Horatio William Parker (September 15, 1863 – December 18, 1919) was an American composer, organist and teacher. He was a central figure inmusical life inNew Haven, Connecticut in the late 19th century, and is best remembered as the undergraduate teacher ofCharles Ives while the composer attendedYale University.
He was born inAuburndale, Massachusetts. His earliest lessons were with his mother. He then studied inBoston withGeorge Whitefield Chadwick,Stephen A. Emery, and John Orth.[1][2] His first professional position was playing the organ at St. Paul's Episcopal Church inDedham, Massachusetts.[3] He was paid a salary of roughly $300 a year from September 1880 to January 1882.[3]
He finished his formal education in Europe, a common destination for a young American composer in the 1880s, where he studied inMunich withJosef Rheinberger. His fellow students at theRoyal Music School inMunich[4] includedArthur Whiting andH. H. Huss.[5][6] In Munich Parker composed his first significant works, including asymphony and a dramaticcantata. He also premiered Joseph Rheinberger's Organ Concerto No. 1 in F Major from 1884 there.[7]
After his return to the United States in 1885, he was for two years professor of music in the Cathedral School of St. Paul inGarden City, Long Island. From 1888 to 1893, he was organist ofTrinity Church, New York City, and from 1893 to 1901 organist ofTrinity Church, Boston.[8] In 1893, Parker became Battell Professor of the theory of music atYale University. He was appointed Dean of Music at that school in 1904, a position which he held for the rest of his life.[9][10]
Parker was the uncle of Parker Bailey, who was an American composer, pianist, and lawyer.[13] Bailey served for a time as a lawyer at theSecurities and Exchange Commission having graduated from Yale in 1923 with majors in Greek and mathematics, but remained active as a composer for much of his life. He won the Joseph H Stearns prize at Columbia University in 1928 for hisSonata in A Flat Major for flute and piano.[14][15]
Before leaving New York City in 1893, Parker had completed hisoratorio,Hora Novissima, set to the opening words ofDe contemptu mundi byBernard of Cluny. It was widely performed in America; and also in England, in 1899 at Chester, and at theThree Choirs Festival at Worcester, the latter an honour never before paid an American composer.[8] European critics called it one of the finest of American compositions.[1] While he is mostly remembered for this single work, he was a prolific and versatile composer in a mostly conservative Germanic tradition, writing two operas, songs, organ and incidental music, and a copious quantity of works for chorus and orchestra. Influences in his compositions includeMendelssohn,Brahms,Wagner, as well asDebussy andElgar in some works which he composed closer to 1900. During his lifetime he was considered to be the finest composer[citation needed][dubious –discuss] in the United States,[by whom?] a superior craftsman writing in the most advanced style.
In 1892, Parker composed thehymn tune "Auburndale" in celebration of the laying of the cornerstone of the new church building of theEpiscopal parish he was baptised in,Parish of the Messiah. His father,Charles Edward Parker, had been the architect for that congregation's chapel; famed Episcopal bishopPhillips Brooks laid the cornerstone. "Auburndale" was later published in the 1916 Hymnal ("The Messiah Miracle: A History The Church of the Messiah of West Newton and Auburndale 1871–1971," privately published, 1971).
Parker entered his opera,Mona, into a contest at theMetropolitan Opera winning the prize for best composition in 1911. He won 10,000 dollars and his opera was performed by the company.Mona premiered on March 14, 1912 and ran for four performances. The title role was taken byLouise Homer. He won theLos Angeles $10,000 prize for his operaFairyland.[10]
Parker's music is used as Hymn #66 "Rejoice the Lord is King"[16] in the hymnbook for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (with lyrics byCharles Wesley, 1707-1788). The hymn uses the JUBILATE tune and has been in the church's hymnbook since 1948.[17]
The Red Cross Spirit Speaks (J. Finley), Op. 83 (1917)[19]
A. D. 1919, A Commemorative Poem by Brian Hooker Set to Music by Horatio Parker (op.84) ["Published in Memory of the Two Hundred and Twenty-one Yale Men who Gave their Lives in the World War and in Recognition of the Service Rendered to the Allies by the Eight Thousand Yale Men who Responded to the Call to Arms"] - Published by Yale University Press in 1919.
