The Prince and the Composer (Parry)

[Dave2002]

salymap

I have one of those sheet things too. Pulled it out recently, and found it had gone brown with light and heat.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Seeing the programme again gave greater insight into Parry and his music. I think I've become a fan.

[Norfolk Born]

salymap

I have one of those sheet things too. Pulled it out recently, and found it had gone brown with light and heat.

Thanks for the warning - I shall think twice before buying one.

[Dave2002]

Ofcachap

If you get them cheaply, and they work for you they'll probably last a couple of years. I think the ridges in the plastic are perhaps more of a problem for some applications - the optics aren't perfect.

[ucanseetheend]

watching this programme we are once again reminded how the so called "greatest music festival in the world" neglects British composers. Just look at the 2011 season. The BBC should be ashamed.

[BBMmk2]

I have been a fan of Parry's for sometime now and only since Chandos had started to produce their cycle of his music that he had begun to be reconised, I think as the one that initiated the path of music that British composers were to follow. In the main,Brahms really is the main inspiriation!

[Suffolkcoastal]

Though Brahms is often mentioned as the main source of inspiration for Parry & Stanford, there is another source which I mentioned recently on another thread and that is composers like Sir John Goss and SS Wesley, minor composers they may be, but a simple play through some of their works shows many harmonic and melodic 'fingerprints' that clearly anticipate what is often called 'the higher diatonicism style' of a lot of Parry and Stanford's music. Mind you even this seems to have origins still further back through Samuel Wesley and Boyce to Purcell. Gibbons and Tallis, a certain sound that is recognisably English but which you can't always quite put your finger on why.

[Pabmusic]

...Sir John Goss and SS Wesley...

How I do agree. It's easier to see this when considering Parry's (or Stanford's) choral music, but it's there. So is Brahms, of course, though in Parry's case I'd say that Schumann looms even more heavily - and we mustn't forget Wagner. You've mentioned several pre-Parry composers - I think it's fun to consider post-Parry. One composer I've always considered a true heir to Parry was Gerald Finzi. He never knew Parry, yet so much of Finzi's style is Parry's - the diatonicism, the Bach-like counterpoint, even the orchestral and choral sound. And of course he was so good with words. Pieces like For St Cecilia do sound rather like updated Parry. Finzi was keen on Parry's music and tried to get publishers interested in some things in the late 1940s. No luck, of course.

[Suffolkcoastal]

Yes you are quite right about Finzi pabmusic, Finzi's debt to Parry it has been mentioned by a number of leading musicologists. Schumann is also very influential on Elgar as well as Parry, Stanford and of course Brahms.

[Chris Newman]

Samuel Wesley? Now there is a neglected English composer. I read somewhere that Haydn and Mozart admired his symphonies. Come to think of it the few I have heard are very Sturm and Drang with those harmonic twists beloved of Purcell.

[Dave2002]

Tried to pick this up again this week, but failed again due to a PVR problem (Grrrr!). Just discovered that the download feature of the iPlayer seems to be working again, at least for this programme. It's been quite a while since I've seen a download option for a programme on the iPlayer. Hopefully it'll give me 30 days or so to watch once I've downloaded it - which used to be the case. It says it expires on 10th July - on this machine at least. Not sure how much longer it will be available. I'll see if I can download it to an iPad and to another machine later.

[Dave2002]

Follow up - The download option doesn't seem to be available for the iPad. Maybe that's always the way with the iPlayer.

[Russ_H]

I missed this programme when it was first broadcast, but it is being repeated this evening on
BBC4, starting at half past seven.

[Nick Armstrong]

I missed this programme when it was first broadcast, but it is being repeated this evening on
BBC4, starting at half past seven.

Oooh blimey, so did I (well most of it).... And look, there's me just back on the sofa with a cup of tea!!

Many thanks for this reminder

[Barbirollians]

I think Birtwhistle has a a point about it just being sub Brahms enjoyable stuff as it is . I am struggling with the scratch a British composer and you will find Parry underneath !