Practise what you preach: Stanford’s German songs

Abstract

Englsih: Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924) had an immense influence on the young composers who were his students at the Royal College of Music in London where he taught from 1883. Unlike many other composers, Stanford committed his views on composition to paper: they are to be found in his book Musical composition: a short treatise for students (1911) and in certain chapters (especially “The composition of music”) of his book Interludes, records and reflections (1922). The application of his strict ideas on composition to his own German songs (all eighteen on texts by Heine), reveals that he generally adheres to his own advice: he practises what he preaches. An analysis of the songs also shows them to be worthy of much wider recognition. With a few exceptions, the meaning of the text is very convincingly and movingly conveyed.

Afrikaans: Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924) het ’n baie groot invloed uitgeoefen op die jong komponiste wat sy studente was aan die Royal College of Music in Londen waar hy vanaf 1883 klas gegee het. In teenstelling met baie ander komponiste het Stanford sy mening oor komposisie op skrif gestel. Dit word gevind in sy boek Musical composition: a short treatise for students (1911) en in sommige hoofstukke (veral “The composition of music”) van sy boek Interludes, records and reflections (1922). Wanneer Stanford se streng idees oor komposisie toegepas word op sy eie 18 Duitse liedere (almal op tekste van Heine) word vasgestel dat hy meesal sy eie advies gevolg het. Hy het uitgevoer wat hy self voorgestel het. ’n Analise van die liedere toon dat hulle op baie meer erkenning geregtig is. Hulle is liedere waarin, op enkele uitsonderings na, die betekenis van die woordteks baie oortuigend en roerend uitgebeeld word.