lect words adapting themselves to the original music in its
continually varying expression, which could not have been done had he
taken any one psalm as his text. How far the author has succeeded, he
must leave to others to determine."

The substituted story has not proved successful, principally because the
music, which was written for an entirely different one, is not adapted to
it. The latest version is that of the Rev. J. Troutbeck, prepared for the
Leeds festivals, in which the Saviour is again introduced.

BENNETT.

William Sterndale Bennett, one of the most gifted and individual of
English composers, was born at Sheffield, April 13, 1816. His musical
genius displayed itself early, and in his tenth year he was placed in the
Royal Academy of Music, of which in his later years he became principal.
He received his early instruction in composition from Lucas and Dr.
Crotch, and studied the piano with Cipriani Potter, who had been a pupil
of Mozart. The first composition which gained him distinction was the
Concerto in D minor, written in 1832, which was followed by the Capriccio
in D minor. During the next three years he produced the overture to
"Parisina," the F minor Concerto, and the "Naiades" overture, the success
of which was so great that a prominent musical house in London offered to
send him to Leipsic for a year. He went there, and soon won his way to
the friendship of Schumann and Mendelssohn. With the latter he was on
very intimate terms, which has led to the erroneous statement that he was
his pupil. In 1840 he made a second visit to Leipsic, where he composed
his Caprice in E, and "The Wood Nymphs" overture. In 1842 he returned to
England, and for several years was busily engaged with chamber concerts.
In 1849 he founded the Bach Society, arranged the "Matthew Passion" music
of that composer, as well as the "Christmas Oratorio," and brought out
the former work in 1854. The previous year he was offered the
distinguished honor of the conductorship of the Gewandhaus concerts at
Leipsic, but did not accept. In 1856 he was appointed conductor of the
Philharmonic Society, and filled the position for ten years, resigning it
to take the head of the Royal Academy of Music. In the same year he was
elected musical professor at Cambridge, where he received the degree of
Doctor of Music and other honors. In 1858 his beautiful cantata, "The May
Queen," was produced at the