New-York tribune., 1919-12-19
Horatio w. Parker,
Yale Music Dean,
Dies in Cedarhurst
Talented Musician Won
Fame With His Orato-
F. rio, ssHora Novissima'';
Composer Of Prize Operas

Dean Of the Faculty Of Music of Yale
University. and one of the most eminent
Of American composers. died yesterday
morning at the home of his daughter,
Mrs. Ralph Semler, in Cedarhurst, L. l.
r Professor Parker had been ailing for
long time and last summer, while
at his home in Blue Hill, Me-, an acute
attack Of appendicitis necessitated a
hurried operation, which was performed
at the State Hospital in Bangor. From
this he rallied for short time and
returned to his home in New Haven,
but never sufficiently to resume his
abors at the university. He was about
to undertake a voyage to tho tropical
seas when arrested by a relapse on
his way to take ship. He was COM
PEELED to fnd refuge with his daughter
Pneumonia supervened and death came
early yesterday.
Mother Talented in Music
Professor Parker was born in Au-
burndale, Mass, on September Is, 1868,
the son Of Charles Edward Parker, an
architect, and Isabella G. Jennings
Parker. His mother was the daughter
Of clergyman, a woman of talent in
both music and literature. She was
his first teacher and collaboration with
him on several Of his compositions in
the large forms. His ancestors on both
sides were English and came to Amer
lea before the middle Of the seven
teenth century
Musical precocity did not mark his
childhood, strong musical prediction
not disclosing themselves until he was
fourteen years old. Then music ab-
sorbed him. His mother taught him
pianoforte and organ playing for two
years, and then he was sent to Boston
for wider and more systematic study.
At the New England Conservatory Ste
phen A. Emery became his teacher in
harmony, John Orth in pianoforte play
ing and George W. Chadwick in COM
position.
Studied in Munich
In 1881 he entered the Hochschule
fir Musk in Munich, where he contin-
ued his studies in organ playing and
pleted the courses in the German in
sitution with honors, he came back
to his native land and taught for
while in the schools OF st. Paul and
st. Mary in Garden City, l.. |. He
next became teacher of counterpoint
at the National Conservatory Of Music,
then under the direction of Antrim
Dvorak
At the conservatory he carried off a
prize offered for the encouragement of
American composers with 81 cantata,
The Dream King and His Love-" and
before accepting a call to become or
ganist and director Of music at Trinity
Church, Boston, he completed the score
of The work which soon brought him
more than national fame. This was an
cratorio. "Kora Novissima," setting
Of the medieval hymn by Bernard de
MorlaiN, known as the "Rhythm Of the
Celestial Country" His mother wrote
the English paraphrase of the text
First Sung in 1893
The oratoro had it's first perform
ance on May 3, 1898, by the Church
Choral Society, organized by Richard
Henry Warren. After it had been per
formed in Boston, and at festivals in
Cincinnati and Worcester, Mass, it re-
ceived the honor of being the first
American composition ever placed on
the program Of the famous Three
Choirs Festivals of England. The com
poser conducted performance OF the
work at Worcester, England. in 1899
In 1900 "Hcra .Novissima" was sung
also at the Chester festival, and now
work by the composer, entitled "A
Wanderers Psalm" was given at the
Hereford Festival.
csived the degree of Doctor of Music
from Cambridge University and in
September of that year the third part
Of q new oratorio The Legend Of St
christopher" WAS performed for the
Arst time at the Worcester festival and
the entire work at the meeting of the
Three Choirs in Bristol in October.
Called to Yale in 1894
In 1894 he was called to Yale Uni
versity as the second incumbent of the
chair Of music, founded by Robbins
Battell, and the corporation conferred
the degree of NJ A. upon him. AS
professor of music he at once began
vigorously and successfully to make
the university vital factor in the
musical life of New Haven. He built
up an orchestra and choral society, es-
tablished concerts, and saw as fruits
the erection OF Woolsey Hall and fine
building for the School of Music. For
the bicentennial celebration of the uni
Syee1rsity in 1901 he composed the
"Hymnos Andron," and his last crea-
tive labor was the composition of the
music for the ode with which Yale
commemoratcd its sons who had died
in the Great War, which was performed
with great impressiveness at the last
commencement exercises and again
at the special convocation at which an
honorary degree was conferred upon
Cardinal Mercier.
Other Achievements
+. Other achievements which brought
him more wildly into the public eve
were the operas Mona" and Fairy
land with which he carried off prizes
of $4,000, in company with the IL
brettist Brian Hooker, offered by the
Metropolitan Opera Company and
some citizens of Los Angeles, Cal. The
former was performed at the Metro
politan Opera House in the season of
191l-I2, the latter at biennial ma
tional meeting of music clubs in the
California city in 1915 Professor
Parker left a widow and three daugh-
ters, Mrs. Howard Matthai, of Balti-
more; Mrs. Ralph Semler and Mrs.
George Achelis. Of New York.