Camille Stamaty: A Bridge in French Piano History

From the 1820s to the 1830s, piano virtuosos such as Chopin, Liszt, and Thalberg flocked to Paris from all over Europe, seeking brilliant success. Most music history books detail their names and achievements, but the existence of French pianists born in the first half of the 19th century has largely been consigned to historical obscurity. However, let us take this opportunity to recall that a brilliant French school (École Française) actually existed, leading to figures like Saint-Saëns and Debussy. Key French pianists and composers who played a leading role in Paris and greatly influenced subsequent generations include P.-J.-G. Zimmermann (1785-1853) and F. Kalkbrenner (1785-1849). Both were graduates of the Paris Conservatoire; the former became a professor at the Conservatoire, while the latter, as a renowned piano teacher, nurtured many outstanding students. Camille Stamaty was a distinguished pupil of Kalkbrenner and, in turn, taught Saint-Saëns. He was a teacher who bridged these two "masters" in the brilliant history of French piano, as well as an excellent pianist and composer. Below is a brief introduction to his life.

Early Life and Education

Camille-Marie Stamaty was born in Rome on March 13, 1811 (some sources state March 23). His birth in Italy was due to his Greek-French father holding the position of French consul in Civitavecchia. His mother, Nanine, was an excellent amateur singer who enjoyed performing works by Mozart, Gluck, Marcello, and Boieldieu, among others. Camille's lifelong preference for classical works began to form during this early childhood. The sketch on the right, depicting the happy family at that time, is by the renowned painter Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (1780-1867) (1818). The figure leaning against his mother is Camille at around six years old. When his father died in 1818, the family moved to Dijon, France, and soon after settled in Paris, where he began to study literature. A piano arrived in his home when he was 14. It is likely that by this time he had been receiving instruction from Alexandre-Charles Fessy (1804-1856), an excellent early student of Zimmermann. His talent appears to have blossomed rapidly, as he was reportedly already performing in salons and publishing works by the age of 15. Fessy provided years of instruction to the boy, taking him on stage as an accompanist and bringing him to concerts to hear the great musicians of the time. However, he did not pursue a musical career, instead considering becoming a consul like his father or enrolling in a polytechnic school due to his interest in mathematics. However, at his family's insistence, he eventually took a stable and secure position as a civil servant in the Seine department in 1828.

A Turning Point: Study with Kalkbrenner

A turning point came in 1830. Kalkbrenner, a star pianist of the time, heard Stamaty play and expressed a desire to teach him. Having become a pupil of the renowned master, he decided the following year, at his teacher's recommendation, to resign from his civil service position and embark on a new path. Stamaty readily embraced Kalkbrenner's unique teaching method, which involved using the "guide-mains" (hand-guide) apparatus to ensure equal functionality of all fingers, and diligently practiced, becoming his foremost pupil. Despite injuring his hand joints and nerves from excessive practice, Stamaty mastered Kalkbrenner's mechanism and grew to the point where he could deputize for his teacher in lessons. In March 1835, he made his debut at the Salle Pleyel with a charity concert, performing his Piano Concerto, Op. 2, and Kalkbrenner's duo for two pianos alongside his teacher.

Compositional Development and German Influence

In terms of composition, Stamaty appears to have attended A. Reicha's counterpoint and fugue class at the Paris Conservatoire from 1832 to 1833, where he studied strict writing, but he withdrew from the class the following year without receiving any awards. He also reportedly received compositional advice from the renowned organ professor Benoist. In 1836, he traveled to Germany for study, associating with Schumann and Mendelssohn in Leipzig, and receiving compositional instruction from the latter. Although he returned home after a few months, this experience undoubtedly served as significant nourishment for his subsequent creative activities. In 1837, Schumann wrote a critique of this French friend's concerto. According to him, Stamaty had indeed shown remarkable progress under Mendelssohn. Regarding the concerto written before his "short study abroad" in Germany, Schumann, while pointing out some awkwardness in compositional technique, praised Stamaty's rich imagination and passion, offering encouragement.

Performance Style and Repertoire

From the 1840s to the 1850s, a period marked by the death of his mother and his marriage, Stamaty gave concerts almost every year. In his concerts, he favored performing works by German "masters" such as Bach, Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, Hummel, Weber, and Mendelssohn. His interest in the pedal piano developed by Érard in 1853, shared with Alkan and Lefébure-Wély, was likely also due to his fondness for Bach's polyphonic keyboard works. In addition to classical works, he occasionally presented his own compositions to the audience. For example, at a concert in 1854, he performed his second Piano Sonata, Op. 20, and the first three pieces from his 12 Études pittoresques, Op. 21. However, his performance style differed somewhat from that of his contemporary French pianists. Marmontel described his playing as follows:

Camille Stamaty was a dignified pianist, but not a transcendental virtuoso who played with enthusiasm, brilliance, and dazzling flair. He reflected Kalkbrenner's virtues in a somewhat restrained palette, but never displayed uninhibited expression or joyful audacity.

The unique character of Stamaty's playing can be felt when listening to his compositions. His works, though often appearing brilliant and full of notes on the score, maintain a certain intellectual flow and never lose their composure. These characteristics of Stamaty are well-represented in his Sonata, Op. 8, and Six Études caractéristiques sur des motifs d'Oberon, Op. 33.

A Renowned Teacher

Stamaty was renowned not only as a pianist and composer but also as a teacher, no less famous than Conservatoire professor Marmontel, and received the Légion d'honneur in 1862. He also taught the children of prominent musicians such as Conservatoire professors Fétis and Reicha, and composers Gounod and Auber. However, the most brilliantly shining among Stamaty's pupils were likely Gottschalk (1829-1869) and Saint-Saëns (1835-1921). In 1844, Stamaty himself sponsored a concert for the 8-year-old Saint-Saëns. This child prodigy performed Field's concerto, as well as fugues by Bach and Handel, and works by Mozart. At a concert in 1846, he again performed Mozart's sonata for four hands with his teacher Stamaty, in addition to Bach's fugues and Beethoven's Third Concerto. Such program choices reflect Stamaty's affection for classical music. It is no exaggeration to say that the foundation for Saint-Saëns, the "classicist," was cultivated by Stamaty's influence during his childhood.

Later Life and Legacy

Stamaty died of illness on April 19, 1870, at the young age of 59, leaving behind his wife and four children. His surviving works include two sonatas, six collections of études, numerous transcriptions of classical pieces including Souvenirs du Conservatoire, the character piece collection 12 Esquisses, Op. 17, a piano trio, a piano concerto, and various other dances, variations, fantasies, and the method Le Rythme des Doigts, Op. 36, with over 60 confirmed works. While the last-mentioned method is still published today, his other works are largely neglected.