.
Quote from: Alan Howe on Saturday 26 November 2011, 23:15They are magnificent. How's that?
I agree with Alan on the high merit of this set - Bamert imparts gravity without pomposity and shapes the music beautifully - try the slow movement of Symphony No.1. Apart from one or two minor niggles (including the intermittent absence of a second flute during parts of the 5th Symphony) these interpretations represent a very impressive achievement indeed.
This is also the only recording of the wonderful Symphony No.4 (1889, revised 1910) - if you want to also hear the Scherzo from the first version of the symphony there is a recording in BMB which I made back in 1995.
:)
Thank you, John. I've just ordered the set. Yesterday I've listened to all audio samples and I got enthusiastic. I think the 5th must be a real gem, but the other four sound promising as well. Yes, the slow movements, in fact of all symphonies, are just wonderful.
There is also a Chandos disc featuring orchestral works (including again the Symphonic Variations). Perhaps another must-buy? And what about the Piano Trios 2&3 on Meridian?
Quote from: Peter1953 on Sunday 27 November 2011, 08:29There is also a Chandos disc featuring orchestral works (including again the Symphonic Variations). Perhaps another must-buy?
This compilation has been issued twice. Only the second (on Chandos Collect) is still 'in print', but it is inexpensive and worth acquiring -
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Oq3YMtVSL._SL500_AA300_.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/413SFT6YAYL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
Both the Meridian discs are worth having -
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51YNjB4QL6L._SL500_AA300_.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51gu2mb3lhL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
and I would also recommend
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ZQ9SMC5iL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
Radegund Records (RR CD018-01)which duplicates Hyperion's
Fantasie Sonata in B minor (1878) and Violin Sonata in D (1889) but also includes the only recording of the Violin Sonata in D minor (1875).
One of the strongest chamber works is the String Quintet in E flat (1884, rev. 1896 and 1902), which has not been commercially recorded - but there is an excellent broadcast performance in BMB.
:)
Many thanks for your detailed response, John. I'm sure Santa Claus will have no trouble finding a gift.
Am I exaggerating when I think that Parry's symphonies, in fact all five, but especially the Nos. 4&5, belong to the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful of all British symphonies? I was so enthusiastic about most of Stanford's symphonies, but Parry's symphonies have completely blown me away. What an utterly delight listening to them. Overwhelming melodies, strong developments, heartfelt depth (how about the slow movement of the Cambridge?), what a grandeur. Those members who are not familiar yet with these marvelous Romantic works, ask Santa Claus for the Chandos set.
Quote from: Peter1953 on Tuesday 06 December 2011, 21:23the slow movement of the Cambridge
This movement (Symphony No.2) is one of the glories of Parry's entire catalogue: a tremendous achievement. It is given a close run by the slow movements of both the first and the fifth.
:)
I'm really glad that you have found so much to admire in the symphonies. Neither Parry nor Stanford (nor Mackenzie, for that matter) was the dusty academician that 'history' and G.B. Shaw would have us believe - all were real creative artists. Parry undoubtedly struggled with his ideas more than did Stanford and I think that the results show this - Stanford's music has an urbane fluency and, generally speaking, is more beautifully presented whilst Parry, superficially less immediately ingratiating, achieves a greater depth of feeling and argues more closely. Personally, I wouldn't be without either.
;D
Very well put, John, although I still find that I love Stanford's music whereas, a couple of works excepted, I admire Parry's.
I am stirred by the music of both - but particularly by Parry 2 and Stanford's PC2. Great stuff.
Does anyone know what happened to the symphony cycle that Naxos announced many years ago? Only the second symphony was released and after a while Parry was removed from their list of future projects. It's a pity - I really liked Andrew Pennys interpretation... :(
I have now added the the vocal scores highlighted below to IMSLP. A complete collection of Parry's major choral works is therefore now available -
Prometheus Unbound (1880)
The Glories of Our Blood and State (1883)
Blest Pair of Sirens (1887)
Judith (1888)
Ode on St. Cecilia's Day (1889)
L'Allegro ed Il Penseroso (1890)
Eton (1891)
De Profundis (1891)
The Lotos-Eaters (1892)
Job (1892)
King Saul (1894)
Invocation to Music (1895)
Magnificat (1897)
A Song of Darkness and Light (1898)
Te Deum (1900)
Ode to Music (1901)
War and Peace (1903)
Voces Clamantium (1903)
The Love that Casteth out Fear (1904)
The Pied Piper of Hamelin (1905)
The Soul's Ransom: A Psalm of the Poor (1906)
The Vision of Life (1907)
Beyond These Voices There is Peace (1908)
Eton Memorial Ode (1908)
Ode on the Nativity (1912)
The Chivalry of the Sea (1916)
:)
Congratulations, John, on your achievement :) :)
I have no doubt that involved a vast amount of work :) It is however satisfying to know that others will benefit from all the effort put in ;D
I very much enjoyed "Composer of the Week" on Parry: lovely to have him featured, even if virtually all the music is in my own collection.
I have uploaded copies of my vocal scores of Parry's incidental music to Aristophanes' plays
The Frogs (1892)
The Clouds (1905)
The Acharnians (1914)
to IMSLP (which is currently off-air for scheduled maintenance).
These were written for student productions given by the Oxford University Dramatic Society and constitute a highly attractive but little-known area of the composer's output.
:)