William Stanley (1820–1902) was an English-born Australian
classical music
Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be #Relationship to other music traditions, distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical mu ...
composer, conductor and performer.
Early life
Stanley was born in Egham, near Windsor, England, the son of William Sexton and Ann Stanley. Sexton, who was the organist at
St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle
St George's Chapel, formally titled The King's Free Chapel of the College of St George, Windsor Castle, at Windsor Castle in England is a castle chapel built in the late-medieval Perpendicular Gothic style. It is a Royal peculiar, Royal Peculia ...
(1801–1824), married Ann in 1819. After Sexton's death, Ann married William Best (1803–1880) in 1827. Best was an oboist or trumpeter with the King's Band (under the control of the
Master of the King's Musick
Master of the King's Music (or Master of the Queen's Music, or earlier Master of the King's Musick) is a post in the Royal Household of the United Kingdom. The holder of the post originally served the monarch of England, directing the court orc ...
). Ann died on 14 May 1828, one month after giving birth to Stanley's half-sister, Emma. This left Stanley and two younger sisters in Best's care.
Stanley, under the name of Sexton, was a member of the choir of St George's Chapel, and is said to have sung at the funeral of
King George IV
George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 29 January 1820 until his death in 1830. At the time of his accession to the throne, h ...
there in 1830. Recognised as a musical prodigy at an early age (he could play complex compositions on the piano at sight), his step-father provided some instruction but, having a large family to support, could not afford the training Stanley required. By the age of 9 he composed a series of variations on "
God Save the King
"God Save the King" ("God Save the Queen" when the monarch is female) is ''de facto'' the national anthem of the United Kingdom. It is one of national anthems of New Zealand, two national anthems of New Zealand and the royal anthem of the Isle ...
".
His step-father's connections with the Royal Household no doubt got him the opportunity to perform his own compositions before
Queen Adelaide
Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen (Adelaide Amelia Louise Theresa Caroline; 13 August 1792 – 2 December 1849) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Queen of Hanover from 26 June 1830 to 20 June 1837 as the wife of King W ...
.
In 1836, under his mother's name Stanley, he joined the 80th Regiment of Foot, which was given the duty of escorting convict transports to Australia and he arrived in Sydney in 1837. He was discharged from the Regiment in 1840.
Australian career
His first performance in Australia opened the
Royal Victoria Theatre, Sydney
The Royal Victoria Theatre, often referred to as the Victoria Theatre or The Old Vic, was a theatre in Sydney, Australia, the first large theatre in the city. It opened in 1838; operas, plays, pantomimes and other events were held, and leading en ...
.
Another of Stanley's earliest piano performances in Sydney was at the Royal Hotel on 17 October 1838. A concerto by
Henri Herz
Henri Herz (6 January 1803 – 5 January 1888) was a virtuoso pianist, composer and piano manufacturer, Austrian by birth and French by nationality and domicile. He was a professor in the Paris Conservatoire for more than thirty years. Among his ...
showed him "at once to be a master of this instrument". He accompanied many visiting performers, including Sara Flower,
Miska Hauser
Miska Hauser (1822 – 8 December 1878) was an Austrian violinist. He undertook extensive concert tours, playing in Europe, North and South America, and Australia. He was also a composer.
Life
Hauser was born in Pressburg (now Bratislava), and his ...
, and
Anna Bishop
Anna, Lady Bishop (9 January 181018 March 1884) was an English operatic soprano. She sang in many countries and was believed to be the most widely travelled singer of the 19th century.St John's, Parramatta, St Andrew's pro-cathedral, St Barnabas, Broadway, and
Christ Church St Laurence
Christ Church St Laurence is an Anglican Church of Australia, Anglican church (building), church located at 814 George Street, Sydney, George Street, near Central railway station, Sydney, Central railway station and Haymarket, in City of Sydney, ...
(1870–1882).
A trusted teacher, Stanley was instrumental in forming a musical society west of Sydney. At the time of his death, he was said to be Australia's oldest pianist. He also conducted a Brass Band.
Stanley's ''Rose Bay Quadrilles'' were arranged for guitar duet by
Peter Sculthorpe
Peter Joshua Sculthorpe (29 April 1929 – 8 August 2014) was an Australian composer. Much of his music resulted from an interest in the music of countries neighbouring Australia as well as from the impulse to bring together aspects of Aborigi ...
Works
* 1850 Tell Him I love him yet
* The Sydney Polka (1851)
* Rose Bay Quadrilles
* 1863 The NSW Volunteer Rifles Quick March
* 1863 Heliotrope Mazurka
* 1879 Sydney international exhibition grand march
* 1893 Bay View Gavotte