Walter Parratt
Encyclopedia
Sir Walter Parratt KCVO (10 February 184127 March 1924) was an English
organist
and composer
.
, son of a parish organist, Parratt began to play the pipe organ
from an early age, and held posts as an organist while still a child. He was child prodigy: on one occasion he played Bach
's complete The Well-Tempered Clavier
by heart, without notice, at the age of only ten.
From 1854 to 1861 he was an organist at St Paul's Church in his native town and, as successor to John Stainer
, in 1872 at Magdalen College, Oxford
, where he remained for ten years.
From 1882 he held the post of organist of His Majesty's Chapel Royal, Windsor
. He became Heather Professor of Music at Oxford University in 1908, taking over from Hubert Parry
. He had previously been Organist and Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford.
He became one of the foremost organ teachers of his day, with many important posts in Britain being filled by his students. He was president of the Royal College of Organists
.
Parratt was also a distinguished chess player, and was able to simultaneously play chess and a complex organ piece--at first sight. He served for a few months as president of the Oxford University Chess Club
and for two years was captain of the eight chosen to play against Cambridge.
ed in 1892. In 1893 he was appointed Master of the Queen's Musick
to Queen Victoria, and afterward held the same office under Kings Edward VII
and George V
.
Later honours included: Member (MVO, 1901), Commander (CVO, 1917), and Knight Commander (KCVO, 1921) of the Royal Victorian Order
.
After Parratt's death in 1924 a monument to him was erected in the grounds of Huddersfield Parish Church. There is also a monument to him in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, next to the entrance to King George VI Memorial Chapel where King George VI and the Queen mother are buried.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Biography
Born in HuddersfieldHuddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
, son of a parish organist, Parratt began to play the pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
from an early age, and held posts as an organist while still a child. He was child prodigy: on one occasion he played Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
's complete The Well-Tempered Clavier
The Well-Tempered Clavier
The Well-Tempered Clavier , BWV 846–893, is a collection of solo keyboard music composed by Johann Sebastian Bach...
by heart, without notice, at the age of only ten.
From 1854 to 1861 he was an organist at St Paul's Church in his native town and, as successor to John Stainer
John Stainer
Sir John Stainer was an English composer and organist whose music, though not generally much performed today , was very popular during his lifetime...
, in 1872 at Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
, where he remained for ten years.
From 1882 he held the post of organist of His Majesty's Chapel Royal, Windsor
St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle
St George's Chapel is the place of worship at Windsor Castle in England, United Kingdom. It is both a royal peculiar and the chapel of the Order of the Garter...
. He became Heather Professor of Music at Oxford University in 1908, taking over from Hubert Parry
Hubert Parry
Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, 1st Baronet was an English composer, teacher and historian of music.Parry's first major works appeared in 1880. As a composer he is best known for the choral song "Jerusalem", the coronation anthem "I was glad" and the hymn tune "Repton", which sets the words...
. He had previously been Organist and Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford.
He became one of the foremost organ teachers of his day, with many important posts in Britain being filled by his students. He was president of the Royal College of Organists
Royal College of Organists
The Royal College of Organists or RCO, is a charity and membership organisation based in the United Kingdom, but with members around the world...
.
Parratt was also a distinguished chess player, and was able to simultaneously play chess and a complex organ piece--at first sight. He served for a few months as president of the Oxford University Chess Club
Oxford University Chess Club
The Oxford University Chess Club was founded at the University of Oxford in 1869 and is the oldest university chess club in the United Kingdom. The Club meets each Tuesday evening during University term time, from 7.30pm at St John's College...
and for two years was captain of the eight chosen to play against Cambridge.
Honours
He was knightKnight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed in 1892. In 1893 he was appointed Master of the Queen's Musick
Master of the Queen's Music
Master of the Queen's Music is a post in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. The holder of the post originally served the monarch of England.The post is roughly comparable to that of Poet Laureate...
to Queen Victoria, and afterward held the same office under Kings Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
and George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
.
Later honours included: Member (MVO, 1901), Commander (CVO, 1917), and Knight Commander (KCVO, 1921) of the Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
.
After Parratt's death in 1924 a monument to him was erected in the grounds of Huddersfield Parish Church. There is also a monument to him in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, next to the entrance to King George VI Memorial Chapel where King George VI and the Queen mother are buried.
Appointments
- Armitage Bridge Church, 1852-1854
- St. Paul's Church, Huddersfield, 1854-1861
- private organist to the Earl of Dudley, Witley CourtWitley CourtWitley Court in Worcestershire, England is a Grade 1 listed building and was once one of the great houses of the Midlands, but today it is a spectacular ruin after being devastated by fire in 1937. It was built by Thomas Foley in 1655 on the site of a former manor house near Great Witley...
, 1861-1868 - organist of Wigan Parish ChurchWigan Parish ChurchAll Saints' Church, Wigan is the Church of England parish church in Wigan, Greater Manchester.It is a Grade II* listed building.-History:The church is medieval but most of the present building was erected between 1845 and 1850 by the Lancaster partnership of Sharpe and Paley, when it was almost...
, 1868-1872 - Magdalen College, OxfordMagdalen College, OxfordMagdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
, 1872-1882 - St. George's Chapel, Windsor CastleSt. George's Chapel, Windsor CastleSt George's Chapel is the place of worship at Windsor Castle in England, United Kingdom. It is both a royal peculiar and the chapel of the Order of the Garter...
1882-1924