Sir Granville Ransome Bantock (1868-1946) was Edward Elgar's immediate successor to the Chair of Music at University of Birmingham in 1900. Before coming to Birmingham he was musical director at The Tower, New Brighton where he astonished the holiday-makers of Wallasey with avant-garde music and gave Sibelius his first English performances. There was a close friendship between Bantock and Elgar and Elgar recommended him for the post of first Principal of the Birmingham and Midland Institute's School of Music (now the Birmingham Conservatoire). Bantock was particularly interested in oriental themes; his masterpiece was a complete setting of The Ruba'iyat of Omar Khayyam . He was distinguished for his instrumental mastery and he brought a community of progressive musicians to Birmingham, including Delius, Holbrooke, Ernest Newman, Sibelius, Prokofiev.
Reference: Deposit file.
From the guide to the Papers of Sir Granville Bantock, 1888-1946, (University of Birmingham Information Services, Special Collections Department)
