Voluntary in G Major (Op. 5, No. 3)

John Stanley was born in London on 17th January, 1712. At about the age of two, he had the misfortune to fall on a marble hearth with a china basin in his hand, an accident which left him almost blind.

He began studying music at the age of seven. Under the guidance of Maurice Greene, composer and organist at St. Paul's Cathedral, he studied "with great diligence, and a success that was astonishing" (Burney). At the age of nine he played the organ, probably as an occasional deputy, at All Hallows, Bread Street. The organist died on 23rd September 1723 and exactly one month later eleven-year-old Stanley was appointed organist to the church at a salary of £20 per annum.

When he was fourteen "in preference to a great number of candidates" (Burney) he was chosen as organist at St. Andrew's, Holborn and at the age of seventeen became the youngest person ever to obtain the Bachelor of Music degree (B.Mus.) at Oxford University.

In 1734 he was appointed organist to the Society of the Inner Temple - a position he held until his death. It was at the ancient Temple Church that his brilliant playing upon the organ and harpsichord attracted the attention of many fine musicians including Handel who regularly visited the church to hear him. Stanley was also an outstanding violinist.

In 1779 Stanley succeeded William Boyce as Master of the King's Band of musicians. He died on 19th May, 1786 aged 74.

Recently, I've been given the opportunity to make some "demos" and to do a review of the fine new sample set of the Steinmayer organ at St. Magnus in Marktoberdorf.

While the organ is modest in size, it does possess variety and color, and can play a pretty wide spectrum of the literature.

The "Voluntary in G" features the "sharply sweet" cornet of the Positif, and the prinzipal 8' of the Hauptwerk.

I hope you will check out the review, which should be coming soon!

The score is attached below, as well as photo of Stanley and the St. Magnus Church in Marktoberdorf.