A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Stanford, Charles

by George Grove

STANFORD, Charles Villiers, composer end conductor, born Sept. 30, 1852, at Dublin, where his father, an enthusiastic amateur, was Examiner in the Court of Chancery. He studied composition with A. O'Leary and Sir Robert Stewart; matriculated at Queen's College, Cambridge, as choral scholar; in 1873 succeeded Dr. J. L. Hopkins as organist of Trinity College, graduated there in Classical Honours in 1874, and was appointed [App. p.796 "had been appointed two years previously"] conductor of the Cambridge University Musical Society. In 1874, 5, and 6, he studied with Reinecke at Leipzig, and Kiel at Berlin; proceeded M.A. in 1877; wrote an Overture for the Gloucester Festival in the same year, which was afterwards played at the Crystal Palace, and a Psalm (the 46th, op. 8), performed at Cambridge, May 22, 1877, and at a Richter Concert. At the request of Mr. Tennyson he composed the overture, songs, and entractes for 'Queen Mary' (op. 6), when that play was produced at the Lyceum, April 18, 1876. His Symphony in B♭ was performed at the Crystal Palace, March 8, 1879.

On Feb. 6, 1881, his opera 'The Veiled Prophet of Khorassan,' in 3 acts, libretto by W. B. Squire, after Moore, was produced at the Court Theatre, Hanover, with German version by Kapellmeister Frank, published by Boosey & Co. and Bote & Bock. An Elegiac Symphony in D minor was produced at Cambridge, March 7, 1882; and a Serenade in 5 movements, also for full orchestra (op. 17), at the Birmingham Festival, 1882, with great success, and repeated at Bristol. [App. p.796 "Add that he received the honorary degree of Mus.D. at Oxford in 1883; in 1885 he succeeded Mr. Goldschmidt as conductor of the Bach Choir, and in Dec. 1887 he was elected Professor of Music in the University of Cambridge, on the death of Sir G. A. Macfarren."] Thus far every year has scored a success, and we may hope that a new 3-act opera, 'Savonarola'—words by G. A. A'Beckett—announced for production at Hamburg in the autumn, will not prove an exception. In chamber music Mr. Stanford has been equally active. He has published a Suite and Toccata for PF. solo (ops. 2 and 3); a Sonata for PF. and violin in D (op. 11), and another for PF. and cello in A (op. 9) both produced at Franke's Chamber Concerts, 1882; 3 Intermezzos for PF. and clarinet (op. 13); a String Quartet [App. p.796 "Quartet for PF. and strings"] in F (op. 15); 8 Songs by George Eliot (op. 1); 6 do. by Heine (op. 4); 6 do. by do. (op. 7); 6 Songs (op. 14). In church music he is known by a Morning, Communion, and Evening Service in B♭ (op. 10), and an Evening do. (Sons of the Clergy, 1880) for chorus, orchestra, and organ (op. 12); also 2 hymns by Klopstock (ops. 5 and 16). He has edited Leo's 'Dixit Dominus' in C, and in his capacity of conductor of the Cambridge University Musical Society, has given first performances in England of Schumann's 3rd part of 'Faust,' Brahms's C minor Symphony and Rhapsodic (op. 53), Kiel's Requiem, etc. Under Mr. Stanford the society just mentioned has become a power in the country, and his influence has stimulated music at Cambridge to a remarkable degree of activity, which has yet to be imitated at Oxford. He is Professor of Composition and Orchestral playing at the Royal College of Music, London.

[ G. ]

[App. p. 796 "To list of works add the following:—

Op.
18. Three 'Cavalier Songs' (Browning), for baritone and chorus.
19. Six Songs.
20. PF. Sonata, in D♭ (MS.).
21. Elegiac Ode (Walt Whitman), for soli and chorus. Norwich. 1884.
22. Oratorio. 'The Three Holy Children.' Birmingham Festival. 1885.
23. Incidental Music to the 'Eumenides.' Cambridge. 1885.
24. 'The Revenge' (Tennyson), choral ballad. Leeds Festival. 1886.
25. Quintet for PF. and Strings, in D minor.
26. Carmen Saeculare (Tennyson), for soprano solo, and chorus. Composed for Her Majesty's Jubilee, 1887.
27. Psalm cl. for soprano and chorus. Opening of Manchester Exhibition, 1887.
28. 'Irish' Symphony in F minor. Richter, 1887.
29. Incidental music to the 'Oedipus Tyrannus.' Cambridge, 1887.
30. Songs (unpublished. 1888).
31. Symphony in F (Berlin, Jan. 14, and Crystal Palace, Feb. 23. 1889).
32. Suite for violin and orchestra (Berlin, Jan. 14, 1889, and Philharmonic, March 28).
33. Overture, 'Queen of the Seas' (Armada Tercentenary).

Add that the opera 'Savonarola,' in three acts and a prologue, was produced at Hamburg, April 18, 1884, and at Covent Garden, July 9 of the same year. On April 28 of that year, his 'Canterbury Pilgrims,' in three acts (words by Gilbert A'Beckett), was produced by the Carl Rosa company at Drury Lane. Other works without opus-numbers are a Festival Overture, Gloucester, 1877; Elegiac Symphony, in D minor, Cambridge, and Gloucester Festival, 1883; Concertos for PF. and for violoncello, with orchestra. A collection of 'Fifty Irish Melodies' (Boosey), with accompaniments, etc., edited by him, and a 'Song Book for Schools' (National Society), may also be mentioned."]

(M.)