1913

Summary

The year 1913, which marked the death of Bantock's father, continued to be a busy one for the composer. His second ‘Choral Symphony’ for unaccompanied voices, The Vanity of Vanities (words from Ecclesiastes) was published, and he completed the vocal score of A Pageant of Human Life, the orchestral scores of Scottish Rhapsody and Scenes from the Scottish Highlands and most of The Great God Pan. On 13 December he conducted an all-Bantock concert with the Hallé Orchestra, including the Serenade: In the Far West, the Epilogue from Lyrics from Ferishtah's Fancies and his Russian Scenes. Bantock's diaries include references to visits from Havergal Brian, Gustav Holst (to conduct his Beni Mora Suite at the Institute) and Keir Hardy, and note his attending several performance by the Russian Ballet at Drury Lane, plus the operas Pelléas et Mélisande at Covent Garden on 17 June and La Khovantchina by Mussorgsky on 1 July. The second Festival of the Musical League took place in Birmingham in early January, coinciding with Wallace's address to the Incorporated Society of Musicians, entitled ‘The Musician and Personal Responsibility’, focusing upon aspects of musical copyright and the registration of teachers. Only one letter from Bantock to Newman from 1913 has survived; in a diary entry of 19 November Bantock noted, ‘Wrote letter to Newman, in hope of removing long misunderstanding.’

268 GRANVILLE BANTOCK TO ERNEST NEWMAN

30 ELVETHAM ROAD

EDGBASTON BHAM

Wed: Nov. 19 / 13.

Dear Newman

A report has reached me that you are persuaded of my having been the inspirer of an article written some year or 18 months ago by Sidney Grew, and which gave you great offence.

I find it difficult to believe that, after so many years, you could have entertained such an idea of me as to think me capable of such an action, or that you could have heard such a report without at least letting me know of what I was accused. However, that I may clear away, if possible, any specific ground for misunderstanding, I hasten to assure you that I knew nothing of the article until after it appeared, and that to this day I know it only by hearsay, having never read it. I make this statement without reserve, and ask you to accept my word of honour that I had nothing to do with the matter in any way whatever.