Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 3.djvu/727

Rh sang at concerts with such success that in 1851 he was engaged at the Royal Italian Opera, Covent Garden, where he first appeared, replacing Signor Mario as Rambaldo in 'Roberto' on April 24; and with that brilliant company he remained as a second tenor, doing thoroughly good work, and meeting with success, both in opera and at concerts, till 1854, after which his name disappears from the lists.

In 1861 he was singing at the Court Opera, Vienna, and in 1866 a tenor named Stiegele sang at the Mainz Theatre, who was probably the same person. He was favourably known as a writer of songs of a popular cast with much graceful melody. [App. p.796 "Add that he died at Monza, July 3, 1868."] [ G. ]

STIRLING,, an eminent English organist and composer; born at Greenwich, Feb. 26, 1819; learned the organ and piano from Mr. W. B. Wilson and Edward Holmes, and harmony from J. A. Hamilton and Prof. Macfarren. She attained a remarkable degree of execution on the organ pedals, as may be inferred from her first public performance, given at S. Katherine's Church, Regent's Park, when, out of 14 numbers, the programme contained 5 pedal fugues and preludes by J. S. Bach; 3 pedal trios, and other pieces, by the same master, etc. In Nov. 1839 she was elected organist of All Saints', Poplar, which she retained till Sept. 1858, when she gained the same post at S. Andrew's, Undershaft, by competition. This she resigned in 1880. In 1856 she submitted an exercise (Ps. cxxx. for 5 voices and orchestra) for the degree of Mus. Bac. Oxon.; but though accepted it was not. performed, owing to the want of power to grant a degree to a lady. Miss Stirling has published some original pedal fugues and slow movements, and other pieces for her instrument, as well as arrangements from the works of Handel, Bach, and Mozart. Also songs and duets, and many part-songs for 4 voices, of which a well-established favourite is 'All among the barley.' In 1863 she married Mr. J. A. Bridge. [ G. ]

STOCKHAUSEN,, was born Margarethe Schmuck, at Gebweiler in 1803, and trained in Paris as a concert-singer by Cartruffo. She became the wife of the harpist and composer Franz Stockhausen, and the mother of the singer Julius Stockhausen. Husband and wife travelled, giving not very remunerative concerts in Switzerland (1825). Paris was visited later, but Mme. Stockhausen's greatest successes attended her in England, where she was induced to return almost every year from 1828 to 1840, singing at some of the concerts of the Philharmonic and Vocal Societies, and also taking part in the principal private and benefit concerts. She had little or no dramatic feeling, but as she gained in power she grew in public favour, and came to be recognised as a true musician and an accomplished singer of Swiss airs (with or without the 'jodel' burden), and also, and especially, those of Mozart, Spohr, Handel and Haydn. Mme. Stockhausen was frequently engaged at provincial festivals, and her delivery of the music of Mary in Spohr's 'Calvary,' evoked special praise among her oratorio parts. The Earl of Mount-Edgecumbe, in his criticism of the Musical Festival in Westminster Abbey, 1834, notes the 'science and skill which enabled her always to sing well.'

Mme. Stockhausen's voice is described by Henry Phillips as 'a clear, high soprano, the upper part of her register being unusually sweet and liquid, qualities which she rarely missed the opportunity of exhibiting, for she almost always terminated her songs on the highest octave.'

A few years after her farewell appearance in London, a home was made in Colmar, whither the Stockhausens retired to devote themselves to the education of their six children. Up to 1849 Mme. Stockhausen was heard with her son, at local concerts; she left Alsace only occasionally to appear in public, and in her last visit to Paris (1849) her singing showed a great falling off. She died in 1877, nearly ten years after her husband, much regretted by her many English friends. [ L. M. M. ]

STOCKHAUSEN,, son of the foregoing, one of the most remarkable singers of our time, was born at Paris, July 22, 1826. His gifts showed themselves early, and his mother was accustomed to say that he could sing before he could speak. He and his younger brother Edward (who died early) accompanied their parents on a concert tour to England, and learnt there to sing Bishop's duet 'Where are you going, sweet sister Fay?' In 1833 Julius was placed at a school at Gebweiler in Alsace, where he remained till 1840, with a view to the clerical profession. But such intentions were dispelled by the violent turn for music which asserted itself after a concert at Basle in 1842, at which Mme. Stockhausen made her last appearance. He took a prominent part in the concerts at Gebweiler as singer, accompanyist, violin-player, and even drummer. In 1844 he moved to the seminary of Strasburg, and there his performances on the cello and organ sealed his fate as a priest. In 1845 and 1846 he visited Paris with his father, took lessons in the piano from Charles Halle and Stamaty, and in singing from Emanuel Garcia, and entered thoroughly into the abundant musical life of the French capital, to the great advantage of his musical education. His devotion to the profession of music was however not absolutely decided till 1848, when, at the invitation of Ernst Reiter, the conductor, he suddenly took the part of Elijah in a performance of that oratorio at Basle. His success decided his future course, and he at once threw himself energetically into the art, and for the next few years travelled in all directions, singing at innumerable concerts Schubert's Schöne Müllerin and other songs. In 1849 he came to England, renewed his lessons with Garcia and sang at various concerts. In 1851 he returned, and sang three times at the Philharmonic, April 7 in the Choral Symphony, April 28 in two trios, and June 9 in a scena from Boieldieu's 'Chaperon Rouge.' Taste in England was not then sufficiently advanced to call for the Lieder just mentioned. To these, at the instance