Foreword

Summary

This edition is the outcome of my lifelong interest in William Sterndale Bennett, which has been generously supported by the composer's family. His grandson, Robert Sterndale-Bennett (1880–1963), who was for many years director of music at Uppingham School, offered help, advice, and hospitality in the early years of my research, and the tradition has been maintained by Robert's grandson, Barry Sterndale-Bennett. The lectures are published here by Barry's permission. I ammost grateful for this, and also for his continued assistance and support at every stage of the work.

I would like to express my thanks to Yunchung Yang, who earned a DMA degree from the University of Illinois for her research on Sterndale Bennett's Fantasia for piano. Dr Yang made the initial transcription of the lectures on which this edition is based, and has undertaken numerous investigations to assist in the annotation of the lectures and in the writing of the Introduction.

I am indebted to the University of Illinois for financial support and photographic assistance, and to Cambridge University Library for allowing me to consult the university archives. I amalso grateful to Katherine Syer for advice on Wagnerian matters, and to Elisabeth Agate, Christina Bashford, Paul Collen, Alison Latham, Philip Oswald, and Anne Stow for their assistance in locating illustrations.

I must also express my thanks to the following for permission to reproduce visual materials: Barry Sterndale-Bennett (Frontispiece and Plates 4 and 9); Country Life Picture Library (Plate 1); Sheffield Local Studies Library (Plate 2); Her Majesty's Stationery Office (Plate 3); Bärenreiter Verlag (Plate 7); and the University of Illinois (Plates 5, 6, and 8).