Wikipedia:Today's featured article/requests/William Sterndale Bennett

William Sterndale Bennett

 * This is the archived discussion of the TFAR nomination for the article below. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as Wikipedia talk:Today's featured article/requests). Please do not modify this page. 

The result was: scheduled for Today's featured article/April 13, 2016 by — Chris Woodrich (talk) 23:50, 27 March 2016 (UTC)



Sterndale Bennett was an English composer, pianist, conductor and music educator. A child prodigy, he was admitted to the London Royal Academy of Music at the age of ten, studying for ten years and making a reputation as a pianist and composer. On hearing him in London Felix Mendelssohn invited him to Leipzig where he also became friendly with Robert Schumann, who praised his compositions. In 1837 Bennett began to teach at the Royal Academy, with which he was associated for twenty years, and to which he later returned to successfully reform it and save it from closure. Amongst his pupils were Arthur Sullivan, Hubert Parry, and Tobias Matthay. He directed the Philharmonic Society for ten years. He also actively promoted concerts of chamber music and the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. In 1858 Bennett returned to composition, but his later works, though popular, were considered old-fashioned and did not arouse critical enthusiasm as had his youthful compositions. Bennett had a significant influence on English music, as a promoter of standards of musical education and as an important figure in London concert life. Neglected for many years, his music is now once again being performed and recorded.
 * Most recent similar article(s): Can't see anything in the classical music composers biography field for a while. Falstaff (opera) was on January 1, and I see that Christ lag in Todes Banden, BWV 4 is proposed for Easter Sunday, but they are pieces of music, not biogs.
 * Main editors: Smerus
 * Promoted: 11 March 2016
 * Reasons for nomination: A fascinating but neglected figure. 13 April 2006 will be his 200th birthday: could we arrange feature on that day if possible?
 * Support as nominator. Smerus (talk) 09:06, 12 March 2016 (UTC)
 * Support, per nominator. (I just miss a little accessibility feature in the article ;) ). I don't think there's much "similarity" between a 18th-century composition and a 19th century biography, --Gerda Arendt (talk) 12:33, 12 March 2016 (UTC)
 * ps: it needs more blurb, though, - shall I try? --Gerda Arendt (talk) 12:34, 12 March 2016 (UTC)
 * Thanks Gerda!--Smerus (talk) 13:11, 12 March 2016 (UTC)


 * Support: An excellent article on a very important and largely ignored composer and musician, whose contribution to British music and to the entire profession of music administration is underrated. Wikipedia could do no better service to the history of British music than to feature this article on Bennett's 200th birthday. --Ravpapa (talk) 15:39, 12 March 2016 (UTC)
 * Support Cas Liber (talk · contribs) 12:29, 13 March 2016 (UTC)
 * Support – why not? Initially I was alarmed by the number of HTTP 403 links while using Checklinks, but these turned out to be sources behind a paywall. sst✈  16:28, 19 March 2016 (UTC)
 * Support, essentially agree with and . Most encyclopedic and educational for our readers. &mdash; Cirt (talk) 23:06, 27 March 2016 (UTC)