John Parry (Bardd Alaw)

John Parry (18 February 1776 – 8 April 1851), commonly known by his bardic name Bardd Alaw, was a Welsh harpist and composer.

Parry was born in Denbigh, in northern Wales, the son of a stonemason. He taught himself to play the fife on an instrument that he made himself from a piece of cane, and a dance-master who lived nearby taught him the rudiments of the clarinet, which he used to accompany singers in church.

In 1793, Parry joined the Denbighshire militia's volunteers' band, becoming its conductor in 1797. He became a master of the harp, the clarinet and the flageolet and learned to play many other instruments. In 1807, he left the band and settled in London, where his son, the entertainer John Orlando Parry, was born. At a concert at Covent Garden, in the same year, he performed on two flageolets set together in frame. It is thought that this inspired the flageolet-maker William Bainbridge to invent his double-flageolet. Parry subsequently became this instrument's most famous player, teacher and proponent. By 1809, he began to compose and publish vocal compositions, especially ballads, and simple pieces for the harp and piano, as well as duets for flute and other wind instruments. He also became a facile orchestrator. The same year, he was appointed musical director at Vauxhall Gardens and composed much of the music performed there.

Parry soon published a collection of Welsh melodies, for which the Cambrian Society presented him with a silver medal. He later composed two volumes of Ancient British Airs, with poetry by Mrs. Hemans. Between 1813 and 1818, he composed several songs for public occasions and songs for two musical farces, Fair Cheating and High Notions, writing both the words and music. The name "Bardd Alaw" (professor of music and master of song) was given him at the Welshpool eisteddfod, or Congress of Welsh Bards, at Wrexham in 1821, of which he was musical director. In the same year, he launched Cymdeithas y Canorion, to encourage singing to harp accompaniment. His associates included Lady Llanover, at whose house he was a guest, Felicia Hemans, with whom he collaborated, and Maria Jane Williams, who worked with him on The Welsh Harper. He organized many cymrodorions (Welsh folk festivals).

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