- Ian Parrott
Professor Ian Parrott (born 1916), who retired from the
Gregynog Chair of Music atAberystwyth in 1983, is a prolific Anglo-Welsh composer and writer on music. His distinctions include the first prize of theRoyal Philharmonic Society for his symphonic poem 'Luxor', and commissions by theBBC andYale University , and for many leading British musicians. In 1958 his Cor Anglais concerto was first performed atCheltenham Festival and in 1963 hiscello concerto was given byWilliam Pleeth and theHalle Orchestra - both concertos were conducted by SirJohn Barbirolli .Early life
Ian Parrott was born in
Streatham , London, in 1916. He studied at theRoyal College of Music , was a music scholar atNew College, Oxford , from 1934 to 1937, and was awarded his doctorate in 1940. War service with theRoyal Corps of Signals took him toEgypt . He was a lecturer atBirmingham University from 1946 to 1950.Career
After about 1950, Parrott's compositions became deeply influenced by his interest in the Welsh landscape and culture. In 1955 he became a founder member of the Guild for the Promotion of Welsh Music. Amongst his writings are a book on the
Davies sisters of Gregynog - "The Spiritual Pilgrims" - and his book on Elgar for the "Master Musicians" Series. A leading authority on Elgar, he became a Vice-President of the Elgar Society in 1973; he is also a vice-president of thePeter Warlock Society.He wrote a study of the piano music of
Cyril Scott and in 1994 he published "The Crying Curlew" for Peter Warlock's centenary. His autobiography "Parrottcisms" appeared in 2003.He has composed five symphonies, four
opera s and many chamber works.Awards
Amongst many awards in a distinguished career, Professor Parrott received the
John Edwards Memorial Award from the Guild for the Promotion of Welsh Music in 1977. In 1994 he became the first recipient of theGlyndŵr Award for an Outstanding Contribution to the Arts inWales .Bibliography
*
Michael Kennedy (musicologist) (Editor): "The Oxford Dictionary of Music" (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1994) ISBN 0-19-869162-9
* Ian Parrott: "Elgar (Master Musicians Series) "(Dent, London, 1971) ISBN 0-460-03109-0
* Ian Parrott: "Parrottcisms" (British Music Society, Upminster, 2003) ISBN 1-870536-24-X
* Ian Parrott: "The Spiritual Pilgrims" (C. Davies, Llandybie, 1969)
* Ian Parrott: "The Crying Curlew: Peter Warlock, family & influences" (Gomer, Llandysul, 1994) ISBN 1-85902-121-2
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