Robert Parris

Biography

An American composer who worked primarily in the Washington DC area, Robert Parris (1924 - 1999) was a Juilliard student who later studied with Luening and Copland, though he counted their influence on his music as "minimal."

Known as a musical colorist, Parris specializes in small ensembles, and has been known to push instruments to the limits of virtuouso playing -- his solo violin sonata is considered quite difficult, and the composer-directors of CRI believed his trombone concerto to be unplayable until they heard a recording of it. A longtime professor at George Washington University; Parris has had his works performed by Mstislav Rostropovich and the NSO.

In the early seventies, he turned to Borges for inspiration and produced the marvelous Book of Imaginary Beings, (I) a work for flute (pic), violin, cello, piano, celeste, and percussion, from 1972. Part II was published in 1983.

Parris got his first international recognition in 1958 with his concerto for five kettledrums and orchestra, premiered by Fred Begun, and the National Symphony in Washington, under Howard Mitchell. CRI recorded a number of his works, and ACA is the largest distributor of his music, with more than 65 works available for sale and rental.

Archival materials are found at Special Collections in Performing Arts at the University of Maryland, and at the Library of Congress.

 

 

  • brass featured
  • ACE Publications

    66 title(s)
    Composer Title SCORING/INSTRUMENTATION Year
    Robert Parris BOOK OF IMAGINARY BEINGS, THE (PART 1)
    fl/pic,2perc,vln,vcl,pf/cel
    Robert Parris BOOK OF IMAGINARY BEINGS, THE (PART 2) cl,vln,vla,vcl,2perc
    Robert Parris BRANDENBURG CONCERTO NO.3(BACH) hpschd
    Robert Parris BRANDENBURG CONCERTO NO.6(BACH) hpschd
    Robert Parris CADENZA, CAPRICE & RICERCARE vcl,pf
    Robert Parris CANTATA: ALAS FOR THE DAY ten solo,satb,org
    Robert Parris CANTATA:ALAS FOR THE DAY ten solo, satb, orch:2-2-2-2, 2-1-1-0,timp,str
    Robert Parris CHAMBER MUSIC FOR ORCHESTRA orch:pic-2-2-Ebcl-2-bcl-2-cbsn,4-3-3-1,cel,hp,timp&4perc,str
    Robert Parris CONCERTO FOR FLUTE & ORCH solo fl & orch:0-2-4-2, 4-2-3-1,pf,timp,3perc,str
    Robert Parris CONCERTO FOR PERCUSSION, VIOLIN, CELLO, AND PIANO perc, vln, vcl, pf/cel
    Robert Parris CONCERTO FOR PIANO & ORCH orch:1-1-1-1,2-1-0-0,str
    Robert Parris CONCERTO FOR TROMBONE tbn solo, pic/fl-ob-Bbcl-Ebcl, pf, 3perc, str
    Robert Parris CONCERTO FOR VIOLA & ORCH orch:1-1-1-1,2-1-1-1,perc,str
    Robert Parris CONCERTO FOR VIOLIN orch:2/pic-2/ehn-2/bcl-2/cbsn, 4-2-3-1,timp,perc,hp,str
    Robert Parris CYNTHIA'S REVELLS Bass Baritone with piano, or guitar
    Robert Parris DIRGE FOR THE NEW SUNRISE fl,vln,vcl,timp,perc
    Robert Parris DREAMS sop, fl, ob, vln, vcl, cb, pf, cel, 4perc
    Soprano with mixed ensemble
    Robert Parris FANTASY ON J S BACH'S ADAPTATION OF THE TE DEUM (HERR, DICH LOBEN WIR) full recorder consort: min 2sopranino,2sop,2alt,3ten,3b(F),1great b(C)
    Robert Parris FANTASY ON TWO THEMES
    Robert Parris FIVE EASY CANONS & A FUGUE, For winds or strings ww trio(any combination of 2treble and 1bass part)OR str trio
    Robert Parris FOUR PIECES tpt, hn, tbn OR cl, hn, bsn
    Robert Parris GHOST STORY
    Robert Parris GLOSS ON CHOPIN'S ETUDE, OP. 25, NO. 4, A
    violin, piano
    Robert Parris GOLDEN NET
    Fl, Ob, Cl, Bsn, Hn, C Tpt, Vn, Vla, Vcl, Perc
    Robert Parris HYMN FOR THE NATIVITY satb,3tpt,3tbn,tb,timp,2perc

    Additional Works