A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Storace, Stephen

by William Henry Husk

STORACE, Stephen, brother of the preceding, was born in London in 1763. His early taste for music was cultivated by his father, so that when ten years old he was able to perform the most difficult violin music of Tartini and Giardini—the Paganinis of the day—with correctness and steadiness. When 12 years old he was placed in the Conservatorio of St. Onofrio at Naples, where he studied the harpsichord, violin, and composition. On his sister's arrival in Italy, a few years later, he joined her and visited with her the principal cities of that country, and eventually went to Vienna, where he produced his two operas, 'Gli Sposi malcontenti' (June 1, 1785) and 'Gli Equivoci,' the subject taken from Shakspere's 'Comedy of Errors,' Dec. 27, 1786. He gained great advantage whilst there from his association with Mozart. In March 1787 he returned to England and was engaged to superintend the production of the opera in which his sister appeared at the King's Theatre, but soon became disgusted with the prevalent petty jealousies and intrigues, and retired for a time to Bath, where he devoted his attention to drawing, for which he had considerable talent. He returned to his musical pursuits in the ensuing year, and on Oct. 25, 1788, produced at Drury Lane the musical farce of 'The Doctor and the Apothecary' (the music of which he had previously used for a 'Singspiele' entitled 'Der Doctor und der Apotheker,' performed at Vienna, July 11, 1786), with great success. Besides his own music a few pieces by Dittersdorff were included in it. On Nov. 24, 1789, he brought out his opera 'The Haunted Tower,' the success of which was unbounded; it was performed 50 nights in the first season and kept its place upon the stage for nearly half a century. On April 16, 1790, he produced his charming little opera, 'No Song no Supper,' in which he introduced some of the music of 'Gli Equivoci.' Jan. 1, 1791, witnessed the production of the opera 'The Siege of Belgrade,' in which he introduced much of the music of Martini's 'La Cosa rara.' This also long continued an established favourite. On May 3 in the same year he produced the 'Cave of Trophonius,' an adaptation of Salieri's 'La Grotta di Trofonio,' with some additional music by himself, but with no success. He fared better when, on Nov. 20, 1792, he brought out 'The Pirates,' in which he incorporated several pieces from 'Gli Equivoci.' The finale to the first act is regarded as his masterpiece. In the same year he produced his opera, 'Dido, Queen of Carthage,' which met with but small success, notwithstanding that the heroine was undertaken by Mara. 'The Prize,' musical entertainment, first performed on his sister's benefit night, March 11, 1793; 'My Grandmother,' musical farce, produced Dec. 16, 1793; 'Lodoiska,' musical romance, the music partly adapted from Cherubini and Kreutzer, and partly composed by himself, performed June 9, 1794; 'The Glorious First of June,' occasional piece, produced July 2, 1794; and the 'Cherokee,' comic opera, first played Dec. 20, 1794, were all well received, as was also 'The Three and the Deuce,' musical drama, performed Sept. 2, 1795. On March 12, 1796, Colman's 'Iron Chest,' with Storace's music, was performed for the first time, and although the play, owing to accidental circumstances, failed to produce an immediately favourable impression, the music was rapturously received. But few however, if any, of the gratified and applauding auditors knew or thought that anxiety for the success of that music had impelled its composer to a course which had laid him upon his deathbed. He was then recovering from a severe attack of gout and fever; yet urged by a sense of duty, he determined, despite the entreaties of his family, to attend the first rehearsal. The consequence was fatal: he took cold, the gout attacked his stomach, and on March 19 he expired, at the early age of 33 years.

At the time of his death he had an opera, 'Mahmoud, or The Prince of Persia,' in preparation for Braham's debut in London. This work was left incomplete, but, by the assistance of Kelly, and the selection of some music by the composer's sister, A. S. Storace, it was fitted for performance and produced for the benefit of his widow and child, April 30, 1796, was well received, and performed many times. Storace's melodies are thoroughly English in character, whilst in his instrumentation the influence of Mozart and the Italian composers is evident. He was almost the first English composer who introduced into his works the modern finale, in which the business of the scene is carried on by concerted music.^[1] Some fine examples occur in his works. There is reason for believing that his early death delayed for many years the advance in that direction which might otherwise have been made.

[ W. H. H. ]

1. Dibdin had foreshadowed it in his 'Quaker.'