Chorale Prelude on "Rockingham"

Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, 1st Baronet (27 February 1848 - 7 October 1918) was an English composer, teacher and historian of music.Parry's first major works appeared in 1880. He was director of the Royal College of Music from 1895 until his death and was also professor of music at the University of Oxford from 1900 to 1908. He also wrote several books about music and music history. Some contemporaries rated him as the finest English composer since Henry Purcell, but his academic duties prevented him from devoting all his energies to composition. Parry was a great lover of the music of Bach, and many of his works demonstrate this interest and mastery. This prelude with it's flowing and expressive counterpoint and accompaniment really show the Bach influence, translated into the early 20th century English style. First published in 1912, it is the 2nd piece in the First Set of Chorale Preludes. This prelude with it's flowing and expressive counterpoint and accompaniment really show the Bach influence, translated into the early 20th century English style.

The famous melody is associated with the name of Edward Miller (b. Norwich, England, 1735; d. Doncaster, Yorkshire, England, 1807) who adapted the tune, which had been published in Aaron Williams's "A Second Supplement to Psalmody in Miniature" (c. 1780).

We generally think of this tune as belonging with Isaac Waat's (1674-1748) text, "When I survey the wondrous Cross," but Parry actually had the fine text by Phillip Doddridge (1702-1751) in mind: "My God, and is Thy table spread?".

Whichever you please, both texts are appropriate for Holy Week: Doddridge for Maundy Thursday or Watts for Good Friday, and both "suit" the mood of this splendid prelude.

The score is attached and the piece begins on page 5. A photo of Hubert Parry has also been uploaded.

This is part of my "All English (mostly) Holy Week and Easter," so, there is lots more to come!