He was a prolific composer, writing seven symphonies, nine operas, concertos, orchestral music, choral music and songs, which he combined alongside his teaching and conducting duties. Stanford, together with Hubert Parry and Alexander Mackenzie, were considered responsible for a renaissance in music in Britain, and towards the end of the 20th-century there has been a resurgence of interest in his music.

The Blue Bird, setting words by Mary Elizabeth Coleridge, was composed in 1910 and depicts a bluebird in flight over a lake. Originally for five-part…