William Bennett (1936–2022) bio je jedan od najistaknutijih flautista svoga vremena. Svojim virtuozitetom te iznimnim senzibilitetom za ton, boju i fraziranje, redefinirao je izražajne mogućnosti flaute, dajući joj novu umjetničku dimenziju usporedivu s vokalnim i gudačkim tradicijama.
Bennett je studirao flautu u Londonu kod Geoffreyja Gilberta, a potom u Francuskoj kod Jean-Pierrea Rampala i Marcela Moysea. Upravo je Moyseov utjecaj krajem 1970-ih snažno oblikovao Bennettov glazbeni razvoj i pridonio njegovom uspjehu na međunarodnoj sceni. Tada su započele i njegove dugogodišnje suradnje s glazbenicima poput Georgea Malcolma i Clifforda Bensona, dok je njegova bogata diskografska djelatnost stjecala široka međunarodna priznanja.
Već na početku karijere, Bennett je snimio prve engleske interpretacije cjelovitih Händelovih sonata te zahtjevnih suvremenih djela poput Boulezove Sonatine, Berijeve Sequenze, Messiaenove Le Merle Noir i skladbe Winter MusicRicharda Rodneyja Bennetta, koju je skladatelj napisao upravo za njega. Svoja djela posvetili su mu i drrugi skladatelji, među kojima su William Mathias, Diana Vurrell i Raymund Pined. Osim toga, Bennett je istraživao gotovo zanemarena djela 19. stoljeća, uključujući glazbu Riesa, Romberga i Taffanela. Suradnje s umjetnicima poput Jimija Hendrixa i Wyntona Marsalisa dodatno svjedoče o širini njegovih glazbenih interesa.
Bennett je bio na poziciji prvog flautista u londonskim orkestrima kao što su London Symphony Orchestra, Academy of St Martin in the Fields i English Chamber Orchestra. Bio je i profesor na Hochschule für Musik u Freiburgu, a predavao je i na Royal Academy of Music u Londonu. Uz to, redovito je održavao majstorske tečajeve diljem svijeta.
Već od mladosti posvećeno se bavio izradom i usavršavanjem flauta, a velik dio svog rada posvetio je istraživanju intonacije i konstrukcije instrumenta. Posebno je značajan njegov razvoj tzv. Bennettove skale, sustava ugađanja koji je unaprijedio intonacijsku stabilnost i omogućio flautistima veću fleksibilnost zvuka, dubinu i bogatstvo boje u svim registrima.
Bennettova koncertna i pedagoška djelatnost vodila ga je po cijelom svijetu, uključujući Nizozemsku, SAD, Singapur, Kanadu, Litvu, Belgiju, Japan i Kinu/Tajvan, a redovito je premijerno izvodio nova djela.
Tijekom svoje bogate karijere primio je niz značajnih priznanja, među kojima su Nagrada za životno djelo koju dodjeljuje Nacionalnog udruženja flautista (2002), titula Flautist Laureate Britanskog flautističkog društva (2003), nagrada Flute of Gold talijanske udruge „Falaut“ (2004) te Nagrada za životno djelo udruženja Chicago Flute Club (2009).
Godine 1995. britanska kraljica Elizabeta II. odlikovala je Bennetta ordenom Reda Britanskog carstva (OBE) za iznimne zasluge u glazbi, priznajući njegovu dugogodišnju predanost umjetničkom usavršavanju flaute, izniman doprinos koncertnoj praksi i edukaciji mladih glazbenika te utjecaj na razvoj flaute kao solo instrumenta na međunarodnoj sceni.
William Bennett (1936–2022) was one of the most distinguished flutists of his time. With his virtuosity and exceptional sensitivity to tone, color, and phrasing, he redefined the expressive possibilities of the flute, giving it a new artistic dimension comparable to vocal and string traditions.
Bennett studied flute in London with Geoffrey Gilbert, and later in France with Jean-Pierre Rampal and Marcel Moyse. It was precisely Moyse’s influence in the late 1970s that strongly shaped Bennett’s musical development and propelled his rise on the international stage. At that time, his long-term collaborations with musicians such as George Malcolm and Clifford Benson began, while his extensive discography received wide international acclaim.
Early in his career, Bennett recorded the first complete English performances of Handel’s sonatas as well as challenging contemporary works such as Boulez’s Sonatine, Berio’s Sequenza, Messiaen’s Le Merle Noir, and Richard Rodney Bennett’s Winter Music, composed specifically for him. Other composers, including William Mathias, Diana Vurrell, and Raymund Pined, also dedicated works to him. In addition, he explored almost forgotten 19th-century repertoire, including the music of Ries, Romberg, and Taffanel. Collaborations with artists such as Jimi Hendrix and Wynton Marsalis further attest to the breadth of his musical interests.
Bennett served as principal flutist in London orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, and the English Chamber Orchestra. He also taught flute at the Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg and at the Royal Academy of Music in London, while regularly giving masterclasses around the world.
From a young age, he was dedicated to the crafting and refinement of flutes, devoting much of his work to researching intonation and instrument construction. A significant achievement was his development of the so-called Bennett Scale, a scale he created to refine intonation and enhance resonance, enabling flutists to produce a flexible sound with greater depth and color across all registers.
Bennett’s performing and pedagogical activities took him around the world, including the Netherlands, the United States, Singapore, Canada, Lithuania, Belgium, Japan, and China/Taiwan, and he regularly premiered new works.
During his career, he received numerous significant honors, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Flute Association (2002), the title of Flautist Laureate from the British Flute Society (2003), the Flute of Gold award from the Italian Falaut Association (2004), and the Chicago Flute Club Lifetime Achievement Award (2009).
In 1995, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom appointed him Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his outstanding services to music, recognizing his lifelong dedication to the artistic development of the flute, his exceptional contribution to performance and education, and his influence on the evolution of the flute as a solo instrument on the international stage.