So sorry to learn of the death of Eric Parkin, one of Chandos Records’ stable of pianists. As such, Parkin recorded much English music. In particular, I have him to thank for introducing me to Billy Mayerl, sometimes described as the English Gershwin. What fun, joyous music his is!
Parkin also did much to champion the works of Sir Arnold Bax, John Ireland, and E.J. Moeran, alongside those of many others in even greater need of championing.
I can’t believe he was 96 years-old at the time of his death. I guess many of the recordings I’ve been listening to all these years were made 30-35 years ago. His performances have given me countless hours of pleasure.
R.I.P., Eric Parkin, and thank you for making my world a brighter place!
Perhaps appropriate for the Halloween season, Eric Parkin performs Billy Mayerl’s transcription of Guy Desslyn’s “The Pompous Gremlin”:
Personally, I prefer Mayerl’s “Bats in the Belfry,” but I can’t find Parkin’s recording online.
Parkin performed John Ireland’s Piano Concerto on several of his numerous appearances at the BBC Proms. The second movement is especially beautiful. Or at least I find it so. And the last movement is suitably jaunty.
Interestingly, the third movement seems to recall Ravel’s Concerto in G, written at approximately the same time, though Ravel’s concerto didn’t appear until after Ireland’s had already been published. Ireland did meet Ravel once in Paris. Could he have seen the score?
The work was dedicated to Helen Perkin (one letter off from Parkin!), a pianist Ireland happened to be sweet on. Unfortunately, the attraction was not reciprocated. But no one can fault Ireland for not trying. The slow movement of his concerto contains an allusion to Perkin’s own “Phantasy String Quartet,” though she described it as “more a reminiscence than an exact quotation.”
Earlier, Ireland had been in attendance as Perkin played Prokofiev’s Third Piano Concerto. So in that case, yes, he was definitely “borrowing.” You can hear the influence especially at the very end of his piece.
But all of this is getting very far away from Eric Parkin. I hope you will enjoy his recording of Ireland’s concerto.
