Archive item of the month: February 2024
William Frye Parker, 10 September 1855 – 20 February 1919 [Member 00466]
This manuscript document outlines the student life of violinist William Frye Parker and details his concert career and travels.
Parker writes a brief introduction as to how he commenced in the music profession, interspersed with occasional anecdotes. His reminiscences include seven years of study at the Royal Academy of Music and note that Prosper Philippe Sainton (1813-1890) “the best of masters & the kindest of men … did more for the violin playing of England than any man of his time”.
The principal part of the volume lists all his concert career and travels and is likely constructed by him leafing through his lifetime of diaries. It provides an interesting shapshot of a working orchestral musician’s lifetime of performances and the amount of travel involved.
Donated by the author’s daughter, Miss Ada Ann Parker (1884-1957), in 1952.
Parker’s death was noted in the periodical The Musical News, an extract of which was included in his RSM Membership file.