Granville Ransome Bantock was born in London. His father was an eminent Scottish surgeon.[1] His younger brother was the dramatist and film director Leedham Bantock. Granville Bantock was intended by his parents for the Indian Civil Service[2] but he suffered poor health and initially turned to chemical engineering. At the age of 20, when he began studying composers' manuscripts, at South Kensington Museum Library, he was drawn into the musical world.[1]
He was influential in the founding of the City of Birmingham orchestra (later the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra), whose first performance in September 1920 was of his overture Saul. Bantock's Hebridean Symphony was recorded by the CBO on 28 January 1925 at Riley Hall, Constitution Hill, Birmingham. This acoustic version, conducted by Adrian Boult, was never released.
His music was influenced by folk song of the Hebrides (as in his 1915 Hebridean Symphony) and the works of Richard Wagner. Many of his works have an "exotic" element, including the choral epic Omar Khayyám (1906–09).[8] Among his other better-known works are the overtureThe Pierrot of the Minute (1908) and the Pagan Symphony (1928). Many of his works have been commercially recorded since the early 1990s.
From 1926 to 1933 his Birmingham home was Metchley Lodge (now Metchley Abbey; despite the name, the building has no religious connection), which a Birmingham Civic Society blue plaque on the building records.[9]
Shortly after the composer's death in London, in 1946, a Bantock Society was established. Its first president was Jean Sibelius, whose music Bantock championed during the early years of the century. Sibelius dedicated his Third Symphony to Bantock.
In 1898 he married Helena von Schweitzer (1868–1961) who acted as a librettist for him.
Granville Bantock was also the father-in-law of the composer Margaret More (1903-1966) via her marriage to Granville's son, Raymond Bantock. Their son, Granville Bantock's grandson, is Gavin Bantock, a poet.[10]
Four biographies have been published on Granville Bantock. The first was authored by his long-time friend and 'secretary', 'Colonel' H. O. Anderton for the Living Masters of Music series in 1915. A brief pamphlet (with a portrait) by King Palmer, part of the Paxton Miniature Biographies series, appeared in 1947.[11] A 'personal portrait' of Bantock by his daughter was published by Dent in 1972. It is an engaging read and contains a number of photographs. An Introduction to the Life and Work of Sir Granville Bantock by Vincent Budd, was published in 2000 by Gnosis Press. It is also illustrated and contains a discographical guide. A larger volume is in progress. In addition to these there is a doctoral thesis by Trevor Bray - Granville Bantock: his life and music - submitted in 1972 to Cambridge University. An extract was published by Triad Press the following year as Bantock: Music in the Midlands before the First World War.
In 2020 J.C. Dressler published Granville Bantock (1868–1946): a Guide to Research (Clemson University Press/Liverpool University Press).[12] This collects together all the primary and secondary sources, including an extensive worklist and discography.[13]
A broad selection of Bantock's orchestral output, including all the symphonies, has been recorded in an edition by the Hyperion label in performances with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vernon Handley, now available also as a box set. Handley also recorded a largely complete performance of Omar Khayyám with the BBC Symphony Orchestraand Chorus on the Chandos label. However, the only complete recording is available on the Lyrita Recorded Edition label. An alternative recording of the Hebridean Symphony (together with the Old English Suite and Russian Scenes) is available on the Naxos label, with the Czechoslovak Philharmonic Orchestra (Košice) conducted by Adrian Leaper. Historic recordings of miniatures and songs have appeared on the Dutton label. The Cameo Classics label has re-issued its Granville Bantock recordings made with conductor Geoffrey Heald-Smith from 1978 to 1982 on a double CD set, which includes the Hebridean Symphony (in the presence of Raymond Bantock), the Pagan Symphony and Witch of Atlas (the first digital recordings), and the Sapphic Poem (solo cello, Gillian Thoday).
The Pearl of Iran, a romantic opera (1894, one act, libretto by composer)
Caedmar, a Romantic Opera (1892, one act, libretto by Frederick Corder, performed at the Royal Academy of Music, 12 July 1892, and then at Crystal Palace, 18 October 1892 and the Olympic Theatre, 25 October 1892)[14]
The Seal Woman, a Celtic Folk Opera (libretto by Marjory Kennedy-Fraser who also appeared in the performance as an old crone, utilising melodies drawn from Kennedy-Fraser's collection of Hebridean folk songs, conducted by the composer, Birmingham Repertory Company, 27 September 1924, produced by Barry Jackson)
Eugene Aram (opera in four acts, unfinished, libretto based on Bulwer Lytton and Thomas Hood, performed as a recitation in 1892)
The Fire Worshippers, dramatic cantata for solo voices chorus and orchestra (1892, after Thomas Moore's Lalla Rookh,[15] prelude conducted by August Manns at the Crystal Palace)
Christus, a Festival Symphony in ten parts for solo voices chorus and orchestra (only two parts completed: "Christ in the Wilderness" – Gloucester Festival 1907; and "Gethsemane")
The Time Spirit, rhapsody for chorus and orchestra (text H.F.B. i.e. Helena F. Bantock, dedicated to Herbert Brewer);
Sea Wanderers, poem for chorus and orchestra (text H.F.B. i.e. Helena F. Bantock)
Omar Khayyám for solo voices chorus and orchestra – Part I (Birmingham Festival, 1906), Part II (Cardiff Festival 1907), Part III (Birmingham Festival 1909, BBCSO/Del Mar, 27 November 1968, first broadcast performance); complete (based on the third version of Fitzgerald's adaptation, London Choral Society/Arthur Fagge, Queen's Hall, February 1910; Vienna, February 1912, BBC Symphony Orchestra under Norman Del Mar, 5–6 January 1979)
The Song of Liberty for solo voices, chorus and orchestra (1914, for the 21st Festival of the International Labour Party, Bradford)
The Great God Pan, a Choral Ballet for solo voices, chorus and orchestra (Sheffield Festival 1920)
The Song of Songs for soloists, double chorus and orchestra (started in 1912 completed 1922; text: Book of Solomon, Three Choirs Festival, Gloucester, 1922, then Dorothy Silk, Frank Mullings, Norman Allin, Hallé, composer, 10 March 1927)
The Burden of Babylon for chorus, brass and drums (1927, text: Bible)
The Pilgrim's Progress for solo voices, chorus and orchestra (1928, BBC commission, Queen's Hall, BBC Orchestra and Choral Society / composer, 1928–29 season, 23 November 1928; this was the first appearance for the Choral Society)
Prometheus Unbound for chorus and orchestra (1936, text by Shelley)
Atalanta in Calydon, a Choral Symphony (A. C. Swinburne, Liverpool Welsh Choral Union, Gitana Ladies' Choir, Birkenhead and the Manchester Orpheus Glee Society, conducted by Harry Evans, 1912)
Vanity of Vanities, a Choral Symphony (from Ecclesiastes, Welsh Choral Union, Harry Evans, Liverpool, February 1914)
A Pageant of Human Life, a Choral Suite (Sir Thomas More)
Five Ghazals of Hafiz with a Prelude – baritone (1905, Hafiz translated E. Arnold, BBCSO/Clarence Raybould, 15 December 1937)
Ferishtah's Fancies – tenor (1905, Robert Browning, renowned interpretation came from Frank Mullings)
Sappho, nine fragments with a Prelude (1906, Sappho translated by Helena F. Bantock, the Prelude and three of the songs were sung by Edith Clegg with the composer conducting at an RPS concert in 1911–12, first appearances with the Society for both the composer and the singer)
Tone Poem No. 1, Thalaba, The Destroyer (1900, after Robert Southey)
Tone Poem No. 2, Dante and Beatrice (1901, revised 1910, Scottish Orchestra/composer, Glasgow, 24 May 1911, revised version of Dante, London Musical Festival, 1911)
Tone Poem No. 3, later dubbed Orchestral Drama: Fifine at the Fair (1901, after Browning's Pippa Passes, Birmingham Festival, 1912, conducted by the composer, then Eighth Balfour Gardiner Concert, Queen's Hall, first performance in London, New SO/Gardiner, 18 March 1913; this was to have been given at an RPS concert in the 1911–12 season but was cancelled due to a dispute over fees. Fifine was finally given by the Society on 26 November 1917 conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham). A classic recording of Fifine was made by Beecham conducting the RPO for EMI in 1947. This recording was made under the auspices of the British Council and the Bantock Society
Tone Poem No. 4, Hudibras (1902, after Samuel Butler)
Tone Poem No. 5, The Witch of Atlas (1902, after Percy Bysshe Shelley, Worcester Festival)
Tone Poem No. 6, Lalla Rookh (1902, after Thomas Moore, dedicated to Joseph Holbrooke)
Two Orchestral Scenes from The Curse of Kehama: (1) Processional, (2) Jaga-Naut (1894, after Robert Southey, Philharmonic Society concert, 1897. The Two Scenes are all that was achieved of a project to complete a cycle of 24 tone poems based on Southey's poem)
Symphonic Overture with organ, Saul (1894, Chester Cathedral, 1897)
Russian Scenes, Suite of five pieces for small orchestra (1899)
Helena: Orchestral Variations on the Theme HFB (The Helena Variations) (1899, dedicated to Helena F. Bantock. "Thoughts and reflections on some of your moods written during a wearisome absence.", Liverpool Orchestral Society, Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool)
English Scenes, Suite of five pieces for small orchestra (1900)
Comedy Overture, Pierrot of the Minute (1908, after Ernest Dowson)
Festival March (1914, written for Keir Hardie for the Twenty-first International Labour Party Conference, Bradford)
Oriental Rhapsody (1930, founded on the Tone Poem, Lalla Rookh, Open Championship, Eccles Borough Band/J. Dow, 1930)
Prometheus Unbound (Symphonic Prelude) (1933, after Shelley, arrangement of Prelude to Prometheus Unbound for chorus and orchestra, 1933 National Championship, Foden's Motor Works Band/Fred Mortimer)
Overture to Shakespeare's King Lear (completed on 30/11/1932, for the Callender's Cable Works Band, Erith, Kent and dedicated 'To Charles Pipkin Esq. and the members of Callender's Band'. The work remained unpublished until 2021 when it was published by PHM Publishing in a performing edition by Paul Hindmarsh, with the agreement of the Bantock Estate)
Suite, Russian Melodies (1942–43)
Two Irish Melodies (1942–43)
Three Scottish Melodies (1942–43)
Two Welsh Melodies (1942–43)
Orion (Dramatic Overture) (1945)
The Land-of-the-ever-Young (Tir-nan-Og), Hebridean Sea-Poem (1945)
Kubla Khan
Peter go ring dem bells – hymn arrangement
The Frogs of Aristophanes – arranged by Frank Wright
Original autograph scores of most of Granville Bantock's compositions are held at the Cadbury Research Library, University of Birmingham.[18] Further collections of letters from Granville Bantock mainly to his son Raymond Bantock,[19] and from Granville Bantock to Ernest Newman,[20] are also held at the Cadbury Research Library.
Sir Granville Bantock a new (2017) website (supposedly to replace the Bantock Society website which no longer exists - N.B. as of April 2023 this site still does not exist either). The aim is (was?) to link to musical sources, published music and recordings and concert performances of works by Sir Granville Bantock.
