Sterndale Bennett Concertos

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William Sterndale Bennett

Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 19

28:31

I.Allegro con maesta11:53

II.Barcarolle: Andante cantabile8:38

III.Presto agitato8:00

William Sterndale Bennett

Concerto No. 6 in A minor (completed by Martin Yates)

20:57

I.Allegro appassionato8:38

II.Serenade: Allegretto4:37

III.Finale: Allegro quasi presto7:42

William Sterndale Bennett/Macfarren

Concerto for two pianos

13:10

Recording date20-21 January 2025

Recording locationThe Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Gateshead, UK

ProducerAdrian Farmer

EngineerOscar Torres & Matthew Swan

Release date2 January 2026

LabelLyrita

Catalogue numberSRCD448

Duration62:43

Cover artworkW. J. Turner 'Yacht Approaching the Coast'

Simon Callaghan is the superb soloist in the Fourth and Sixth, in energising performances with the Royal Northern Sinfonia and conductor Martin Yates that feel tailored to the music's scale and sympathies.

BBC Music Magazine

Mar 2026

This imaginative Lyrita disc is a crucial continuation of the restoration of Sterndale Bennett’s neglected concertos. It perfectly balances historical curiosity with compelling artistry. Callaghan, Takenouchi, Yates and the Royal Northern Sinfonia illuminate these forgotten treasures. They assert Sterndale Bennett’s stature and offer us a richly rewarding rediscovery of English Romantic piano music.

MusicWeb International

Dec 2025Source

...herein lies one of the great qualities of Simon Callaghan’s playing; his technique is seamless in its command, but always in service to the music so that the fireworks are integral to the musical communication rather than being the focus. It is his commitment to the substance of whatever he is playing that makes Callaghan a persuasive advocate of a wealth of under-appreciated repertoire, and it is firmly in evidence here.

Presto Music

Jan 2026Source

Simon Callaghan beguiled me with his most beautifully elegant soft playing, as much as he had impressed me with his technical facility and controlled power... Simon Callaghan is an admirable exponent of this music. He is required to change mood quickly and not all pianists can show such flexibility.

Classical Music Daily (Australia)

Feb 2026Source

This recording (as well as the box-set) comes highly recommended. Besides the novel repertoire of the Concerto for two pianos and the Sixth Concerto, the quality of sound and balance are exceptional, as are the insightful interpretations from soloists, conductor and the Royal Northern Sinfonia, who are in fine fettle.

Gramophone

Jan 2026Source

These recordings are all extremely fine and an essential acquisition for the enthusiast of the concerto genre.

British Music Society

Dec 2025Source

With Hiroaki Takenouchi (piano), the Royal Northern Sinfonia and Martin Yates (conductor)

This disc includes the world premiere recordings of William Sterndale Bennett's Concerto in A minor, completed by Martin Yates, and the Concerto for two pianos, which Bennett wrote jointly with Alexander Macfarren. Recorded with the Royal Northern Sinfonia at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music in Gateshead, it is the first modern account of either work.

Click here to read an interview with Simon Callaghan about this release, on Presto Music.

Gramophone Editors' Choice, January 2026

Presto Recording of the Week, 2 January 2026

4th in the Official Specialist Classical Chart, week beginning 15 January 2026