Parry was born into a rich family. He went to school in Eton and got his music degree while he was still there. He then went to Oxford to study. He learned from the English-born composer Henry Hugo Pierson in Stuttgart, and with William Sterndale Bennett and the pianist Edward Dannreuther in London. He started to compose a lot of chamber music which was first performed at Dannreuther’s house. He became famous in 1880 when Dannreuther played his piano concerto and his choral work "Prometheus Unbound" was performed at the Gloucester Festival. Other choirs started to ask him to write music for them. One of his best choral pieces was the ode "Blest Pair of Sirens" (1887). Other choral works include "Ode on Saint Cecilia's Day" (1889), the oratorios "Judith" (1888) and "Job" (1892). “Judith” includes a tune which became a well-loved hymn tune called “Repton” sung in churches to the words “Dear Lord and Father of Mankind”.