Walter Parratt

Walter Parratt, 1902

Sir Walter Parratt (born February 10, 1841 in Huddersfield , † March 27, 1924 in Windsor ) was an English organist , music teacher , choir director and composer .

Life

The son of the organist Thomas Parratt had organ lessons from his father and George Cooper junior . At the age of eleven he became organist at Armitage Bridge Church , from 1854 to 1861 he was organist at St. Paul's church in his hometown. Until 1868 he was employed as the Earl of Dudley's private organist on Witley Court . From 1868 to 1872 he was the organist at Wigan Parish Church .

In 1872 Parratt succeeded John Stainer at Magdalen College , Oxford . He held the position for ten years and had a major influence on the musical life at Oxford University during this time . From 1882 he was organist at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle . At the same time he was conductor of the Windsor and Eaton Madrigal Society and the Windsor and Eaton Choral Society . In 1883 he became a professor of organ at the Royal College of Music . In 1892 he was raised to the nobility, in the following year he became Queen Victoria's Master of Music and Royal Private Organist. In the same capacity, he also served their successors Edward VII and George V. From 1908 to 1918 he was Professor of Music at Oxford University.

Parratt composed theater music, church music, anthems , songs, organ and piano pieces. However, he was most important as an interpreter of the organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach and above all as an organ teacher.

literature

• Walter Parratt, February 10, 1841 - March 27, 1924, and Charles Villiers Stanford, September 30, 1852 - March 29, 1924 . In: The Musical Times , May 1, 1924 p. 401, JSTOR 913981

Web links

• Biography of Sir Walter Parratt. Bardon Music
• Sir Walter Parrett. In: Encyclopædia Britannica . (English).