John Parry was a welsh harpist and composer, although in this performance at Stamford, he appears to be playing a keyboard. Attendees paid the large sum of four or five shillings for the evening’s entertainment.
“The entertainment of Mr. John Parry at the Assembly-rooms, Stamford, on Friday evening last, attracted a large and fashionalbe audience. It was at first thought that the prices of admission were too high for ‘free trade times,’ and that the soirée would be only moderately countenanced; but the reminiscences of Mr. Parry’s former entertainment in Stamford, and his increased fame, were too powerful to be resisted, and the consequence was a full attendance. And, however much some of those who paid 4s. or 5s. for admission may have grumbled before taking tickets, there was not a shadow of discontent or disappointment on their leaving the room : the performance was declared inimitable, the applause was general, and the gratification imparted seemed prefect. Mt. Parry’s illustrations of the power of music were as varied as they were astonishing : he passed ‘from grave to gay, from lively to severe,’ at one time eliciting roars of laughter, at another almost making the piano articulate word, and anon causing breathless suspense by describing the fearful character of an Alpine store, a tragic incident connect with it, driving as it were from his instrument reverberating peals of thunder, and then modulating the sound till it seemed to die away in distance. Every person present showed an appreciation of the extraordinaty acquirements of the performer, who it is said has amassed a respectable fortune by his profession.”
The Stamford Mercury, 12th April, 1850.