A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Stamitz

STAMITZ. A Bohemian musical family of much renown in the 18th century, (1) Johann Karl, born 1719; son of the schoolmaster at Deutschbrod; a man evidently of great originality and force. About 1745 he became leading violin and director of chamber-music to the Elector of Mannheim, and remained there till his death in 1761. He wrote much music for the violin, which shows him to have been a great and brilliant player. Six concertos, 3 sets of 6 sonatas, and some solo exercises, giving the effect of duets, were published at Paris, and 21 concertos and 9 solos are still in MS. He also wrote symphonies, of which 6 are published and 11 in MS., as well as concertos and sonatas for the harpsichord. There is no chance now of hearing any of Stamitz's orchestral works; but it is obvious from Burney's account ('Present State,' i. 95, 96) that they were a great advance in effect and expression on anything that preceded them. (2) His brother Thaddæus, born 1721, was a great cello-player, also in the Mannheim band. He became a priest, rose to nany dignities, and died at Altbunzlau Aug. 23, 1768. Another brother, Joseph, was distinguished as a painter. Cannabich was one of Johann Karl's pupils, but a still more memorable one was (3) his eldest son, Karl, born at Mannheim, May 7, 1746, and like his father a remarkable violinist and composer. In 1770 he went to Paris, and was known there as a player of the viola and viola d'amore. In 1785 he returned to Germany, and in 1787 we find him at Prague and Nuremberg, in 1790 at Cassel, and then at St. Petersburg, where he remained for some years, and where he brought out a grand opera, 'Dardanus.' He died at Jena in 1801. His published works contain 10 symphonies, 4 do. for 2 violins and orchestra, 7 concertos for violin, 1 for viola, and 1 for piano; also many quartets, trios, etc. (4) Another son of Johann Karl was Anton, born at Mannheim 1755. He went to Paris with Karl, and published much for the violin, of which a list is given by Fétis.

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