Parish-Alvars, Elias

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Parish-Alvars, Elias

Parish-Alvars, Elias, remarkable English harpist; b. Teignmouth, Feb. 28, 1808; d. Vienna, Jan. 25, 1849. He studied with F. Dizi and N. Bochsa, and after a tour of Germany when he was 15, he completed his studies with T. Labarre. He made tours of Europe from 1834, making his home in Vienna. He appeared in the Far East (1838–42), then played in Leipzig and London (1842), in Dresden and Prague (1843), and again in London (1844, 1846); subsequently was made a chamber musician at the Viennese court (1847). He wrote an opera, a Sym., 2 piano concertos, and many works for harp, including 2 concertos, a Concertino for 2 Harps, duos for harp and piano, and some 80 virtuoso pieces for solo harp.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire