PASSING OF FAMOUS COMPOSER

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 76, 24 December 1918, Page 8

PASSING OF FAMOUS COMPOSER

SIR HUBERT PARRY

SKETCH OF HIS CAREER

(From the "Westminster Gazette.") One of the most distinguished of modern musicians recently passed .rem the sceno in the person <>1 Sir Uliarlos Hastings Hubert Parry. Director (it the Hoval College of .Uusic, ex-Presideut of Music at Oxford University, composer ot some of the most important Bnlisn music produced within recent years, author of many admirable books on musical subjects, country gentleman, magistrate, scholar, philosopher, sportsmanSir Hubert. Parry was one ot the most various and versatile men ox his lime. It was often said of. him, indeed, by his admires that if ho could have persuaded himself to have concentrated his energies more narrowly ho might have done greater things in his own chosen province. Perhaps it was a little unfortunate for Irs reputation with tho general musical public that Parry devoted Inmseli so lar«ely to choral works of the oratorio and cantata tvpe, for music in this form has to possess quite extraordinary orisinnlitv and power if it is to get a hearing in these days outside the provincial festivals and the suburban choral societies, with the .result that some of Parry's most important works were never performed in London at all, and even (hone that were given were performed very rarely. Yet a few have secured universal recognition. n°«J»'> his line setting of Milton s ode Blest Pair of Sirens," first performed by the Bach Choir in 18S7, which, though an M rlv work, is likely to last »& long perhaps as anything lie wrote. Another work, written a good manv venrs ago now, which must he reckoned among "his finest achievements, is Ins ariitorio "Job," which attracted much, attention when produced at the (..loueester Festival of 1802, and tins was fo - lowed b\ r nini!v oilier earnest and gchfllarlv works, which never failed to be received witn respect, if few aroused any overwhelming enthusiasm. Perhaps Ins stvlc was too predominantly severe and restrained for this. In the way of instrumental worts Parry wrote," in addition to overtures a number of symphonies, :\ fine set of Symphonic Variations (which has been more often, played than any of Jits other, orchestral waitings), n quantity <>t chamber music (much of which has only been performed in private), and many important works for the organ, besides a number of songs, part tongs, c-ic. But if Parrv had never written a lint of music himself his influence m Ihe musical sense would still have lwi one I of the most potent and stimulating ol Ins 'time His contributions to the literature of the art alone, would have been amply sufficient to secure him an abiding in mira'cal history. .Hi* hook, Ilia Evolution of the Art ot Music' has long since lakcn its place as a classic; he was responsible for the volume ot tlie Uxf«rd History, of Music, with the seventeenth wiitwy; Ins' lie-long sludv of and admiration for Bach lie embodied in another admirable volume; wliilo his "Style in Musical Art is a contribution to the philosophy ot music, of the highest, value. Indeed, his writings on music alone would have constituted no mean achievement, yet they represented in his case.bui a fraction ot his total activities. But no one could have been less of I lie traditional pedagogue lluui one so full of life nnd spirit, so uiiconvenlial. so k»en!v conscious of the lnnuorous side ol Ihiiigs, so delightfully free from pompnsilv <i' - iil'iectation, so downright and direct in all his dealings, as &r .Hubert Parry. A few personal details may conclude this not if. The'second son of Thomas Gambler Pivvrv ol' Uiglmiini Court, near Gloucester, a' highly skilled amateur painler and patron of the arts, Parry was born at Bournemouth February 27, IR(,S, and was educated svt Eton and Oxford. His niusical.'auUtu-les attracted notice verv soon. It is rcccrded that he l)i'?an composing chants end hvuui tunes at the age of eight, while at Rim lie speedilv acouired feme by his singin':, hi* niaiio pla.viiijr. and hi--- imposing pov.-cs. At the sain'; time he wiw of far tco healthy and robust, a mil lire to ne"loct the more ordinary pursuits <.{ bovlmod. and both at Fton and at Oxford he was even more esteemed for his athletic neli ; «vemeiits than for his musical "ifR Yet he cul'.ivaifd the latter 1,, ?urh purpose (hat he wis able lo take his di'i'i'ee at Osfnfd before he left Finn, at the aw <.f nineteen, in itself a fn'rlv rvrc.-ed.ng. fii'r Tin.Vvi -oavrinl in ?572 1 n'W V-hin-beili M-ud H"r'-.i-rt. ai=ter of t'-e fourloeuHi Earl of Pero'hrolie, and had 'wo diivrhtcs, of whom o:i" marvier! Mr. Arthur Ponsonbv. the well-knowr-'tl' n composer 'vns hiniHf a stfon" T.ilmrali. a"d the oilier Mr. Harry Plunket Greene, the famous singer.