(From Birmingham)
THE BIRMINGHAM STUDIO AUGMENTED
ORCHESTRA
(Leader, FRANK CANTELL)
Conducted by JOSEPH LEWIS
SIR WILLIAM STERNDALE BENNETT was a leading figure in the Victorian world of music, and did more for his generation than we are apt to remember now. He was one of the first students at the Royal Academy of Music, which in those days was in comparatively humble quarters off Hanover Square. It was a boarding school then. He had the good luck to play at one of the Academy concerts at which Mendelssohn was present, and then and there began a friendship which had a considerable influence on Bennett's career. He visited Leipzig more than once at Mendelssohn's invitation, and played and conducted his own music in the famous Gcwandhaus.
In the course of his long and busy career, Sir William hold many important appointments, chief of which was at the Royal Academy, whose Principal he became in 1866. He was Professor of Music at Cambridge and founder of the Bach Society.
For many years the most popular work in its own class, The May Queen, is still a favourite Cantata, especially with choral societies of modest size and attainment. Thoroughly melodious and grateful to sing throughout, it is as good an example as we possess of the music of its day