The Stainer Memorial in St. Paul's Cathedral Author(s): F. G. E. Source: The Musical Times, Vol. 45, No. 731 (Jan. 1, 1904), pp. 26-28 Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/903295 Accessed: 27-06-2016 09:14 UTC Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://about.jstor.org/terms JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Musical Times Publications Ltd. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Musical Times This content downloaded from 128.197.26.12 on Mon, 27 Jun 2016 09:14:36 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 26 THE MUSICAL TIMES.-JANUARY I, 1904. In an interesting article in Le Courrier Musical, THE STAINER MEMORIAL November 15, 1903, entitled ' De quelques ameliora- tions souhaitables pour le d6veloppement de lart IN ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL. musical en France,' signed M.-D. Calvocoressi, occurs The spirit of John Stainer seemed to hover the following:- round the little company gathered together in When in Spain three years ago, I heard M. Pedrell's St. Paul's Cathedral on the morning of the 16th of 'Los Pireneos,' a manifestation of national art cal- last month. The occasion, an intensely interesting culated to arouse the attention of musicians, and yet one, was the unveiling and dedication of a memorial only brief mention was made of it in a few French to a former Chief-Musician of the great Cathedral. papers. The same silence prevails with regard to This chaste memorial, placed on the Eastern wall the Russian school. Only a few articles have been of the aisle of the North Transept, is from the studio written about the IFeuersnot' of Strauss. There of Mr. Henry A. Pegram, who has courteously is much talk in England about Edward Elgar; do we acceded to our request for a description of his know anything at all about him here ? And yet news beautiful conception. Mr. Pegram writes: of this kind would be interesting if only as 'I with pleasure send a short description of the documentary evidence, so as to know once for all what Stainer Memorial. When I received the commission, to think of such matters. I am quite sure if I tried to find out what is known in England or in Germany I asked Sir George Martin to give me the titles of about French or Russian masters, I should learn some of Stainer's finest anthems. He replied that about as much. But, after all, the fault of others, to he thought "I saw the Lord" was the finest. I quote Sancho-Panga, is no excuse; it ought, on the therefore attempted to incorporate in my design a contrary, to prompt us to better doing. suggestion of this anthem. The result is-as indeed from the nature of the theme it must be-inadequate. No doubt there are many matters in our musical life Briefly stated, the monument may be described as open to improvement, but M. Calvocoressi evidently follows: The upper part of the Panel contains the does not know that Mr. Henry J. Wood has made us subject of Stainer's anthem " I saw the Lord." very much acquainted with Russian music; neither The Prophet Isaiah, with outstretched arms, kneels are French modern composers entirely unknown near an altar. from the smoke of which arises to us. the vision --Christ enthroned and encircled by Seraphim. In the base of the Panel is the portrait The original manuscript of Bach's first Sonata for of Sir John Stainer in profile, surrounded by a violin solo is in the Royal Library at Berlin. It bears laurel wreath, and underneath is inscribed: "To the superscription Violino solo senza Cembalo, also the the Memory of Sir John Stainer, Art. Mag., following:- Mus. Doc., Organist of this Cathedral 1872-1888." The monument is in low relief, and of that kind of This excellent work in Joh. Seb. Bach's own Sicilian marble known as " Bianco Chiaro." ' handwriting, I found at St. Petersburg in 1814, The Dedication Service (at ii a.m.) was as simple among old papers that had belonged to the pianist as it was appropriate. The Cathedral clergy and Palschau, and which were destined to be sent to choir, with the Dean at their head, made their way wrap up butter. Georg Palschau. to the site of the Memorial, where had already assembled Lady Stainer and her sons, in addition to old friends and fellow-workers of genial, warm- CATHEDRAL MUSICAL SOCIETY. hearted Stainer. The Memorial was unveiled, The members of the chorus are requested to bring Psalm 24 sung, and then Canon Scott Holland-an with them copies of Hamlet's ' Samson' to the old friend and valued colleague of Sir John in his practice at the Choristers' School next Tuesday, cathedral work-delivered an address in perfect December 8, at 8.15 p.m. harmony with the surroundings; indeed, nothing A correspondent, in sending us the above cutting could have been in better taste or more sincere than from a newspaper published in an English city, asks his appreciative words-they came from the heart us if we can tell him where he can procure a copy and they went to the heart. Canon Scott Holland of ' Hamlet's Samson.' We are very sorry, but we has kindly supplied us with the following authentic have not the ghost of an idea. version of his 'appreciation':- ' We are met together to secure that the name of John Stainer shall never be forgotten by the A London newspaper, in the course of a dramatic generations to come in the Cathedral which he loved criticism, says: ' Mr. - has recently developed so dearly and served so well. Those who in after a. passion for the flute, on which he accompanies years pass to and fro will at least stop to read the himself in a very touching little ditty.' A record on this beautiful marble tablet of one who did correspondent asks: 'How can a man, though an in his own day the work that he was called upon to actor,. play the flute and sing at the same time? do. It is for them we place it here, for we ourselves Orpheus with his lute would seem to be nothing need no such reminder. The very sound of his name compared with Mr. with his flute!' is enough for us, and here in St. Paul's it is always spoken with a touch of peculiar emotion and affection. There is a word often used on epitaphs in A reputed saying of Rubinstein's :-' X plays a conventional sense which speaks of a "fragrant " Beethoven's Sonatas, with velocity, and Czerny's memory-but I know no word which could more Studies with feeling.' fitly express our recollections of John Stainer. In every remembrance of his activities, in every memory of his look, or voice, or gesture, there is As we go to press, we have received, by the fragrance, the fragrance which comes from the magic courtesy of Messrs. Paling, of Sydney, N.S.W., the of personal charm. following interesting cablegram:- 'We knew his gifts, and admired them as the world 'First Australian performance "Gerontius" did-his fertility of resource, his rich equipment, his great success; congratulations from all con- ready and wide expert knowledge, his rapid work- cerned. Delay, conductor.' manship, his unerring insight, his mastery over all This content downloaded from 128.197.26.12 on Mon, 27 Jun 2016 09:14:36 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms THE MUSICAL TIMES.-JANUARY I, 1904. 27 the tools and implements of his craft, and the that most perfect and exquisite shrine under his incomparable brilliancy of his execution. But still, inspiration, " fragrance" and "magic" are the words through all the gifts, what we felt was the charm of a that again bring back to me the tone of that personality so joyous and free, so fine-tempered and wonderful music. He was brought up to this sympathetic, so gracious and winning. It was the Cathedral at the moment of its great revolution. man that we loved, and he was one of the most In two short years an entirely new Chapter came lovable men on earth. into existence, which was determined to see whether ' He was a boy here in this Cathedral, so that we the full capacities of the building could not be may claim some share in the honour of producing brought into the service of a splendid worship. The him, and he had a great master at the organ. But music had hitherto been a tiny trickle of sound tinkling along in a dim corner to the favoured few. It was to become a tidal flood, possessing and pervading and ensouling the entire fabric with the spirit of praise and thanksgiving. The old school of music could not conceive the task, and it withdrew in dignity and honour in the person of one who will always be revered in St. Paul's-Sir John Goss. Stainer was given a free hand to do all he could by a Chapter that entirely trusted him. The wonderful thing is the pace at which he accomplished his work.