John Stainer Author(s): F. G. E. Source: The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular, Vol. 42, No. 699 (May 1, 1901), pp. 297-309 Published by: Musical Times Publications Ltd. Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3366433 Accessed: 23-07-2018 17:46 UTC 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]. Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at https://about.jstor.org/terms Musical Times Publications Ltd. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular This content downloaded from 76.190.40.13 on Mon, 23 Jul 2018 17:46:13 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms THE MUSICAL TIMES.-MAY I, 190o. 297 THE MUSICAL TIMES the maw of London Bridge Railway Station -the southern portion of the great terminus. AND SINGING-CLASS CIRCULAR. His father, William Stainer, was school- master of the parish school of St. Thomas's, MAY i, 1901. Southwark, with which avocation he com- bined the duties of Registrar of Births and Deaths for the district-in fact, he had the felicity of registering his own son John, as the Registers at Somerset House duly testify. JOHN STAINER. The mother of the infant John, formerly Miss Ann Collier, could claim descent from 'I THINK yOU must tell Mr. -- that an old Huguenot family settled in Spital- if he will be so good as to wait till I am fields. The family consisted of four girls dead, you will give him a few facts and two boys. The elder son, the Rev. about my life from authentic sources Dr. William Stainer, who died in 1898,* in THE MUSICAL TIMES within a black devoted his life with self-denying enthusiasm border! Also if he will wait a little to ameliorating the condition of the deaf longer, he may perhaps hear a lot and of dumb. Like his only brother, John, utterly impossible and grossly untrue lie was a man of a singularly kind and legends; such rubbish seems to spring sympathetic nature. The eldest daughter, up on the grassy graves of sinners Miss as Annie Stainer, held, from the year rapidly as on those of saints.' 1849, for fifty years, the post of organist of These words formed part of a theletter Magdalen Hospital Chapel, Streatham, written by Sir John Stainer to the and present during the whole of that half-century writer as recently as January 28 she last. never He missed a single service-pro- and Lady Stainer were then staying bably aat unique record! Dover, preparatory to taking a long In thetour course of an interesting conversation for the purposes of this article, Miss Stainer, in the South of France and Italy. the organistFree above referred to, recalls some from any pressing claims upon his time and energies at home, he looked forward interesting to the incidents connected with the enjoyment of a leisurely holiday. childhood He was of her brother, John. ' I was fourteen years his senior,' she says. ' He in the best of health and spirits during his was the sweetest, most darling little mite wanderings in the sunny south, journeying here and there, writing the usual in cheerythe world, and he had a singularly affectionate disposition. He was very letters to his friends, and making plans for delicate as a child, and he became my the future. On the last day of March (Palm Sunday) the travellers were at Verona constant on care and delight. We had an organ their way to Venice. A visit to the in ancient our house which had a fine polished Amphitheatre had occupied part mahogany of the case and gilt pipes. Our friends morning, and after lunch at the Hotel thought a good deal of it, but we young de Londres, Sir John retired to his room for people used to turn up our little noses at it. his usual afternoon nap. On the return of At one time we had five pianos in the house; one of them had pedals-full compass. My Lady Stainer from church she found him fatherin was a most enthusiastic lover of music. a shivering condition, and suffering severe pain in his chest. Remedies were applied, Passionately fond of children, he was a but, alas! to little purpose. In a few patient and very clever teacher, who made everything attractive and interesting to his moments the music-loving soul of John Stainer was calmed in death. pupils and his children. He was my brother Farewell, dear brother! We shall miss John's first teacher of music, although he thy genial presence and sunny smile; but couldthe not play very much himself, his memory of thy sympathetic, warm-hearted performances being of the slow and sure nature we shall ever cherish. kind. John used to watch him as he played the organ, and at the slightest indication of any hesitation he would say, " Five shillings John Stainer was born on June 6, 1840, for a wrong note, dad! " My father always at 2, Broadway, a little thoroughfare, that instilled into us that "duty was the first strangely belied its name, which ran thing," and this we have tried to carry out. parallel to and north of St. Thomas's Street, As for my dear brother John, I cannot say Southwark. It is impossible to give a photo- anything too good about him.' graph of the house, as the street and the habitations thereof have been absorbed in * See THE MUSICAL TIMES of May, 1898, p. 341. This content downloaded from 76.190.40.13 on Mon, 23 Jul 2018 17:46:13 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms The Musical Times.] (Photo by Elliott & Fry.) [May, 19o0. g~i~h %1~tc;~V ,.....-. - -?--7, This content downloaded from 76.190.40.13 on Mon, 23 Jul 2018 17:46:13 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms 298 THE MUSICAL TIMES.-MAY I, 1901o. EARLY EFFORTS. instructing me in some musical mystery. Once when my little friend Johnnie asked my opinion as to the ' root' of 'There was no organ in St. Thomas's Church the first chord of Mendelssohn's 'Wedding March,' I (of which parish school my 'squared'father my wasignorance the by purchasing a pennyworth of master), but there was a small apples! chamber organ in my home on which I played Allas thissoon ended as in ourI was visiting each other's homes. Many tall enough to reach the keys whenopportunities standing!' therefore presented themselves of seeing The foregoing thread of autobiography Stainer's home-life. It was is very humble, very sweet, very contained in a letter Sir John instructive. wrote At a very us modest house in St. Thomas's Street on January 21. Strangely enough, the boy, who during was destined to become the great musician, his recent and fatal tour in Italy passed hishe boyhood-no one day green grass, no budding trees, no asked Lady Stainer to buy him sound ofa singingsketch- birds about that neighbourhood ! And book. This she did, with the result that on yet, inside that humble dwelling-place, perfect love, perfect the first page he sketched the identical organ harmony, and exuberance of mirth existed. It was a of his childhood, with himself as the standing perfect holiday for me to go to tea with Stainer. His performer ! It is with peculiar pleasure that father was a schoolmaster of the old type. Wearied with we are enabled to furnish our readers with a his work among the unruly lads of that locality, he would reproduction of this interesting sketch, come in, by snatch up his violin and solace himself with the special and kind permission of Lady playing a hymn tune ! Little Johnnie frequently came in Stainer, to whom it is a very precious relic at such a time, and would sit down at the pianoforte and of Sir John's last days. This is the only accompany the good old father with his evening hymn. sketch in the book; but he evidently intended Of course there was plenty of merriment over it; but I it to be the first of a series, as on a later page could see clearly enough that the old man was led by the we find the following notes: ' First steps,' influence of the little beloved disciple. Full of fun himself, ' After a successful solo,' ' Pursuit of art a clever punster even at that early age, he nevertheless was under difficulties,' ' The book-closet,' 'Praise the little child that seemed to lead them-his loving and devoted parents. His dear mother was devotedly fond of ye, &c.' ' C. Lockey and the solo.' Then her boy, and it would be difficult for me to name amongst under the heading of Oxford: 'The gentle- my acquaintances a more devoted, loving family than the man's tired,' 'Corfe's Knocker,' 'After the Stainers. To know them made you better. Dead March,' 'A walk with the V.P.' But The one great topic of conversation, as a mere boy, was - the remaining pages are blank. Church music. Johnnie's whole soul seemed to be entirely wrapped up in that. REMINISCENCES OF HIS BOYHOOD. I also had the pleasure of frequently meeting at the At the age of seven Stainer could play Stainers' the late Sir Arthur Sullivan, in his boyhood.