Parrott, (Horace) Ian

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Parrott, (Horace) Ian

Parrott, (Horace) Ian, English composer, teacher, and writer on music; b. London, March 5, 1916. At 12, he began lessons in harmony with Benjamin Dale. Following studies at the Royal Coll. of Music in London (1932–34), he completed his education at New Coll., Oxford (D.Mus., 1940; M.A., 1941). From 1940 to 1945 he saw service in the Royal Signals. He was a lecturer at the Univ. of Birmingham from 1947 to 1950. From 1950 to 1983 he was the Gregynog Prof. of Music at the Univ. Coll. of Wales in Aberystwyth. In his music, Parrott remained faithful to the tonal tradition. In a number of his works, he was inspired by the culture of Wales.

Writings

Pathways to Modern Music (1947); A Guide to Musical Thought (1955); Method in Orchestration (1957); The Music of “An Adventure” (1966); The Spiritual Pilgrims (1969); Elgar (1971); The Music of Rosemary Brown (1978); Cyril Scott and His Piano Music (1992); The Crying Curlew: Peter Warlock: Family & Influences: Centenary 1994 (1994).

Works

dramatic: Opera: The Sergeant- Major’s Daughter, burlesque opera (1942–43); The Black Ram (1951–53; Aberystwyth, March 9, 1966); Once Upon a Time, comic opera (1959; Christchurch, New Zealand, Dec. 3, 1960); The Lady of Flowers, chamber opera (1981; Colchester, Sept. 17, 1982). orch.:Malvern Music (1937); Malvern March (1938); De l’Estuaire à la source (1939); Russian Dance for Small Orch. (1941); A Dream for Small Orch. (1941); Scherzo No. 2 (1941–43); 5 syms.: No. 1 (1943–46), No. 2, Round the World (1960–61), No. 3 (1966), No. 4, Sinfonietta (1978), and No. 5 (1979; Coventry, May 23, 1981); El Alamein (1944; Guildford, Oct. 1945); Miniature Concerto for Violin and Small Orch. (1945); Luxor (1947; London, Oct. 17, 1950); Piano Concerto (1948–49); Maid in Birmingham (1949); Pensieri, concerto grosso for Strings (1950); Solemn Overture: Romeo and Juliet (1951–53; Bournemouth, Oct. 24, 1957); Flourish for a Royal Visit for Small Orch. (1955); Orchestral Variations on Dufay’s Se la face ay pale (1955); 4 Shakespeare Dances (1956); English Horn Concerto (1956; Cheltenham, July 18, 1958); The Three Ladies (Cwyn Mam ’n Y’nghyfraith, Hen Fer-chetan, and Mae ’Nghariad i’n Fenws; 1958); Seithenin, overture (1959); Cello Concerto (1961; Newtown, May 2, 1963); Ian Parrott’s Attempt for Strings (1962); Broncastell (1964); Suite for Violin and Orch. (1965); Concerto for Trombone and Winds (1967; based on the Sonatina for Trombone and Piano, 1958); Fantasia on Welsh Tunes for Brass Band (1968); Homage to 2 Masters (1970; also for Organ); Harrow March for Brass (1970); Reaching for the Light (Attingham Park, Aug. 21, 1971); Concertino for 2 Guitars and Small Orch. (1973); Rumbustuoso VER-NONcello Am GRIFFbrett for Strings (Christchurch, New Zealand, Feb. 1, 1974); Fanfare-Overture (Montacute, July 3, 1993). chamber: Oboe Sonata (1935); Trio for Flute, Violin, and Piano (1937); 5 string quartets: No. 1 (1946; London, May 2, 1950), No. 2 (1954–55), No. 3 (1957; Bangor, May 1961), No. 4 (1963), and No. 5 (1994); Duet for 2 Flutes (1946); Oboe Quartet (1946; Oxford, Oct. 19, 1947); 2 wind quintets: No. 1 (1947–48; Birmingham, May 6, 1949) and No. 2 (1970; Cardiff, May 14, 1971); Fantasy for Cello and Piano (Birmingham, Oct. 8, 1948); Fantasy Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano (1950; Birmingham, May 24, 1951); Hobos Riding for Oboe, Oboe d’Amore, English Horn, and Heckelphone (1951); Dafydd y Garreg Wen for Viola and Piano (1951); Capriccio for Trumpet and Piano (1956); Ceredigion for Harp (1957); Rhapsody for Violin and Piano (1957); Trombone Sonatina (1958; reworked as the Concerto for Trombone and Winds, 1967); Fantasy for James Blades for Percussion (1959); Blackbird Piece for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Horn, Bassoon, and Piano (Bournemouth, Feb. 22, 1960); Septet 1962 (1961–62; Cheltenham, July 10, 1962); Abergenny for Crwth and Optional Clarinet (1965); Big Hat Guy for Violin and Piano (1965); Partita on 2 Welsh Tunes for Harp (1967); Pant Glas for Violin, Glockenspiel, and Piano (1967); 4 Silhouettes for Flute (1969); 2 Dances for Flute and Harp (1969); Arabesque and Dance for Treble Recorder and Harpsichord or Piano (1972); Fanfare and March for 2 Trumpets, Trombone, and Bass Tuba (1973); Devil’s Bridge Jaunt for Cello and Piano (1974); Gleaming Brass for Brass Quintet (1976); Duo fantastico I (1976) and 77 (1990) for Violin and Piano; Rhapsody for Trumpet and Organ (1977); Arfon for Harp (1978); Fantasy Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (1979; New Haven, Conn., Oct. 1986); Reflections for Violin and Piano (1982); Suite for Stefan Popov for Cello and Piano (1982; London, Feb. 5, 1985); Duo for Clarinet and Trumpet (1983; London, May 17, 1984); Autumn Landscape for Oboe and Piano (1983; BBC, March 6, 1986); Duo for 2 Guitars (1988); 3 North Wales Tunes for 2 Guitars (1993); Fantasising (on a Welsh Tune) for Flute, Oboe, and Piano (1993); Awel Dyfi for Treble Recorder (1996); The Wrexham Pipers meet the Machynlleth Marchers for Recorder and Guitar (1996); Rondo Giocoso for Bassoon and Piano (1998); Portraits for Treble Recorder and Piano (1999). KEYBOARD: Piano: Siberian March (1928); Scherzo No. 1 (1933); Foursome for Piano, 4-Hands (1935–39); Caprice (1937); Nocturne (1937); Malvern Hills (1938); Betinka (1939); Westerham (1940); Fuga giocosa (1942); Impromptu (1942); Theme and 6 Variants (London, Oct. 17, 1946); Fantasy and Allegro for 2 Pianos (1946; London, May 1, 1947); The Birds of Glanyrafon (1953); By the Ystwyth (1954); Little Fugato (1954); Fantasy (1964; Bangor, March 8, 1965); Aspects (1975; Copenhagen, March 12, 1976); Humoresque (1993). Organ: Sonata (1933); Agincourt (1948); Elegy (1957); Toccata (Cambridge, May 13, 1962); Mosaics (1968); Fantasia (1974); 2 suites: No. 1 (1977; London, June 1, 1978) and No. 2 (BBC, April 13,1991); Hands Across the Years: In Memoriam Gerald Fimi (1980; Harrogate, Aug. 8,1983). VOCAL: 2 Nature Pieces for Chorus and Orch. (1936–37); Jolly Good Ale & Old for Basses (1939); Earth Rejoices for Chorus (1939); Psalm 91 for Bass, Chorus, and Orch. (1946–47; Belfast, March 16, 1951); All the Woods Answer for Voices (1949); Money Talks and Song in a Saloon Bar from Voices in a Giant City for Men’s Voices and Piano (1949); 3 Kings Have Come for Women’s Voices or Soprano or Baritone or Chorus, Piano, and Strings (1951; Cambridge, Nov. 22, 1952); Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis for Voices and Organ (1961); Cantata jubilate Deo for Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. (1963; London, Oct. 20,1967); The 3 Moorish Princesses for Narrator and Orch. (1963–64); The Song of the Stones of St. David’s for Chorus and Organ (1968); Offertory Motet: Diffusa est gratia in labiis tuis for Voices (1968; London, March 20,1969); Cymun bendigaid for Voice(s) and Organ or Piano or Guitar and Percussion Band (1972; also as the Folksong Mass); Song for Dyfed for 2 Narrators, Chorus, and Piano (1973–74); Master Hugues of Saxe-Gotha for Men’s Voices and Piano (1975); My Cousin Alice for Mezzo-soprano, Tenor, Chorus, Piano, and Tape of Birds (1982; Ab-erystwyth, May 16, 1983); Eastern Wisdom for Voice and Chamber Orch. (1987; Machynlleth, May 6, 1990); Arglwydd ein lor ni for Voices (Lower Machen, June 30, 1991); various solo songs, including The Christ Child (1987), Aphorisms and Arias for Soprano and Baritone (1995), and Songs of Renewal (1995).