The funeral of Lord Tennyson, in 1892, was of course a very important event, the ceremony being attended by many great personages. The Hon. Hallam Tennyson asked me to set "Crossing the Bar," to be sung at this service, and I was naturally very anxious to set the words to worthy music. The poem was one of the last things Tennyson wrote. As everyone knows, its nobility of utterance had made a profound impression. To set it for such an occasion and perhaps find that lovers of the words did not think much of the music, would have been very mortifying. There was no time to lose, as the work had to be composed, printed, and rehearsed in the space of a few days. However, I got to work one morning and completed the first sketch. Just as this was done I received a call from a friend of the deceased Laureate, who was anxious to know how it was getting on. He seemed surprised that I had done so much, and begged me to let him hear it. Now this was hardly fair. We know that artists do not like to let a sitter see their first sketch for a portrait, and I felt it might not be wise to let the music be heard till I had given it due revision. However, my visitor was very persuasive, so sitting down I played and sang it to him as well as I could. As soon as it was finished he jumped up, and striking his hands together said, "You've made a great success of it." This encouraged me a great deal. Resuming my work with renewed zeal, the setting was completed without delay. I have the original sketch by me, and may be permitted to state, with some little pride, that there were but very minute changes necessary in what had come to me in my first attempt. << less