By Print made by: Charles Baugniet (?)Printed by: M & N HanhartPublished by: Leader & CockPublished by: Coventry & Hollier - https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1844-1112-1, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=90031474
In the Press dated the 17th September 1951 there is a delightful article. It states “in the 1870’s a shy little schoolgirl who showed promise as a pianist took lessons from Sir William Sterndale Bennett, principal of the Royal Academy of Music and one of the most noted composers in England. Recently in Auckland, the schoolgirl, now 93-year-old Mrs A. H. Pilcher of Remuera, met the grandson of her teacher, Mr Sterndale Bennett who was visiting Auckland as an examiner for the Royal School of Music. Mr Bennett told Mrs Pilcher that she was probably the last of his grandfather’s pupils”.
Robert Sterndale Bennett was the son of James Robert Sterndale Bennett. He was born in 1880. James Robert Bennett was the son of Sir William Sterndale Bennett.
From the Observer 29th April 1882
Alice Helena Pilcher nee Green was born. In the 1861 Census Francis Green and his wife Mary are living with their three daughters aged 4, 3 and 2 as well as two servants, one of whom is a nurse. Alice is the youngest of the three daughters. Her father is a land and house proprietor. In the 1871 Census Alice Green is attending an all-girls school in Ramsgate. She is 12 years old. Her thirteen-year-old sister Gertrude is at the same school. By the 1891 Census she is living with other family members in Kensington, London. Alice is listed as a gentleman’s daughter. She married Frederick George Pilcher on the 13th February 1886 at Christ Church, Streathem, Surrey. Both are of full age, he is a bachelor and works as a commercial clerk. Alice’s father is Francis Gwinneth Green, who at the time of their marriage was deceased. One of the witnesses is Alice’s sister, Julia Eliza Green. Their first child, Phyllis Mary was baptised on the 1st January 1887, she was born on the 7th December 1886. Three more children were born in NZ, Doris in 1890, Margery in 1891 and a child whose name is not recorded in 1898. Frederick Pilcher died on the 21st December 1914 and Alice died in Auckland on the 14th August 1958 at the age of 99. There is a lovely photo of Alice on Ancestry.
On the 15th May 1875 the Otago Witness states that “it is believed that the appointment of Principal of the Royal Academy of Music, vacant by the death of Sir Sterndale Bennett, will be conferred on Mr G. A. Macfarren or Mr. Arthur Sullivan”.
The Daily Southern Cross informs their readers on the 3rd June 1875 that “we hope to see a large audience assemble tonight in the Choral Hall to greet Miss Christian, who gives her farewell concert, in which she will be assisted by some of the most accomplished musicians in Auckland. The programme presents a great variety, including new songs by the chief musician herself. Competent judges of vocal music concur in giving to a favourite pupil of the late Sir Sterndale Bennett – under whom Miss Christian gained that high cultivation she possesses – a foremost place in the ranks- of artistic singers, and in testifying to the good which has resulted in Auckland vocalists by her teaching and example. These, with the skillful assistants, and varied and extensive range offered by the programme ought to attract, as we believe it will, a brilliant and appreciative audience”.
Evening Mail 3rd February 1870
There is a long article concerning Sterndale Bennett in 6th May 1876 Advertiser. John Bennett, his grandfather, was one of the lay clerks of the Cambridge University Choir. He entered this choir at the age of eight years old. His first instrument was the violin however he abandoned this, turning to the piano. Later, he turned to composing. In this article it states that Bennett went to Leipzig in 1836 on Mendelssohn’s invitation and Mendelssohn conducted some of Bennett’s works at the Gewanhaus concerts. He succeeded Richard Wagner as conductor of the Philharmonic concerts in 1856 and in 1858 he acted as conductor of the first Leeds Musical Festival where his cantata “The May- Queen” was first performed. A marble bust of Bennett had been placed at Cutlers’ Hall in Sheffield.
There is an article in the New Zealand Mail on the 6th February 1885 concerning Sterndale Bennett. It was part of lecture given by Dr Creser at the Leed’s Young Men’s Christian Association. It states ‘Sterndale Bennett was a Yorkshireman whose inborn articistic abilities raised him far above many of his compeers. Although he had not such an unconquerable genius as Bach, Handel or Beethoven, he had powers sufficiently strong to form for himself a style peculiarly his own. Few bestowed upon their compositions a greater degree of tenderness and grace. He was born in Sheffield on April 13, 1816, where his father was an organist and a composer of songs. Bennett and Percival were the only Englishmen who had attained to a distinct style of their own. Left an orphan at the age of three, the subject of the lecture was consigned to the care of his grandfather, who was a lay clerk in the college of St John’s, King’s and Trinity, Cambridge. His grandparent’s vocation suggestion the boy’s admission into the choir of King’s College. His abilities here were so marked that he was removed to the Royal Academy of Music. At this place he became thoroughly conversant with the works of Mozart and made a great impression at the age of thirteen. The pieces he produced before 1836 led Messers. Broadwood, the piano manufacturers to defray the expense of a year’s residence in Leipzig so that he might thus extend his musical sympathy and experience. Not only did he establish his reputation there, but he won the friendship of Schumann, who always referred to his genius in the highest terms. Sterndale Bennett returned to England in 1840. Referring to Bennett’s composition “Wood Nymphs”, Schumann said that the overture was charming, and asked what living composer, save Sophr and Mendelssohn, was so completely master of his pencil, or bestowed on his work such tenderness and grace of colour. Bennett might be reproached with too great length of treatment, for his manner was to finish everything to the smallest detail. From 1843 to 1856 Bennett was brought periodically before the English public with his chamber concerts, at which his exceptional style as a pianist was recognised. In 1849 he founded the Bach Society for the study of the great cantor’s music. Seven years later he was appointed by a large majority Professor of Music at the Cambridge University and afterwards Doctor of Music and M.A. In 1858 he visited Leeds, where his cantata the “May Queen” was produced at the Musical Festival, revealing a piece of sparkling beauty, with piquant instrumentation, forming a delightful solo and chorus work. His “Woman of Samaria” was brought out at the Birmingham Festival in 1867. In this work he was truly himself. Its only fault was its patchy nature, and but for this it would have stood immeasurably higher than now. His separate songs were simple compositions of almost Greek elegance and finish, both in the melodious and expressive character of the voice parts and the delicate suggestiveness of the accompaniments. Their placid beauty appealed to the fancy and the intellect rather than to passionate emotions. Considering the extent of his genius Bennett wrote few works. He took greater time to finish than to sketch. It was a matter of regret to all lovers that one so well fitted to add to its store should for many of the best years of his life been content to exercise mainly the teacher’s vocation”.
By Henry Hering (1814-1893) - Victoria and Albert Museum London, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61532715
Robert Bennett, Sterndale Bennett’s father was the organist at the parish church in Sheffield. In 1812, Robert married Elizabeth Dean whose father was James Dean, the curator of the Botanic Gardens in Cambridge. Sterndale Bennett was the couple’s youngest child. According to the one entry on Ancestry it states ‘his mother died at the early age of 27, and his father (who in the meantime had married again) only survived her eighteen months, dying on 3rd November 1819. Robert Bennett’s second wife does not seem to have taken much interest in his children because on 19th December 1819, the little Sterndale Bennett was sent with his sisters to his grandfather at Cambridge. On 19th March 1820 Bennett and his two sisters were baptised at the church of St Edward Cambridge. On the 17th February 1824 Bennett entered the choir of King’s College, his musical education continuing at the same time under his grandfather’s guidance. Two years later the Rev F. Hamilton, superintendent of the newly formed Royal Academy of Music, when on a visit at Cambridge, happened to hear Bennett play and was so stuck by the promise he displayed that the boy was removed from King’s College Choir and placed at the Academy, where he entered on the 7th March 1826. Until his voice broke he sometimes sang in the St Paul’s Cathedral choir’.
Press 31st January 1874
There is a lengthy article in the Te Aroha News on the 19th April 1890 titled ‘The Choice of an Instrument’. It is written by Charles Villiers Stanford and edited by Frances Hodgson Burnett. One comment he makes that music “its well-proven power as a purifier and refiner of human nature”. Later on in the article he discusses “the question of the advisability of training in music by means of two distinct instruments (the voice included) has been late settled with the certainty born of experience. When that most excellent of men and most sterling of musicians Sterndale Bennett, who undertook the management of the Royal Academy of Music, one of his first pieces of legislation was to insist upon each pupil having an alternate instrument, technically called a ‘second study’. If the singer lost his voice his musical training did not go for nothing; a pianist whose hand was injured had another instrument by which he could earn his living. Moreover, the cultivation of second studies, of various orchestral instruments gave facilities for ensemble practice, which helped forward the performance of orchestral music, while it acted favourably on the studies of the individual executants. This excellent system has also been adopted from the first by the Royal College of Music and has already produced excellent results. Singers who would find difficulties in obtaining a livelihood at the start of their career, have been able to rake organistships to assist them. Young composers have learnt the technicalities and treatment of the instruments for which they have to write”.
The Colonist dated the 14th April 1916 on the occasion of the centenary of Bennett’s birth a concert and lecture was given at the Methodist Hall by the students and staff of the Nelson Academy of Music. John Tait, the lecturer stated that his first pianoforte teacher, Mr G. P. Heathcote had been a pupil and a personal friend of Bennett’s. Mr Heathcote apparently often reference his teacher and the first oratorio he knew was “Woman of Samaria.” Mr Tait went on to say that there was a thought that Bennett was a pupil and a mere imitation of Mendelssohn. He stated that Bennett never had lessons with Mendelssohn and that both had their own styles. Tait goes on to say that Bennett never wrote anything for popular effect. Tait states “in all probability the explanation why his published works were not numerous was that he had to work fairly hard as a teacher in order to make a comfortable living. Although known principally as a writer of pianoforte and orchestral pieces, he wrote some beautiful songs”. Tait finishes by saying “in estimating the position in his art, of Sterndale Bennett, it must be admitted that his genius had not that irresistible sweep and sway which compels the admiration even of the crowd. But what he lacked in power is almost made up, in regard to the artistic enjoyment to be derived from his works, in individuality and finish. He is to a special degree a musician’s composer. His compositions do not so much carry us away in an enthusiasm of feeling as they compel our admiration by their finish and balance of form, while touching our fancy by the grace and suggestiveness, the enjoyment which his works convey to these hearers who rightly understood them is of a very rare and subtle description, and one to which there is no precise parallel of any other composer”.
By Andrewrabbott - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37902576
Timaru Herald 11th June 1873
In the Auckland Star dated 12th July 1898, there is an article concerning Trinity College, London. A Mr Charles Edwards had been appointed by the Board as the examiner for the College in Australasia for practical subjects. Mr Edwards was a pupil of Sir Sterndale Bennett. It goes on to say ‘the piano is his special instrument, but he is also an able cello player and an organist of much merit. Mr Bennett has also done good work as a composer and teacher. He has been identified with Trinity College for many years as a Professor of the pianoforte and an examiner of both the higher and local examinations.
Alice Pilcher, was for a time, a music teacher in Cambridge. For example, there is an article in the Waikato Argus dated 15th September 1905 giving the results of the Trinity College examinations held in Hamilton. She has pupils who have passed in both piano and violin and two of her pupils, one of whom is her daughter Doris, obtained Honours in piano. At a later stage, Alice moves to Auckland, initially living in Royal Oak. At the time of the article, Alice is living at 148 Victoria Ave, Remuera, Auckland.
In the Press dated 21st November 1951 there is an article writing about the welcome for two examiners, Mr Eric Thiman, professor at the Royal Academy of Music and Mr R. Sterndale Bennett, director of music at Uppingham School, England. R. Sterndale Bennett (it is stated is a grandson of Sir William Sterndale Bennett) acknowledged the welcome and said “New Zealanders should get rid of their inferiority complex – or at least most of it. Their standard of music, especially amongst the young, is good and compares favourably with the standard in Great Britain and in the other Dominions. We are pleased with what we have heard here”. Bennett went on to praise the efficient travel services in the country and humourously referred to New Zealanders six meals a day – three major and three minor, to the “hotel bedrooms that were never overheated and to the uncanny family likeness of hotel menus throughout the country”.
Timaru Herald 29th May 1879
Alice Helena Pilcher died on the 14th August 1958. She was cremated the following day at Purewa Cemetery. She was 99 years old at the time of her death.
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