Friskin studied in Glasgow with local organist Alfred Heap, and from 1900—at the precocious age of 14—at the Royal College of Music under Edward Dannreuther for piano and (from 1905) Charles Villiers Stanford for composition.
[1] He completed his Piano Quintet in 1907 at age 21; published by Stainer & Bell, Thomas Dunhill assessed it as "one of the most brilliant op.1's in existence".
[3] Friskin and Clarke, along with George Butterworth, formed a small choir to explore the works of Palestrina, asking Vaughan Williams to direct them.
[1] More than thirty years later, Friskin and Clarke, both aged 58, were married in New York City (on 23 September 1944) after a chance reunion.
[7][8] Friskin's obituarist in The New York Times wrote, "He became known as a Bach specialist long before others began specializing in baroque composers .