Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 3.djvu/725

STEVENSON.  prefixed, in 1825), 'Thanksgiving,' an oratorio, and numerous glees, duets, songs, etc. But the work by which he is best known is the symphonies and accompaniments to the collection of Irish Melodies, the words for which were written by Thomas Moore. He died Sept. 14, 1833. [ W. H. H. ]

STEWART,, Knight, Mus. Doc., sou of Charles Frederick Stewart, librarian of the King's Inns, Dublin, was born in Dublin, Dec. 16, 1825. He was educated as a chorister of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, of which he was appointed organist at the early age of 18. In 1844 he was appointed organist of Trinity College, Dublin. In 1846 he became conductor of the University of Dublin Choral Society, the members of which defrayed the expenses of the performance of his music for degrees of Mus. Bac. und Mus. Doc., which took place in 1851, besides presenting him with his graduate's robes and a jewelled baton. In 1852 he became a vicar-choral of St. Patrick's Cathedral, and in 1861 was appointed Professor of Music in the University of Dublin. For the great Peace Festival held at Boston in America, in 1872, he composed a fantasia on Irish airs for orchestra, organ, and chorus. On this occasion he received knighthood from the Lord Lieutenant (Earl Spencer). In 1873 he was appointed conductor of the Dublin Philharmonic. Amongst Sir Robert Stewart's many compositions, his glees deserve particular mention. In this branch of his art he has won numerous prizes and well-merited renown. His more important works include an ode for the opening of the Cork Exhibition of 1852; 'Ode on Shakespeare,' produced at the Birmingham Festival 1870; a 'Church Hymnal,' which has passed through three editions; and two Cantatas, 'A Winter Night's Wake' and 'The Eve of S. John.'

Sir Robert Stewart enjoys a high reputation as an organist; his playing at the Great Exhibition of 1851 and at that of Manchester in 1857 excited general admiration. As occupant of the Dublin chair of music, his excellent lectures and writings on music bear evidence to his wide culture and literary skill, as well as to his high musical attainments. His musical memory is remarkable. [See .] [ W. H. H. ]

STIASTNÝ,, violoncellist, born at Prague in 1770. Little is known of him except that he was probably professor at the Conversatoire, to which he dedicated his work on the violoncello. It is remarkable for what may be almost called a treatise on the accompaniment of recitative as it was then practised, and which our own Lindley brought to such perfection as will probably never be heard again. He dedicates no less than 30 pages to this subject, of which 29 consist of examples of all the forms and harmonies then in use. He has however strangely omitted to figure the bass.

, brother of the above, born at Prague in 1774. We know scarcely anything of his career. He seems to have studied harmony and the violoncello at Prague, under his brother, but he must have soon left that city as he is described on the title of his op. 3 as 'Violoncelle de S.A.R. le Grand Due de Frankfort.' According to Fétis he was musical director at Nuremberg in 1820, and from thence went to Mannheim. He is known to have been in London, and he dedicated two of his finest compositions to Lindley and Crosdill, as well as his three duets op. 8 to Sir W. Curtis. His last and perhaps finest work was published and probably written in London. He was also in Paris, where he arranged his op. 11 for cello and piano, and he has dedicated his op. 3 to the pupils of the Conservatoire. There exists a beautiful French edition of his six grand duets op. 1, and also of his two sonatas op. 2, the latter in score. I heard from one who knew him, that he was nervous and diffident in the highest degree, and this may account for his having left no mark or record of himself as a performer. But his compositions for the violoncello must render his name immortal, for though the list of his works only amount to 13, the originality and purity of them all entitle him to rank among the very first writers for the instrument. He is often called the Beethoven of the violoncello, nor can that be considered too high praise. A list of his works follows:—

