Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)

Stanford grew up in a very musical family, and in this programme, Donald Macleod and Stanford biographer, Jeremy Dibble, explore Stanford's early years and musical development. They follow Stanford from Dublin to Cambridge, where he became organ scholar at Queen's College in 1870, and assistant conductor for the Cambridge University Music Society. They also delve into the origins of Stanford's ambition to be an opera composer, writing stage works in English.

The Bluebird, Op 119 No 3 (excerpt)

Gabrieli Consort

Paul McCreesh, director

Three Intermezzi, Op 13 No 1 (Allegretto scherzando)

Robert Plane, clarinet

Benjamin Frith, piano

The Resurrection, Op 5

Robert Murray, tenor

The Bach Choir

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

David Hill, conductor

Symphony No 1 (Scherzo)

Ulster Orchestra

Vernon Handley, conductor

The Veiled Prophet (Act 2 Love Duet)

Sinéad Campbell Wallace (Zelica), soprano

Gavan Ring (Azim), tenor

Wexford Festival Opera Orchestra

David Brophy, conductor

Service in B flat major, Op 10 (Magnificat)

Choir of Winchester Cathedral

Waynflete Singers

Timothy Byram-Wigfield, organ

Symphony No 2 ‘Elegiac' (Lento espressivo)

David Lloyd-Jones, conductor

Donald Macleod journeys into the early years of Sir Charles Villiers Stanford.

During the 1880s Sir Charles Villiers Stanford was attempting to make his way as an opera composer. Donald Macleod with Professor Jeremy Dibble discuss the outcome of Stanford's first opera premiered in Hanover, and also his second opera which was premiered in Hamburg but didn't fare well in London. Other works of Stanford's had more success including his Elegiac Ode: a setting of Walt Whitman which Dibble describes as similar to a choral symphony. In the same decade, Stanford composed his Symphony No 3, called the Irish Symphony, which was an international success with Hands Richter frequently championing the work in London and Vienna.

To the Rose, Op 19 No 3

Stephen Varcoe, baritone

Clifford Benson, piano

Piano Trio No 1, Op 35 (Allegretto con moto)

Gould Piano Trio

Elegiac Ode, Op 21 (The night, in silence, under many a star)

BBC National Chorus of Wales

BBC National Orchestra of Wales

Adrian Partington, conductor

The Lord is my Shepherd

Choir of New College Oxford

Paul Plummer, organ

Edward Higginbottom, director

Symphony No 3, Op 28 “Irish ? (Allegro molto Vivace)

Ulster Orchestra

Vernon Handley, conductor

Piano Quintet in D minor, Op 25 (Allegro risoluto)

RTE Vanbrugh Quartet

Piers Lane, piano

A Child's Garland of Songs, Op 30 No 9 (My ship and me)

Kitty Whately, mezzo-soprano

Gareth Brynmor John, baritone

Susie Allan, piano

Donald Macleod delves into Stanford's influence in setting up the Royal College of Music.

The 1890s were a significant decade for Sir Charles Villiers Stanford. He continued teaching at the Royal College of Music, and was also appointed Professor of Music at Cambridge University. Students who passed through Stanford's hands often recalled how difficult he could be during tutorials. The decade also saw a huge success for Stanford with his opera Shamus O'Brien. It had a run of around eighty performances in London, before going on tour in the UK. It was also performed on Broadway and in Chicago, in the USA, and also in Sydney in Australia. Stanford's next opera was less of a success, but his commission for a Te Deum for Leeds, with its highly dramatic five movements, demonstrates Stanford's continued operatic aspirations.

The Clown's Song from Twelfth Night', Op 65 No 3

Anthony Rolfe Johnson, tenor

Graham Johnson, piano

Six Irish Fantasies, Op 54 No 3 (Jig)

Lucy Gould, violin

Benjamin Frith, piano

Symphony No 5, Op 56 ‘L'Allegro ed il Pensieroso' (Andante molto tranquillo)

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

David Lloyd-Jones, conductor

Shamus O'Brien, Op 61 (Act 2 Captain Trevor's Song)

Joseph Doody (Captain Trevor), tenor

The Orchestra of Scottish Opera

David Parry, conductor

Requiem, Op 63 (Agnus Dei et Lux aeterna)

Carolyn Sampson, soprano

Marta Fontanals-Simmons, mezzo-soprano

James Way, tenor

Ross Ramgobin, baritone

University of Birmingham Voices

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Martyn Brabbins, conductor

Te Deum, Op 66 (Judex crederis)

Rhian Lois, soprano

Samantha Price, mezzo-soprano

Alessandro Fisher, tenor

Morgan Pearse, baritone

BBC National Chorus of Wales

BBC National Orchestra of Wales

Adrian Partington conductor

Ten Dances, Old and New, Op 58 No 1 (Valse)

Christopher Howell, piano

Donald Macleod explores Stanford's influence as a teacher.

The death of Queen Victoria in 1901, and the accession of the new king, Edward VII, signalled a sea-change in the fortunes of Stanford as a composer. Donald Macleod, in conversation with Professor Jeremy Dibble, discuss how Stanford now began to be regarded as somewhat old-fashioned. Even one of Stanford's best works, his Symphony No 6, garnered far less attention than it deserved, compared to his ever popular Irish symphony. Stanford continued to be very active as a teacher and was still the 'go-to' compositional teacher in Britain, at the time. One of his students was Rebecca Clarke, his only female student, and she recalled developing a good relationship with her tutor. However, Stanford's notable temper caused him to fall out with his RCM colleague, Sir Hubert Parry, and also with the conductor, Hans Richter, who subsequently stopped programming Stanford's music in his concerts.

Songs of the Sea, Op 91 No 3 (Devon, O Devon, in wind and rain)

Gerald Finley, baritone

BBC National Chorus of Wales

BBC National Orchestra of Wales

Richard Hickox, conductor

Magnificat in G, Op 81

Alastair Hussain, boy soprano

Choir of King's College Cambridge

James Vivian, organ

Stephen Cleobury, director

String Quartet No 4 in G minor, Op 99 (Allegro molto vivace)

Dante Quartet

Stabat Mater, Op 96 (Virgo virginum praeclara)

Ingrid Attrot, soprano

Pamela Helen Stephen, mezzo-soprano

Nigel Robson, tenor

Stephen Varcoe, baritone

Leeds Philharmonic Chorus

BBC Philharmonic

Darius Battiwalla, organ

String Quintet No 2 in C minor, Op 86 (Andante)

Krysia Osostowicz, violin

Ralph de Souza, violin

Garfield Jackson, viola

Yuko Inoue, viola

Richard Jenkinson, cello

A Song of Hope, Op 113 No 3

Morgan Pearse, baritone

James Orford, organist

BBC Concert Orchestra

John Andrews, conductor

The Blue Bird, Op 119 No 3

The Sixteen

Harry Christophers, director

Donald Macleod explores the early 20th century, when Stanford becomes less popular.

The last fifteen years of Stanford's life brought him hardship. Donald Macleod, in conversation with Professor Jeremy Dibble, discuss how his popularity as a composer dwindles, despite his continuing influence as a teacher. The outbreak of World War One led to many of Stanford's long-standing connections with German and Austrian musicians severed, to his great distress. His royalties from Germany and Austria also dried up which had a huge financial impact. Towards the very end of his life, he had to rely upon financial handouts from friends although his funeral was exceptionally grand, with the great and the good all in attendance at Westminster Abbey.

Six Songs from ‘The Glens of Antrim', Op 174 No 2 (The sailor man)

Stephen Varcoe, baritone

Clifford Benson, piano

String Quartet No 7 in C minor, Op 166 (Allegro molto)

Dante Quartet

Irish Rhapsody No 4, Op 141 (The Fisherman of Loch Neagh and What he Saw)

Ulster Orchestra

Vernon Handley, conductor

An Irish Idyll in Six Miniatures, Op 77 No 2 (The Fairy Lough)

Morgan Pearse, baritone

BBC Concert Orchestra

John Andrews, conductor

Mass Via Victrix, Op 173 (Agnus Dei)

Kiandra Howarth, soprano

Jess Dandy, contralto

Ruairi Bowen, tenor

Gareth Brynmor John, baritone

BBC National Chorus of Wales

BBC National Orchestra of Wales

Adrian Partington, conductor

How beauteous are their feet

Choir of New College Oxford,

Paul Plummer, organ

Edward Higginbottom, director

Donald Macleod explores Stanford's last years, when his popularity as a composer dwindled.

Donald Macleod journey's through Stanford's final years, when the composer faced considerable financial hardship.