Sir John Stainer
Created | Updated Oct 30, 2002
As a direct descendant of Sir John Stainer I have decided to write a guide entry on him seeing as there are no others at present. Stainer (1840-1901) was a composer, organist and musicologist, who wrote the famous oratorio The Crucifixion.
John Stainer was born in Southwark on 6th June 1840. His father was a schoolmaster at a nearby school, St.Thomas's. Although his parents, William and Ann, were not particularly wealthy, they had no fewer than five pianos and a chamber organ. William Stainer was a pianist, organist and flautist. His son John took a keen interest in music and in particular the organ. When he started to play he had to stand to reach the keys. Yet by the age of seven he had managed to master Bach's Fugue in E major. In 1848, at the age of eight, Stainer became a chorister at St.Paul's Cathedral Choir School. From all accounts he had a strong and versatile singing voice. As he grew older, his ability on the organ grew better, and he was appointed organist at several different churches over time. He gained a degree in music and several other qualifications. In 1872 he was appointed organist at St.Paul's cathedral, London, the appointment that was to mek his reputation. In 1888 he was knighted by Queen Victoria for his services to music. In 1901 he took a european hoiday with his wife. On the 31st of March, in Verona en route to Venice, he was taken ill and died of heart faliure. His body was returned to England for burial.
So what about the Stainer family today? Music is still very much present in almost every member of the family, although no quite so dramatically as Sir John.
John Stainer was born in Southwark on 6th June 1840. His father was a schoolmaster at a nearby school, St.Thomas's. Although his parents, William and Ann, were not particularly wealthy, they had no fewer than five pianos and a chamber organ. William Stainer was a pianist, organist and flautist. His son John took a keen interest in music and in particular the organ. When he started to play he had to stand to reach the keys. Yet by the age of seven he had managed to master Bach's Fugue in E major. In 1848, at the age of eight, Stainer became a chorister at St.Paul's Cathedral Choir School. From all accounts he had a strong and versatile singing voice. As he grew older, his ability on the organ grew better, and he was appointed organist at several different churches over time. He gained a degree in music and several other qualifications. In 1872 he was appointed organist at St.Paul's cathedral, London, the appointment that was to mek his reputation. In 1888 he was knighted by Queen Victoria for his services to music. In 1901 he took a european hoiday with his wife. On the 31st of March, in Verona en route to Venice, he was taken ill and died of heart faliure. His body was returned to England for burial.
So what about the Stainer family today? Music is still very much present in almost every member of the family, although no quite so dramatically as Sir John.
