Parry, C. H. H. (1848-1918)

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Well to my ears "Blest Pair of Syrens" sounds thoroughly Wagnerian in its harmonic gesturings,

Really? I don't hear that "thoroughly" at all - which Wagnerian examples were you thinking about?

Again, to me - the pedal points, the canonic/sequential imitation, the prepared suspensions (as opposed to Wagner's chromatic appoggiaturas), the block chords (?I'd concede a Meistersingers influence here, perhaps?) the diatonic tonal progressions (with key relationships often based on tonics a third apart), the predominantly one-note-per-syllable vocal setting - it sounds to me as Wagnerian as ... well, Brahms' German Requiem! I'm not aware of any influence from Parsifal, or Tristan, or The Ring in any of this, which (with Meistersinger ) is what I think of as "thoroughly Wagnerian".

[Serial_Apologist]

Really? I don't hear that "thoroughly" at all - which Wagnerian examples were you thinking about?

Again, to me - the pedal points, the canonic/sequential imitation, the prepared suspensions (as opposed to Wagner's chromatic appoggiaturas), the block chords (?I'd concede a Meistersingers influence here, perhaps?) the diatonic tonal progressions (with key relationships often based on tonics a third apart), the predominantly one-note-per-syllable vocal setting - it sounds to me as Wagnerian as ... well, Brahms' German Requiem! I'm not aware of any influence from Parsifal, or Tristan, or The Ring in any of this, which (with Meistersinger ) is what I think of as "thoroughly Wagnerian".

Well, the opening, for starters, take from the Meistersingers overture, was what I was thinking of, rather than the liguistics of the setting. And the big build-up to the conclusion is pretty good Meistersinger-type counterpoint. Added to which, Brahmsian is not how I hear the brass work. My guessing is that what attracted Parry in Wagner was the grandiose, something to reflect Empire. But I take your point: the inextricability of music and text in Wagner. Parry wouldn't have thought in those terms though, would he? Did Parry ever set German? if so that might be a better comparison point. As Wolf showed, you don't need an orchestra to pursue Wagnerian expression.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Aktcherly, thinking about it, Meistersingers is a very strong influence, innit.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Well to my ears "Blest Pair of Syrens" sounds thoroughly Wagnerian in its harmonic gesturings, in that Elgar-anticipatory way we are clearly (from this week) mistaken as taking to be "The Parry style" Sir Edward made his own most familiar hallmark to stalwart patriots, and which I feel Havergal Brian rather selfconsciously emulated intermittently right through to the end;

I first heard Blest Pair of Sirens when I bought Boult's (then newly released) recording of Elgar's The Music Makers. I wasn't going to bother too much with the "filler", but when I heard it, I was bowled over, and it's been the same ever since - one of the finest Elgarian works of all time, as is Ireland's These Things Shall Be. Added to this, the best P & C marches are arguably those by Walton.

[ardcarp]

As an eleven year old chorister (stop me if I've said this before) I was blown away by Blest Pair of Sirens. I had no baggage as to whether it sounded like Wagner or anyone else for that matter. It was just the best thing I'd ever sung and I gloried in its soaring lines...and I have to say in Milton's verse (Touch their immortal harps of golden wires, etc)...and had to be restrained from singing the top line of both choirs. Like so many pieces one hears and loves as a youngster, it is impossible to be dispassionate in one's judgement of it.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Just got back from the first concert in the Ilkley Concert Club new season, in which the Leonore Trio played Parry's first Piano Trio from the late 1870s. Much more interesting than the violin & piano pieces played on Monday and Tuesday's CotW broadcasts, and far better representative of Parry's talents. In language, a sort of "missing link" between Mendelssohn and Brahms, but also a few ideas originating in various bits of The Ring, which Parry had heard in Bayreuth during the initial performances of the cycle.

The Leonore Trio are in the process of recording all three Parry Piano Trios for Hyperion (together with the Piano Quartet): if the other two are up to this standard, they'll be very welcome additions to the repertory.

Edit: the recording by the Deakin Trio is YouTubable:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAhhzW2pwxg

[Pabmusic]

Just got back from the first concert in the Ilkley Concert Club new season, in which the Leonore Trio played Parry's first Piano Trio from the late 1870s. Much more interesting than the violin & piano pieces played on Monday and Tuesday's CotW broadcasts, and far better representative of Parry's talents. In language, a sort of "missing link" between Mendelssohn and Brahms, but also a few ideas originating in various bits of The Ring, which Parry had heard in Bayreuth during the initial performances of the cycle.

The Leonore Trio are in the process of recording all three Parry Piano Trios for Hyperion (together with the Piano Quartet): if the other two are up to this standard, they'll be very welcome additions to the repertory.

Edit: the recording by the Deakin Trio is YouTubable:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAhhzW2pwxg

Quite agree, Ferney. They have already been recorded, years ago. Can't recall by whom but I have them here somewhere. At the time the Penguin Record Guide was very complimentary about them.

[edit]

I got off my behind and found two Meridian CDs by the Deakin Trio (augmented) that have all three trios and the Piano Quartet (CDE 84248 & 84255).

[LMcD]

Just got back from the first concert in the Ilkley Concert Club new season, in which the Leonore Trio played Parry's first Piano Trio from the late 1870s. Much more interesting than the violin & piano pieces played on Monday and Tuesday's CotW broadcasts, and far better representative of Parry's talents. In language, a sort of "missing link" between Mendelssohn and Brahms, but also a few ideas originating in various bits of The Ring, which Parry had heard in Bayreuth during the initial performances of the cycle.

The Leonore Trio are in the process of recording all three Parry Piano Trios for Hyperion (together with the Piano Quartet): if the other two are up to this standard, they'll be very welcome additions to the repertory.

Edit: the recording by the Deakin Trio is YouTubable:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAhhzW2pwxg

Most valuable information - thank you!

[Serial_Apologist]

Quite agree, Ferney. They have already been recorded, years ago. Can't recall by whom but I have them here somewhere. At the time the Penguin Record Guide was very complimentary about them.

[edit]

I got off my behind and found two Meridian CDs by the Deakin Trio (augmented) that have all three trios and the Piano Quartet (CDE 84248 & 84255).

Your arrangements of The Birds of Aristophanes, were a joy to have heard just now on COTW, Pabs!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Your arrangements of The Birds of Aristophanes, were a joy to have heard just now on COTW, Pabs!

[Pabmusic]

Your arrangements of The Birds of Aristophanes, were a joy to have heard just now on COTW, Pabs!

Thank you. SA.

[ardcarp]

I heard it too! Great, Pabs.

[ardcarp]

Of the Songs of Farewell, I personally think My Soul there is a Country is the most successful musically (and always a joy to sing) but Lord Let Me Know Mine End, which was sung in today's final CotW is profound and affecting. Also probably the hardest to pull off in performance...not because of any specific technical difficulty (or because it's 8-part)...but because of getting phrasing, tempi and mood just right. Thought the Gabrielis did it very well today, though I prefer to hear it sung by a larger ensemble.

[LMcD]

Looking back on CoTW, I would have liked to hear more small-scale works, and perhaps some orchestral works under a wider range of conductors, good though Bamert is.

[ardcarp]

Yes, so would I, but I think the programme's 'mission' was to bring to the fore Parry's [nowadays lesser-known] work as a larger-scale composer, e.g. as a symphonist.