Stamitz, Karl

1746-1801

 

Bohemian composer and violaplayer; the son of Johann Karl Stamitz. He was born at Mannheim, and was, like his father, a remarkable violinist and a fair composer. He studied music with his father and with Cannabich, his father's pupil, and toured Germany and Austria as a violinist. Stamitz went to Paris in 1770 and became well known there as a player of the viola and the viola d'amore. He returned to Germany in 1785 and two years later went to Prague, and held various posts at Cassel, at St. Petersburg and at Jena, where he conducted the concerts of the Academy until his death. He resided in St. Petersburg several years and there brought out a grand opera, Dardanus. He also composed a comic opera, Der Verliebte Vormund; ten symphonies; seven concertos for violin; a concerto for viola and one for piano; besides quartets; trios and other music.