Stamaty, Camille Marie

1811-1870

Italian pianist and composer; born at Rome of a Greek father and a French mother, who was extremely musical. After being in business and public life for a number of years he decided to devote himself to music and entered the class of Kalkbrenner in Paris and also studied in that city with Fessy. Later Stamaty had the advantage of a period of study with Mendelssohn at Leipsic. He gave his first concert in 1835, with great success, playing some of his own compositions. After his return to Paris in 1837 he became extremely popular as an executant, but an attack of rheumatism forced Stamaty to give up his playing, and from then on he devoted himself to composing and became one of the foremost teachers in Paris. He was the instructor of Saint-Saens and of Gottschalk. In 1862 he was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. He died in Paris. His compositions include a concerto: variations; sonatas and studies for piano; trio for piano, violin and cello, entitled Souvenir du Conservatoire, and a number of theoretical works.