Charles Villiers Stanford was born on September 30, 1852, on Herbert Street in Dublin. His musical beginnings were thanks to the dedication of his parents, John James Stanford and his mother, née Henn. Although he did not study at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, he maintained contact with teachers such as the German cellist Wilhelm Elsner, who played a central role at the RIAM and regularly gave impressive concerts until his death in 1884. For Elsner, Stanford wrote, among other works, a previously unpublished rondo for cello and orchestra. While studying classical philology and music at Cambridge, Stanford completed his Cello Sonata, Op. 9, for the cellist Robert Hausmann, with whom he also performed the work; this led to a close musical partnership.
From 1902 onward, Stanford devoted himself to composing his Irish Rhapsodies. The first, Op. 78, was very well received and highly regarded by conductors such as Hamilton Harty. In his third rhapsody, Op. 137, Stanford's thoughts on his Irish heritage were reflected, while his fourth rhapsody of 1914, the "Ulster" Rhapsody, addressed political themes. Stanford also composed the Ballata and Ballabile, Op. 160, for the cellist Beatrice Harrison, a work she premiered to considerable acclaim. Stanford spent the war years in Windsor, where he continued to create important compositions such as the Ballata and Ballabile, which impressively demonstrate his compositional mastery.