Poor Sterndale Bennett has had a chequered career. In his youth he was lionised by both Mendelssohn and Schumann. His early music was seen as fine examples of classical craftmanship that nodded towards Mozart rather than Liszt or Wagner who were soon to dominate the Romantic era. Indeed, there was always a school of thought that suggested he served up reheated Mendelssohn, especially with the cantata The Women of Samaria. His later works were deemed to be stylistically conservative. By the beginning of the 20th century, as the English Music Renaissance gathered steam, Sterndale Bennett was dismissed as “an uninspired pedant.” There followed decades of neglect. In the 1960’s there began a reappraisal of his early works, especially the piano concerti and the chamber music. Some critics regarded these as a bridge between Beethoven and Brahms. Indeed, there have been several recordings of his work for piano solo, the piano concertos, and the symphonic music, led by Marco Polo, Lyrita and Hyperion.
Sterndale Bennett composed six piano concertos, as well as a single movement Caprice for piano and orchestra. All have now been recorded. The Piano Concerto No. 4 in F minor, op. 19, is usually regarded as his masterpiece. It was premiered in 1839 with the composer as soloist and Mendelssohn conducting and was dedicated to the Bohemian composer, and regular resident in London, Ignaz Moscheles. The Concerto can be characterised as presenting a “refined virtuosity” and “elegant lyricism.”
Robert Schumann, reviewed the
score in 1840, and noted that “nothing in the entire concerto is calculated for
bravura display and applause, he only cares to display the composition itself.”
Nevertheless, as Elizabeth French (Liner Notes Hyperion CDA67595) explains the “first
and third movements provide ample opportunity for the composer-pianist to show
off his technique, with flowering passagework and some brilliant figuration.”
The middle movement is a cool Barcarole: Andante cantabile e con moto,
which replaced an earlier discarded movement.
I am indebted to the liner notes for details of the Piano Concerto No.6 in A minor, WO.48 (1848).
William Sterndale Bennett’s final piano
concerto faced delays and revisions, before it was premiered in its present
form. Originally titled a 'Concert-Stück,' it was heard at a
Philharmonic Concert in London on 5 June 1843. Originally planned in two
movements, WSB added the central Serenade at the last minute.
Unsatisfied with the
orchestration, he revised the first and third movements and changed the title
to “Concerto.” The Serenade was replaced with the slow movement from his
First Concerto. This version featured substantial changes to the first
movement, including extensive rescoring and a thicker orchestral texture. This
edition was premiered on 15 June 1848 at the Hanover Square Rooms.
Rosemary Firman, née Williamson,
in her remarkable William Sterndale Bennett: A Descriptive Thematic
Catalogue (Oxford, 1996) explains that he never felt confident enough to
publish the A minor Concerto, and the lapse in time caused it to become
stylistically dated. Rediscovered by Firman in 1992, it is characterized by a
broadly classical style, and with its refined, delicate orchestration, standing
apart from the prevalent large-scale romantic concertos of the period.
The present conductor Martin Yates edited and completed the score for the Piano Concerto No. 6. In the liner notes he explains that the existing manuscript had "three clearly laid out movements," though the piano part was often "more of a sketch than a finished article." He notes that "it was fairly clear where the missing music was" and "reasonably clear as to how these gaps could have potentially been filled in." The missing sections varied: "Sometimes the piano part petered out altogether," or "the right hand was written out whilst the left hand was missing," or "there was the start of an accompanying figure in the left hand which stopped after just a few notes."
Yates acknowledges that his
edition was "…partly guesswork based on my knowledge of Sterndale
Bennett's style, the music of the period and also the music that was already
completed on the manuscript." He concludes, "Unless a more complete
score of this concerto materialises, I feel I have done what is possible in
helping this concerto come back to life and in doing so hopefully contributing
to the remarkable legacy of Sterndale Bennett; a considerable composer of
stature and invention."
This concerto, which is stylistically closest to Mozart and Mendelssohn, has echoes of Hummel and Moscheles. It blends classical clarity with Romantic lyricism, avoiding Lisztian bravura in favour of refined craftsmanship. It is a valuable discovery.
The third and final piece on this disc is the eccentric Concerto for Two Pianos in C major, WO.29 (1835), which is, I believe, a premiere recording. The oddness has nothing to do with its sound and progress – it is in the history of its composition. The liner notes explain that this single movement concerto was completed in 1835 as a joint effort between Sterndale Bennett and fellow student at the Royal Academy of Music, George Alexander Macfrarren. The methodology was that “The two men began by taking turns: Bennett wrote the first thirty-seven bars, Macfarren the next fifty, and so on, with the last 125 bars or so apparently a collaboration.” There is a suggestion that it may have been the first movement of a full-scale concerto that was never completed. Hearing this Concerto, with its “youthful exuberance” and “joie de vivre” it is hard to see this as being a purely academic exercise. Clearly the young men devised this for sheer enjoyment. The Concerto is a little unbalanced. Opening with an impressive tutti, with the conventional exposition of the first subject, the orchestra soon steps back. From that point to the end, the pianos predominate with many technical devices including cascading scales and arpeggios. Simon Callagahan is partnered here by Hiroaki Takenouchi in this Concerto.
Of particular interest to
listeners is that Geoffrey Bush, a champion of Sterndale Bennett, arranged the
work for two pianos as a Sonata. This version was broadcast on BBC Radio Three
in 1969.
Simon Callaghan is a British pianist celebrated for his adventurous repertoire and international performances. He champions neglected composers alongside Romantic classics, recording for Hyperion, Nimbus, and Lyrita. A chamber musician and concerto soloist, he collaborates widely and promotes British music with many important premieres and recordings.
The recording is outstanding, as expected from Lyrita.
As noted, the liner notes by Rosemary Firman are detailed and informative. They include a Daguerreotype of William Sterndale Bennett, and the cover painting is the haunting Yacht Approaching the Coast by W.J. Turner. Web page addresses are given for the performers.
This imaginative Lyrita disc is a crucial continuation of the restoration of Sterndale Bennett’s neglected concertos. It perfectly balances historical curiosity with compelling artistry. Callaghan, Takenouchi, Yates, and the Royal Northern Sinfonia illuminate these forgotten treasures, asserting Sterndale Bennett’s stature and offering listeners a richly rewarding rediscovery of English Romantic piano music.
Track Listing:William Sterndale Bennett (1816-75)
Piano Concerto No.4 in F minor, op.19 (1838)
Piano Concerto No.6 in A minor, WO.48 (1848) (completed Martin Yates, b.1958)
William Sterndale Bennett/George Alexander Macfarren (1813-87)
Concerto for Two Pianos in C major, WO.29 (1835)
Simon Callaghan (piano), Hiroaki Takenouchi (piano)
Royal Northen Sinfonia/Martin Yates
rec. 20-21 January 2025, The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Gateshead, UK
Lyrita SRCD 448
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