September 15, 1863:
Horatio William Parker is born in Auburndale (now part of Newton), Massachusetts, USA, eldest of four children born to Charles Edward Parker, a successful architect, and Isabella Graham Jennings, daughter of a minister. Charles Parker also has four children from a previous marriage.
November 13, 1881:
Horatio Parker (18) begins lessons with George Whitefield Chadwick in Chadwick’s Boston home at 149a Tremont Street. It is Chadwick’s 27th birthday.
June 25, 1882:
Horatio Parker (18) plays the organ for the last time in his position at St. John’s Church in Roxbury, Massachusetts. He is leaving shortly for study in Europe.
July 1, 1882:
Horatio Parker (18) sets sail from New York for Germany. He will study in Munich.
July 16, 1882:
Horatio Parker (18) reaches Cologne on his journey to Europe.
June 23, 1883:
Zwei Gesänge für Gemischten Chor by Horatio Parker (19) are performed for the first time, in Munich.
July 7, 1884:
Two works by Horatio Parker (20) are performed for the first time, in the Königliche Musikhochschule, Munich: Ballade op.6 for chorus and orchestra, and Concert Overture op.4.
December 23, 1884:
Psalm 23 op.3 for soprano, female chorus, organ, and harp by Horatio Parker (21) is performed for the first time, in the Königliche Musikhochschule, Munich.
May 11, 1885:
Symphony in C op.7 by Horatio Parker (21) is performed for the first time, in the Königliche Musikhochschule, Munich.
July 15, 1885:
König Trojan op.8, a ballad for tenor, baritone, chorus, and orchestra by Horatio Parker (21) to words of Muth, is performed for the first time, in the Königliche Musikhochschule, Munich.
August 9, 1886:
Horatio Parker (22) marries Anna Ploessl, a piano student, in Munich.
November 29, 1887:
String Quartet op.11 by Horatio Parker (24) is performed for the first time, in Detroit.
December 10, 1890:
Count Robert of Paris, an overture by Horatio Parker (27), is performed for the first time, in New York.
April 30, 1891:
Harold Harfager op.26 for chorus and orchestra by Horatio Parker (27) is performed for the first time, in Chickering Hall, New York.
May 7, 1891:
The Kobolds op.21, a cantata by Horatio Parker (27) to words of Bates, is performed for the first time, in Springfield, Massachusetts.
December 27, 1892:
Let Us Rise Up and Build for solo voices, chorus, brass, timpani, and organ by Horatio Parker (29) to words from the Bible is performed for the first time, at the laying of the cornerstone of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York.
March 3, 1893:
Suite for piano, violin, and cello op.35 by Horatio Parker (29) is performed for the first time, in New York.
March 30, 1893:
Winners in a competition for young American composers by the National Conservatory of Music are performed in Madison Square Garden, New York. Dream-King and his Love op.31, a cantata by Horatio Parker (29) to words of Geibel translated by Whitney, is performed for the first time. It wins the prize in cantata. Others are for symphony, piano concerto, and string orchestra suite. The critics are pleased with Parker’s efforts, but not the concert as a whole.
May 3, 1893:
Hora novissima op.30, an oratorio by Horatio Parker (29) to words of de Morlaix, is performed for the first time, in New York, the composer conducting. It is an unbounded success and secures Parker’s reputation.
January 15, 1895:
Suite in e minor for piano and violin op.41 by Horatio Parker (31) is performed for the first time, in Boston.
January 21, 1895:
String Quartet op.38 by Horatio Parker (31) is performed for the first time, in Boston.
March 29, 1895:
Cáhal Mór of the Wine-red Hand, a rhapsody for baritone and orchestra by Horatio Parker (31) to words of Mangan, is performed for the first time, in the Boston Music Hall.
April 15, 1898:
The Legend of St. Christopher op.43, a dramatic oratorio by Horatio Parker (34) to words of his mother, Isabella Parker, is performed for the first time, in New York.
March 16, 1899:
Adstant angelorum chori op.45, a motet by Horatio Parker (35) to words of Thomas a Kempis, is performed for the first time, in New York. It wins first prize in a contest sponsored by the Musical Art Society of New York.
April 7, 1899:
A Northern Ballad op.46, a tone poem by Horatio Parker (35), is performed for the first time, in New Haven.
September 13, 1900:
The cantata A Wanderer’s Psalm op.50, with words after the Bible and music by Horatio Parker (36), is performed for the first time, in Hereford.
October 23, 1901:
The Hymnos Andron op.53 for solo voices, male chorus, and orchestra, words by Goodell and music by Horatio Parker (38) is performed for the first time, at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut for the 200th anniversary of the founding of the college.
June 10, 1902:
Horatio Parker (38) is awarded an honorary DMus by the University of Cambridge.
October 23, 1902:
The lyric rhapsody A Star Song op.54 by Horatio Parker (39) to words of Carpenter is performed for the first time, in Norwich, England. On the same program is the premiere of the Irish Rhapsody no.1 for orchestra by Charles Villiers Stanford (50).
December 26, 1902:
The Organ Concerto op.55 by Horatio Parker (39) is performed for the first time, in Symphony Hall, Boston, the composer as soloist.
February 6, 1904:
Horatio Parker (40) is hired by the Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas in New York as organist and choirmaster.
November 7, 1904:
Incidental music to Nathan’s play The Eternal Feminine by Horatio Parker (41), is performed for the first time, in New Haven, Connecticut.
March 6, 1905:
Union and Liberty op.60 for chorus and orchestra or band by Horatio Parker (41) is performed for the first time, in Washington as part of celebrations surrounding the inaugural of President Roosevelt.
May 13, 1905:
Horatio Parker (41) is elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters, only the second musician to be so honored.
May 31, 1905:
Spirit of Beauty op.61, an ode by Horatio Parker (41) to words of Detmers, is performed for the first time, at the dedication of the Albright Art Gallery in Buffalo, New York.
September 24, 1906:
Incidental music to Clarke’s (after Wallace) play The Prince of India by Horatio Parker (43) is performed for the first time, at the Broadway Theatre, New York.
June 4, 1908:
The ballad King Gorm the Grim op.64 by Horatio Parker (44) to words of Fontane (tr. Whitney), is performed for the first time, in Norfolk, Connecticut.
November 30, 1908:
In an official ceremony, the cornerstone is laid for the new Boston Opera House. Inside the stone is a compartment containing compositions by John Knowles Paine (†2), Edward MacDowell (†0), George Whitefield Chadwick (54), Charles Martin Loeffler (47), Horatio Parker (45), Amy Beach (41), and Frederick S. Converse (37).
March 27, 1911:
Crépuscule/Twilight op.62, a concert aria for mezzo-soprano and orchestra by Horatio Parker (47) to words of de Beaufort (tr. Whitney), is performed for the first time, in Philadelphia. It wins first prize in a contest sponsored by the National Federation of Music Clubs.
May 3, 1911:
By a unanimous decision of the judges, Mona by Horatio Parker (47) is chosen as the winner of a contest sponsored by the Metropolitan Opera of New York for an opera in English composed by a native-born American. See 14 March 1912.
June 7, 1911:
Horatio Parker’s (47) Collegiate Overture op.72 is performed for the first time, in Norfolk, Connecticut.
December 1, 1911:
Horatio Parker’s (48) cantata A Song of Times op.73, to words of Long, is performed for the first time, at the Wannamaker Department Store, Philadelphia.
March 14, 1912:
Mona op.71, an opera by Horatio Parker (48) to words of Hooker, is performed for the first time, at the Metropolitan Opera, New York. It is the winner of the Metropolitan Opera Prize. The audience is enthusiastic but the critics are disappointed. It will receive only three more performances and will not become part of the permanent repertory of the Metropolitan.
April 13, 1915:
Morven and the Grail op.79, an oratorio by Horatio Parker (51) to words of Hooker, is performed for the first time, in Boston for the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Handel and Haydn Society.
May 9, 1915:
Charles Villiers Stanford (62) writes to Horatio Parker (51) telling him he will not be able to travel to Connecticut for the premiere of his Piano Concerto no.2. He booked passage to sail 15 May on the Lusitania.
July 1, 1915:
Horatio Parker’s (51) opera Fairyland op.77, to words of Hooker, is performed for the first time, in Los Angeles. It is the winner of a $10,000 prize from the National Federation of Women’s Clubs.
June 16, 1916:
Horatio Parker’s (52) masque Cupid and Psyche op.80 to words of Chapman is performed for the first time, in New Haven.
October 21, 1916:
Horatio Parker’s (53) stage work An Allegory of War and Peace op.81, to words of Markoe, for chorus and band is performed for the first time, in the Yale Bowl, New Haven.
June 4, 1918:
Horatio Parker’s (54) morality play The Dream of Mary op.82 to words of Chapman, is performed for the first time, in Norfolk, Connecticut. Also premiered is Land of Our Hearts for male chorus and orchestra by George Whitefield Chadwick (63) to words of Ware, conducted by the composer.
June 15, 1919:
Horatio Parker’s (55) cantata A.D. 1919, to words of Hooker, is performed for the first time, at Yale University in memory of students and alumni of Yale killed in the Great War.
September 12, 1919:
While vacationing with his wife in Blue Hill, Maine, Horatio Parker (55) is taken to a hospital in Bangor for an appendectomy.
December 9, 1919:
Horatio Parker (56) and his wife depart New Haven for New York where they will begin a Caribbean cruise to recuperate from his recent appendectomy.
December 18, 1919:
Horatio William Parker dies at his daughter’s home in Cedarhurst, New York, USA, of pneumonia, aged 56 years, three months, and three days. He was on his way to a Caribbean cruise to recuperate from a recent appendectomy when he was stricken by pneumonia in New York.
December 20, 1919:
A funeral in memory of Horatio Parker is held in St. Mary’s Church, Newton Lower Falls, Massachusetts.