ABSTRACT

This chapter presents a biography of mid- to late-19th-century singer John Parry. He has been much written about, not least by himself. In his early life he wrote both to and for the press, and he kept a journal, a portion of which was subsequently published. Parry was born to music, the son of the well-established Welsh musician and composer. The young Parry was trained at first on the harp and the piano and as a boy vocalist, but, subsequently proving the possessor of a good baritone voice. He turned his studies towards singing, and in his early twenties was advanced enough in his art to begin appearing in the West End concerts. During 1831, Mr. Parry was seen altogether more widely, and often in distinguished musical company. He performed at the concerts given by Cramer and Moscheles, at the latter of which he introduced Neukomm's soon to be celebrated cantata Napoleon's Midnight Review.