By Unknown author (W. & D. Downey) - [1], Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69433632
Charles Villiers Stanford
A quote from Stanford – “singing appears to be the only branch of music in which the instrument counts for more than the person who plays upon it, or the manner of playing”.
1852 Charles Villiers Stanford was born on the 30th September 1852 (another account has him born on the 2nd December 1852) being the eldest son. His father, John was an enthusiastic amateur vocalist.
1863 Stanford’s first composition was a march composed when he was eight years old, and played in the pantomime “Puss in Boots” at the Theatre Royal, Dublin.
Stanford’s father hoped that Charles would become a lawyer. His father insisted that he read classics at Cambridge before embarking on a musical course. During his time at Cambridge he became the organist at Trinity College and was conductor of two musical societies.
1874 Stanford studied in Leipzig, and after his study he travelled throughout Europe for three years becoming familiar with the new styles of music that were being composed. He developed a particular affinity for choral works. He studied with Reinecke in Leipzig and Kiel in Berlin.
1876 His first notable composition was produced in the spring of 1876. The composition was incidental music to Tennyson’s “Queen Mary”.
1878 On the 8th April 1878 Charles Villiers Stanford, aged 25 years old, a bachelor, a gentleman, based in Cambridge marries Jennier Anne Maria Witton, aged 22 years, a spinster living in Ockley are married at St Margaret’s Church, Ockley, Surrey. Both of their fathers are listed as gentlemen. There are seven witnesses, five of whom are from the Witton family.
There were two children of this marriage, Geraldine Mary Stanford born 1883 and Guy Desmond Stanford born 1886, who became an architect.
1881 In this Census Stanford is living in Chesterton, Cambridge, aged 28 years old, has an M.A. Cantab, is a Professor of Music and was born in Dublin, Ireland. There are two servants living in the house too, a cook and a housemaid.
1900 In the Lyttelton Times of the 12th December 1900 there is the following article ‘Mr H. Wells has supplied some interesting information with regard to the “Te Deum” which will be performed in the Exhibition Hall on Jubilee Night. It was dedicated to the Queen, on the occasion of her Jubilee, by Mr Charles Villiers Stanford, who says, Mr Wells, is doubtless the greatest living English musician. By this production, Stanford has responded to the occasion, which demanded a noble and dignified setting of the common anthem of Christendom. Intellect of the highest order stamps this work, which is full of exquisite melodies and stately harmonies’.
1902 Knighted in 1902.
1905 The Hawera and Normanby Star dated the 29th December 1905 states ‘having been unheard since the Great Fire of London, nearly 250 years ago, the old “Whittington Chimes” were rung on October 2nd from the historic steeple of Bow Church, Cheapside. The old City tune has been recast by Sir Charles Villiers Stanford, and the melody is divided into four parts – the quarter, half, three-quarters and the hour. At the first quarter the bells chime “Turn again, Whittington” followed later by “Turn again, Whittington, turn again”, while at the striking of the hour the full chime is given, “Turn again, Whittington, turn again, thrice Lord Mayor of London”.
1910 The New Zealand Times of the 6th August 1910 has this to say ‘ Sir Charles Villiers Stanford is the composer of what is probably the most remarkable piece of music on record, This is the “Ode to Discord” and is dedicated (without permission) to the Amalgamated Society of Boilermakers. Of course, this work is a playful satire on the extremely modern school of music, and when it was produced in the Queen’s Hall, London, last year it created quite a sensation’. The Otautau Standard of the 16th August 1910 continues ‘one of the instruments used for the Ode was a “dreadnought Drum” which was so gigantic that it could not be got into the hall until the doors were taken down, and a weirdly wonderful effect was obtained by a ‘thunder sheet”, such as is used to produced thunder in theatres’.
By Simon Harriyott from Uckfield, England - Sir Charles StanfordUploaded by Oxyman, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24730162
1911 Census In the 1901 Census Charles Stanford is boarding in a hotel. He is aged 58 years old, has been married for 32 years, has two children, is a Professor of Music and was born in Dublin.
From the Dominion 12th May 1911.
1914 In the Ashburton Guardian dated the 2nd October 1914 it states ‘the Rev. Hubert Jones, vicar of Tinwald and the late minor canon of Christchurch Cathedral, has received word that his exercise, the final test for the degree of Bachelor of Music; has been approved by the examiner, Sir Charles Stanford’.
1915 The Evening Post of the 16th July 1915 states ‘next Tuesday at the Town Hall, the Wellington Musical Union will give its first concert for this season. The works to be performed are: - “The Last Post” and “Hiawatha”. “The Last Post” was written by Mr W. E. Hanley during the period of the Boer War and set to music by the famous Irish composer, Sir Charles Villiers Stanford. It was first performed at the Hereford Music Festival in 1900, and was inspired by the bravery of the Empire’s soldiers in that war. The performance of this work should be appropriate during the present crisis, and the proceeds are being devoted to the Mayor’s Fund for our wounded soldiers, it is expected that the hall will be taxed to the utmost’.
1921 The Ashburton Guardian of the 20th April 1921 has the following article. ‘Sir Frederick Bridge recently said that modern music had gone beyond him, if he knew he were to hear something good he would go to a concert; but he refused to pay half-a-guinea to be annoyed. In the old days he would sit in his armchair, perhaps with a cigar, and thoroughly enjoy reading the score of some music, but he really could not read modern music. Young composers should not get into the habit of thinking that everything was odd and queer was the proper thing to write down. Sir Charles Stanford who recently lectured on “some Recent tendencies in Composition” said that the modern idea was to attempt to advance music on lines which were disagreeable, and if it prevailed, goodbye to beauty’.
Stanford for nearly 40 years was Professor of Music at Cambridge and Professor of Composition at the Royal College of Music. Some of the composers that he taught are Vaughan Williams, Holst, Howells, Ireland, Coleridge Taylor and Bridge. He was conductor of the Leeds festival from 1901 to 1910. He also wrote extensively on musical subjects. His Irish descent gave his music a strong individuality, many of his works received Irish titles. He collected and edited many Irish sons in the Petrie collection. Stanford gave many notable first British performance, especially of Brahms’ works. He had met Brahms and the two men became friends.
1924 The Auckland Star has the following obituary for Sir Charles Stanford in their 2nd April 1924 edition. ‘The death of Sir Charles V. Stanford has occurred. The great musician is to be buried in Westminster Abbey. Sir Charles Villiers Stanford, M.A., Mus. Doc. D.C.L, LL.D, Professor of Music at Cambridge University, Professor of Composition and Orchestral Playing in the Royal College of Music, was born in Dublin in 1852. He studied in Germany and elsewhere on the Continent. He produced many operas in Germany, France and Holland, has been the conductor of the most distinguished orchestras in Great Britain, and his works are known all over the world. He has been a voluminous composer and was a living inspiration of music in the Old Country’.
One obituary in the Dominion on the 1st April 1924 states ‘he was a master of form, but had his limitations as a melodist. His music is still occasionally, but rarely does one hear of any performances of his operas’.
By Jack1956 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=122019779
The Christchurch Star of the 10th June 1924 informs their readers that ‘ there were two unusual features at the funeral in Westminster Abbey, of the late Sir Charles Villiers Stanford. One was the playing of a string band and the other was that the musical part of the service consisted almost entirely of compositions by the dead musician. The grave was in Musicians’ Aisle, on the north side of the choir, where many famous composers have been laid to rest. In addition to Lady Stanford the family mourners were Mr and Mrs Guy Stanford, Miss Geraldine Stanford and many well-known musicians present’.
Stanford died within days of the deaths of Frederick Bridge and the organist Walter Parratt.
1933 In the Ashburton Guardian dated 17th July 1933 there is a list of the Civil pensions. Lady Stanford is given a pension of £90 in recognition of the services to music of her husband, Sir Charles Stanford.
1935 In the New Zealand Herald dated the 8th June 1935 there is an article concerning the publication of a book about Stanford written by a friend, Harry Plunket Greene. It states ‘Stanford was an Irishman, hot-blooded, brooking no restraint on interference and was the possessor of a caustic tongue. It was this trait in his character, undoubtedly, which prevented him from gaining the full honour and recognition that his services for music merited. Stanford had an over-sensitive nature and his biting retaliation at any action which he considered interfered with his independence led to an undercurrent of disagreement with the authorities.
www.stainer.co.uk/composer/charles-v-stanford
www.paperspast.natlib.govt.nz