The British Musical Biography

[E] Parry, Charles Hubert Hastings, com-
poser and writer, born at Bournemouth,
February 27, 1848, second son of the late
Gambler Parry, of Higham Court, Gloucester.
W^ent to Eton in 1861, and while there had
lessons from Dr. G. Elvey, composed a Church
Service in D, and passed the examination for
Mus. Bac. Proceeded to Oxford in 1866,
graduated Mus. Bac, 1867; B.A., 1870; and
M.A., 1874. While at Oxford he worked at
music with Sir W. S. Bennett, and (Sir) G.
A. Macfarren ; and, making it his profession,
studied further with H. H. Pierson at Stutt-
gart, and with E. Dannreuther. It was not
until 1880 that he was generally known as a
composer, though an orchestral Intermezzo
Religiose from his pen was produced at the
Gloucester Festival of 1868. In February,
1880, Mr. Dannreuther, at Orme Square,
brought out some of his chamber music ; and
his "Prometheus Unbound" was produced
at Gloucester Festival that year. Since then
he has contributed more works to the provin-
cial festivals than any other composer. He
was appointed Choragus of the University of
Oxford, in 1883 ; and professor of composition
and musical history in the R.C.M., on its
opening the same year. Examiner for Degrees
in Music, London University, 1891 ; and on
the retirement of Sir George Grove in 1894,
he was elected Director of R.C.M. He was
created Mus. Doc. by Decree of Convocation,
Oxford, 1884 ; and received the same degree,
honoris causa, at Cambridge, 1883, and Dublin,
1891. He has lectured on music at the Royal
Institution, 1891-3 ; at the Midland Institute,
Birmingham, 1884, etc., and in other places;
and has contriljuted to the Academy, 1876,
and written many elaborate articles for Grove's
" Dictionary of Music."

[W] Works. — Cantatas, oratorios, etc. : Scenes
from Prometheus Unbound (Shelley), Glouces-
ter Festival, 1880 ; The Glories of our Blood
and State, the same, 1883 ; Choral Ode, Blest
Pair of Syrens (Milton), Bach Choir, Mav 17,
1887 ; Judith, Birmingham, 1888; St. Cecilia's
Day, Leeds, 1889 ; L'AUegro ed il Pensieroso,
Norwich, 1890 ; Psalm 1.30, for soprano solo,
three choirs, and orchestra, Hereford, 1891 ;
Choric song, The Lotos Eaters, Cambridge,
May week, 1892; Oratorio, Job, Gloucester,
1892, and repeated at Worcester and Hereford,
1893-4 ; King Saul, Birmingham, 1894 ; Ode,
Invocation to Music, Leeds, 1895. Ode for
450th anniversary of Eton ; Music to Aristo-
phanes' Birds (Cambridge, November, 1883) ;
Frogs (Oxford, February 17, 1892); and to
Hypatia, Haymarket, January, 1893. Anthems
and Services. English Lyrics, 4 sets ; Three
Odes of Anacreon ; Six Shakesperean and
other songs, etc. Orchestral : Symphony
No. 1, in G, Birmingham Festival, 1882 ;
No. 2, in F, Cambridge University Musical
Societv, June 12, 1883 ; No. 3, in C, Philhar-
monic^i May 23, 1889; No. 4, in E minor,
Richter, July 1, 1889. Suite Moderne, in A
minor, Gloucester, 1886 ; Overture, Guillem
de Cabestanh, Crystal Palace, March 15, 1879;
Svniphonic overture, On an unwritten Tragedy,.
Worcester, 1893; Suite for strings, 1894.
Concerto, in F sharp minor, pf. and orchestra.
Crystal Palace (Dannreuther), April 3, 1880.
Chamber Music : Nonet in B flat, Wind ;
Quintet in E flat ; Quartet in G, strings ;
in A flat, pf . and strings ; Trios in E minor
(1880), B minor, and G, pf. and strings ;
Sonata in A, pf. and 'cello; Fantaisie-Sonata
in B ; Sonata in D ; Partita in D minor ;
12 short pieces for violin and pf. Duo in E
minor, two pf. ; sonatas in B flat and D minor;
Variations ; Miniatures ; Sonnets and songs
without words, etc., for pf. Characteristic
popular tunes of the British Isles, pf. duet.
Fantasia and Fugue, organ. Literary :
Studies of Great Composers, Routledge, 1886 ;
The Art of Music, 1893, enlarged as The
Evolution of the Art of Music, 1896, Kegan
Paul; Summary of Musical History, Novello's
Primers, 1893.

entry id: 310-L-24