Stanford made a significant contribution to musical life in England
throughout the course of his life and posthumously. Unfortunately,
much of Stanford’s early posthumous reception is clouded by Herbert
Howells’ statement above which can be attributed to the lack of
performances of Stanford’s works outside of the choral and church and
song tradition. Although Howells correctly commends Stanford for his
achievements in these fields, Stanford’s accomplishments in other areas
must be accounted for in order to portray a more fully-realized picture
of a composer who enriched musical life in England.
This article seeks to unveil the changing images of Stanford
portrayed during his lifetime and posthumously