Sir Granville Bantock (1868-1946)

Bantock was born in Notting Hill, London in 1868 to Scottish surgeon and gynaecologist, George Granville and his vivacious wife Bessie. As a small child, Bantock showed little interest in music but, by his teens, his skills were evident and a musical career beckoned. At first, George Granville opposed his son’s musical ambitions and Bantock found himself headed for the Indian Civil Service. When that failed to work out he was force to study chemical engineering at the London City & Guilds Institute but, instead, spent most of his time studying music scores at a nearby museum. Eventually George Granville agreed to his son taking lessons at The Trinity College of Music and Bantock finally entered the Royal Academy of Music in 1888 at the 20.

Bantock found work initially within the world of opera and theatre, touring the US and Australia as conductor of The Gaiety Company. In 1896 he began staging his own concerts, showcasing his own compositions. By 1897 he was conducting at The Tower New Brighton where he daringly devoted entire concerts to contemporary British composers. By 1900 Bantock’s reputation as conductor and composer was well established and he left the north-west to take up the position of Principal at The Birmingham and Midland Institute School of Music succeeding Elgar as Peyton Professor of Music. He received a knighthood in 1930.

In 1898 Bantock married poetess and artist Helen von Schweitzer for whom he wrote Helena Variations.

Bantock lived to see some of his own works recorded. He died at the age of 78.

Influences & Inspiration:
The works of Richard Wagner
The culture of the Orient
The literature of the East
Classical Antiquity
Celtic culture & legend
The Scottish Highlands
Scottish Legend and Hebridean folk music