Appendix: Music for the Sheffield Lectures

Summary

In April 1859 Bennett delivered two lectures to the Sheffield Literary and Philosophical Society. Their titles and printed syllabuses were essentially the same as Lectures 1 and 2 delivered to the London Institution the previous year, and he evidently used the same manuscript text, revising it in some cases to suit the new situation. The more significant revisions have been noted in footnotes to Lectures 1 and 2. The concert at the end of the first lecture, however, was quite different from the one given in London, chiefly no doubt because a different set of performers was available. Moreover Bennett now provided programme notes. The illustrative music for the second Sheffield lecture was interspersed in the text, as in London, but most of the pieces were different.

First Sheffield Lecture

27 April 1859

Concert Programme, with Notes

Pianoforte,

Professor W. S. Bennett, and Mr. Percival Phillips,

with vocal performers

The harpsichord music of Scarlatti, Bach & Handel must be reckoned amongst the most learned music extant, but its learning is even exceeded by the poetic fancy which it developed. Let it however be remembered that no Broadwood pianoforte existed at the time of Handel & Scarlatti, and that the absence of sustaining power in the instruments then in vogue led to the adoption of a style of passage which has been [in] a measure superseded by subsequent composers. Nevertheless the beauty of the harmonical progression in these now ancient compositions has not been improved upon, and whilst the art remains these remarkable pieces must survive. I do not recommend these pieces as introductory to later masters; they must be taken in hand when the pupil is materially advanced.

The Symphony of Haydn, which with the assistance of Mr. Percival Phillips I will now present to you, is one of the twelve [’]grand[’] written for Salomon's concerts in London. It is remarkable for its lovely themes and their admirable development. Indeed to Haydn belongs the title of ‘Father of Instrumental Music’, for to him are we entirely indebted for a new form of composition. He had previously written upwards of a hundred symphonies and 80 quartetts before he undertook to write the twelve grand symphonies for Salomon.