# A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Steibelt, Daniel

​STEIBELT, Daniel, a musician now almost entirely forgotten, but in his own day so celebrated as a pianoforte-player and composer that many regarded him as the rival of Beethoven, was a native of Berlin, where his father was a maker of harpsichords and pianofortes of considerable skill and repute. The date of his birth is quite uncertain. Most of his biographers state that he was born in 1755 or 1756, but Fétis declares from personal knowledge that he was only about thirty-six years of age in 1801, which would place his birth some eight to ten years later. The details of his early life are as much involved in doubt as the time of his birth. It is, however, certain that his aptitude for music was early manifest and that it in some way attracted the attention of the Crown Prince of ​Prussia, afterwards Frederick William II. Kirnberger was then the leading musician of Berlin, and to him the Crown Prince entrusted the instruction of his protégé in the harpsichord and composition. How long Steibelt was a pupil of Kirnberger it is impossible to say, but not a trace of the learned and somewhat pedantic style of his master is to be found in his method either of playing or writing. Indeed, the musical world of Berlin, then under the despotism of Frederick the Great, does not present any influences to account for the peculiarities which so strongly marked Steibelt's after-life, though it may be fairly conjectured that in his father's workshops he obtained that familiarity with the mechanism of the pianoforte which he was always ready to turn to the best account. Whatever his musical education may have been, it was interrupted by his joining the army for a while, and was finally brought to an end, as far as Berlin was concerned, by his departure from that city, an event which perhaps took place as early as 1784.
In what direction he turned his steps seems wholly unknown, but his career as a composer and virtuoso commences with his arrival in Paris at some date between 1787 and 1790. He did not take up his residence there permanently till the last-named year, as he was at Munich in 1788, and in 1789 was giving concerts in Saxony and Hanover, whence he journeyed to Paris by way of Mannheim; but his rivalry with Hermann at court would appear to suggest that he had been in Paris before the year that was signalised by the taking of the Bastille. However this may be, Steibelt appeared at the French capital as a full-fledged performer and composer, and was not long in proving his superiority to his rival. The reasons for his success are obvious. Though Hermann's technique, which was that of the school of C. P. E. Bach, was considered more correct than that of his opponent, he was, nevertheless, emphatically a player of the old style. Steibelt, as emphatically, belonged to the new. Their different characteristics are clearly brought out in the very curious Sonata for the Pianoforte called 'La Coquette' composed for Marie Antoinette by the two rivals, each of whom contributed one movement to it. Hermann's movement, the first, is good, solid, rather old-fashioned, harpsichord music; Steibelt's movement, the Rondo, by its variety of phrasing and the minutiæ of its marks of expression reveals in every line an acquaintance with the resources offered by the pianoforte. The issue of a contest in which the combatants were so unequally matched could not be doubtful, and Steibelt was soon installed as reigning virtuoso. But no musician who aspires to fame in France can neglect the stage, and Steibelt accordingly resolved to essay dramatic composition. One of his patrons, the Vicomte de Ségur, a litterateur of some pretensions, who had written for the Opéra a libretto founded on Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet,' entrusted the composition of the music to Steibelt. The score was finished in 1792, but the work was rejected by the Académie. Its authors, nothing daunted, proceeded to alter the piece. The recitatives were suppressed and replaced by prose dialogue, and in this shape the opera was produced at the Théâtre Feydeau on Sept. 10, 1793 with Madame Scio as Juliet. The 'Moniteur' of Sept. 23 describes the music as 'learned, but laboured and ugly'—a criticism which, with the music before one, it is impossible to understand. Theatre-goers were of a different opinion, and 'Roméo et Juliette' was a decided success. The merits of the work, perhaps Steibelt's greatest achievement, will be discussed subsequently. It will be enough at present to note that it was performed with success in Stockholm on Jan. 30, 1815 (and again in 1819), and was revived with great applause in Paris at the Théâtre Royale de l'Opéra Comique in 1822. It does not appear that it was ever brought forward on the German stage, but the Overture was played in Vienna in 1841. The concert given after Steibelt's death for his son's benefit was closed with the Funeral Chorus from the third act.
The success of this operatic venture completely confirmed Steibelt's position in Paris. His music, though considered difficult, was extremely popular, and as a teacher he counted amongst his pupils the most eminent ladies of the time, including the future Queen of Holland. Society made up its mind to overlook his discourteous and overbearing manners in consideration of his artistic merits, and nothing was needed to confirm his fortunes and his fame but that he should be true to himself. Unfortunately, this condition was not fulfilled. He appears to have been a victim, to kleptomania, and in the last century this was regarded as a proof of moral rather than of intellectual disease. It must also be admitted that facts seemed to warrant this view in Steibelt's case. On his first coming to Paris he had been received with great kindness by Boyer the publisher, who had not only procured for him powerful patronage but even took him into his own house. His services were ill rewarded. Steibelt had already published some Sonatas for the Pianoforte and Violin (ops. 1 and 2) at Munich. He now added to them a cello ad libitum part, which merely doubled the bass of the pianoforte part, and sold them to Boyer as new works. The fraud seems to have been discovered about 1796, and though Steibelt made reparation by presenting to the aggrieved publisher his Pianoforte Concertos, Nos. 1 and 2, this transaction, combined with other irregularities, so injured his reputation that he felt it desirable to leave Paris, at any rate for a time. England attracted his attention, and, journeying by way of Holland, he reached London about the close of 1796.
By this proceeding Steibelt challenged comparisons quite as dangerous as those which he ​had recently risked by bringing out an opera in Paris. Pianoforte music had originated in London a quarter of a century before, and at Steibelt's arrival no fewer than three players and composers of the first magnitude were resident there, Clementi, Dussek, and Cramer. Few particulars of Steibelt's life in London have been recorded. His first public performance seems to have been at Salomon's Benefit Concert on May 1, 1797, and a fortnight later (May 15) he played a pianoforte concerto of his own at an opera concert. Not long after this he wrote the celebrated Pianoforte Concerto in E (No. 3), containing the 'Storm Rondo.' Whatever may be thought of the merits of this work now, its popularity at the beginning of the century was enormous, and far exceeded that accorded to any other of Steibelt's compositions. It is not too much to say that it was played in every drawing-room in England; indeed, the notorious 'Battle of Prague' alone could compete with it in popular favour. It was, in all probability, first performed in public at Salomon's concert on March 19, 1798. At the close of the same year (Dec. 11) its author again came forward as a composer for the stage, and again met with a favourable reception. His work on this occasion was an English opera, or, as it was described in the Covent Garden play-bill, 'a new grand Heroic Romance, in 3 acts, called Albert and Adelaide; or the Victim of Constancy.' It must have been an extraordinary medley. The first two acts were a translation from the German of Schoerer, who had taken them from the French, and the third act was added from another French play. The music was only in part original, and was eked out by the insertion of a Quintet from 'Lodoïska' and the like expedients. Even the original music was not all written by Steibelt, as Attwood contributed some of it. Yet, after all, the most curious part of this curious production must have been the Overture, which was 'enlivened by a pantomime'! Such as it was, however, the piece proved sufficiently attractive to keep the boards for some time, and the Overture, arranged for the pianoforte, was published in France and sold in Germany. As teacher and performer Steibelt appears to have been as fully employed during his stay of three years or so in London as he had been previously in Paris. Whether he was as much liked by his brother artists as by the amateurs seems very problematical; at any rate his music is conspicuous by its absence in the concert programmes of the time. Two other circumstances of interest connected with Steibelt's visit to England have been preserved. The first of these is the fact that he conceived a decided predilection for English pianofortes, always using them in preference to any others; the second is his marriage with a young Englishwoman, described as possessed of considerable personal attractions and as a good player on the pianoforte and tambourine. The last-named accomplishment led her husband to add a tambourine accompaniment to many of his subsequent pieces.
Steibelt now resolved on visiting his native country, from which he had been absent, according to some authorities, as much as fifteen years. He reached Hamburg in September or October 1799, but made no great stay there. His next stopping-place was Dresden, where he met with a very enthusiastic reception. Besides several more or less private performances, he gave a concert of his own on Feb. 4, 1800, with the greatest success. Almost immediately after this he went to Prague. His concert in the Bohemian capital attracted a large audience of the upper classes and brought him no less than 1800 gulden, but his playing made little impression, and he went on forthwith to Berlin. Before the end of April he had given two performances in his native city. It was not very likely that his style would please audiences who still held to the traditions of the school of Bach, and the main result of his visit seems to have been to give great offence to his brother artists. From the capital of Prussia he turned to the capital of Austria, then the metropolis of the musical world, where he arrived about the middle of May. We are told that his reputation was such as to cause some anxiety even to Beethoven's friends. If such was the case they were speedily relieved. At the first meeting a sort of armed truce was observed, but at the second Steibelt was rash enough to issue a distinct challenge. Beethoven was not the man to decline such a contest, and his victory was so decided that his rival refused to meet him again. [See Beethoven, vol. i. pp. 168a, 178b.] This adventure was not likely to contribute to Steibelt's success at Vienna, and a concert that he gave at the Augarten-Saal was rather thinly attended. His German tour as a whole was only partially successful, and Steibelt determined to return to the more congenial atmosphere of Paris. He arrived there in August 1800, carrying with him the score of Haydn's 'Creation.'
The 'Creation' is one of the very few triumphs of musical art that have been received with favour from the first, and at this time an active competition for the honour of producing it was going on everywhere. Steibelt does not seem to have been first in the field at Paris, as Pleyel, Haydn's favourite pupil, had been despatched to request the veteran composer to come and conduct his own work. Pleyel, however, was unable to reach Vienna [Pleyel, vol. iii. p. 3 a], and the field was thus left open to Steibelt. He made the most of his opportunities. Not content with obtaining 4000 francs from Erard for himself and his assistant, M. de Ségur, as the price of the translation adapted to the music, and 3600 francs for himself and 2400 francs for his fellow-translator from the administration of the Opéra, where the work ​was to be performed, he transposed the part of Adam to suit the tenor Garat, and in many places even attempted to improve Haydn's music by additions and alterations of his own. In spite of these drawbacks, the performance, which took place on Christmas Eve, 1800, proved a decided success. Public curiosity was much excited; a fortnight before the performance not a box was to be had; an eager crowd surrounded the Opera House at nine in the morning; at the end of the first part a subscription was started to strike a medal in honour of the composer (nay, so much was the work on every one's lips that one of the vaudeville theatres produced a parody of it three days later called 'La récreation du monde'). Rey directed the performance and Steibelt presided at the piano-forte. The adaptation of the words seems to have been fairly performed; at the alterations made in the score competent judges were, naturally enough, extremely indignant. Moreover, the circumstances of his departure some four or five years before had not been forgotten, and thus, in spite of the éclat of the 'Creation,' Steibelt did not feel very comfortable in Paris. Even the success of his ballet 'Le Retour de Zéphyr' at the Opera, on March 3, 1802, did not reconcile him to his position, and he embraced the opportunity afforded by the conclusion of the Treaty of Amiens on the 22nd of the same month, and returned to London.
The next six years of his life, about equally divided between London and Paris, were among the busiest of his busy career. His popularity in London was as great as ever; he lived in the most fashionable part of the town, and was received with applause wherever he went. For the King's Theatre in the Haymarket he wrote two ballets, 'Le Jugement du berger Paris' in 3 acts (produced May 24, 1804), and 'La belle Laitiére (produced Jan. 26, 1805). It seems very characteristic of the composer that his work was not ready on either occasion. In the former case several airs had to be written at a very short notice by Winter, who was also responsible for the scoring of the second act; in the latter case an apology was circulated for the omission of the dénouement of the piece, 'Mr. Steibelt not having finished that part of the music.' Both ballets were, nevertheless, received with great favour, the march in the first act of 'Le Jugement' and the pastoral scene in the second act of 'La belle Laitiére' coming in for special applause. He also played his Pianoforte Concerto No. 5 (à la chasse, op. 64) at the Opera-concerts, apparently in the summer of 1802, with great success. After his return to Paris Steibelt followed up his dramatic achievements in England with an Intermezzo, 'La Fête de Mars,' composed in celebration of the Austerlitz campaign, and performed at the Opera on March 4, 1806. Encouraged by these successes he again tried his hand on a larger work, 'La Princesse de Babylone,' an opera in 3 acts. This was accepted by the Académie and was in active preparation when the importunity of his creditors compelled the composer to leave Paris suddenly in the autumn of 1808. But his energies were by no means confined to writing for the stage. Several of his chief sonatas date from these years. Still more important are the two Concertos in E♭ (Nos. 4 and 5), for the pianoforte, and the 'Methode' for that instrument published in French, German, and Spanish, in which he claims to have invented the signs for the use of the Pedals adopted by Clementi, Dussek, and Cramer. [See Sordini, vol. iii. p. 636b.] Above all, it was on his return to Paris in 1805 that he published his Etude,—a collection of 50 studies in 2 books—undoubtedly the best of his piano-forte works. In the midst of all this occupation he found time to meditate further travels. Russia, a country that in the previous century had attracted Galuppi, Paisiello, Sarti, Cimarosa, and Clementi, had just furnished an asylum to Boieldieu and a home to Field, was then a sort of Promised Land to French musicians, and it is not strange that Steibelt should have been more than willing to go there, when he received in 1808 the offer of a very advantageous appointment from the Emperor Alexander. Owing to causes already mentioned he left Paris for St. Petersburg in October, 1808. His journey was not however very speedy when he felt himself out of the reach of his creditors. He stopped at Frankfort to give a great concert on Nov. 2, and at Leipzig made a stay of some weeks and repeated the programme of the Frankfort concert. During his sojourn in Leipzig he put forth (Nov. 24, 1808) a notice in which he complains that some German publishers had issued very faulty editions of his works even going so far as to annex his name to compositions by other people, and announces his intention of having all his future works published by Breitkopf & Härtel, an intention that was not very consistently carried out. Even after leaving Leipzig he lingered at Breslau and Warsaw to give concerts, so that he could hardly have reached St. Petersburg till the beginning of the spring of 1809.
Here, at last, his wanderings came to an end. He was appointed, it is not very clear when, director of the Opéra Français, and when Boieldieu left, at the close of 1810, Steibelt received the title of 'Maître de Chapelle' to the Emperor in his place. It was, however, a title to which no emolument was attached, and that in no way relieved its possessor from professional duties. In managing and writing for the Opera, and in teaching and composing for the pianoforte, the remaining years of Steibelt's life were spent, comparatively at least without excitement. About the year 1814 he ceased to play in public, and did not appear again for six years, when the production of his Eighth Pianoforte Concerto—a very remarkable work—induced him to come forward once more as a performer on March 16, 1820. Meanwhile his pen was not ​idle. His early years at St. Petersburg were marked by the ballets 'La Fête de l'Empereur' in 1809, and 'Der blöde Ritter' (before the end of 1812); and the three Concertos for pianoforte, Nos. 6, 7, and 8, appear to belong to the period of his abstention from playing in public. For the theatre he wrote two operas, each in three acts, 'Cendrillon' and 'Sargines'; a third, 'Le Jugement de Midas,' he did not live to finish. He also spent some time in revising 'Roméo et Juliette.' In the midst of these avocations he was seized with a painful disease, of which, after lingering some time, he died on Sept. 20, 1823. A number of his friends combined to honour him with a quasi-public funeral, and the military governor of St. Petersburg, Count Milarodowitsch, organised a subscriptionconcert for the benefit of his family, who were left in very straitened circumstances.
Comparatively little has been recorded of Steibelt's personal character, but the traits preserved are, to say the least of it, far from prepossessing. Almost the only occurrence that presents him in a pleasing light is his death-bed dedication of the revised score of 'Roméo et Juliette' to the King of Prussia, in token of gratitude for the kindnesses received from that monarch's father. He appears to have been perfectly eaten up with vanity, which exhibited itself unceasingly in arrogance, incivility, and affectation. In his native country he provoked The above is reduced from the aquatint engraving by Quenedey, of the portrait by Guérin, prefixed to each of the two parts of the original edition of the 'Etude pour le Piano Forte.' dislike by acting the foreigner and professing ignorance of German—indeed in Berlin, his birthplace, he inspired such disgust by his demeanour at his first concert that the orchestra refused to take any part in the second, and similar violations of courtesy are related of him wherever he went. Graver faults still are not wanting. That he was a kleptomaniac has been already mentioned. To this he added a reckless extravagance in money matters that amounted to criminality. Though he must have been for many years in receipt of a large income, he was always out at elbows, and this exercised a most pernicious influence on his character both as an artist and as a man. His respect for his art, never too great, was destroyed by the quantity of worthless music that he wrote hastily to meet temporary difficulties, and he not unfrequently stooped to expedients still more unworthy. One of these has been already mentioned, but it was not the only one. Complaints of old works palmed off as new on publishers, and through them on the public, by the alteration of the first few bars, transpositions, or the like, are only too rife. A device that seems to have been specially common was to add a violin part to a published set of pianoforte sonatas and then bring out the result as an entirely new work.
The greatness of his abilities as a musician is perhaps best proved by the fact that they caused so unattractive a person to be not merely tolerated but welcomed. His pianoforte-playing was just what might have been expected from his life and character. The highest ranges of his art were a terra incognita to him, and his inability to perform a slow movement was the subject of universal comment. To do him justice, he was aware of his deficiency, and seldom attempted an Adagio. Quick movements, on the contrary, he played with a precision and fire that made the liveliest impression. His technical training appears to have been defective, and, though in his prime he was considered a great executant, his left hand was always conspicuously weak. He was one of the first to discover the resources presented by the pedals of the pianoforte, and, like some other discoverers, was led to exaggerate the importance of his discovery. The result of this was that his performance was always apt to degenerate into mere tricks of effect. The critics of his day also complained of his excessive use of the tremolo, a judgment that appears well grounded, and declared that his fingering was faulty, which seems more doubtful. It is strange, too, considering his appreciation of the resources of the pianoforte and his preference for instruments by English makers (or by Erard, who used the English action up to 1808), that he should have made little or no use of their cantabile powers. But, after making all deductions of this sort, the broad fact remains that Steibelt's playing was thoroughly striking and original, and that he possessed in a very eminent degree the invaluable power of carrying his audience with him. Whatever censure critics might be disposed to pass after the performance was over, the aplomb and spirit of his playing fascinated them at the time, and when he was in a good mood he would interest his hearers for hours together.
It has been said that the truest test of a composer's genius is to be found in his slow ​movements. Judged by this standard the multitudinous pianoforte works of Steibelt would be declared wholly wanting. Sonata after sonata has no slow movement at all, consisting merely of an Allegro and a Rondo. When an Adagio or Andante is interpolated, it is either an insignificant trifle of some 30 or 40 bars in length, or else consists of a popular melody, such as 'If a body meet a body,' ''Twas within a mile of Edinbro' town,' or the like. He does not seem to have ever realised the powers of the pianoforte for an Adagio, and when a violin part is added, as is often the case in his sonatas, he almost invariably assigns the melody to the latter instrument and accompanies it with a tremolo on the pianoforte. His Allegros and Rondos, on the contrary, particularly the former, are often of remarkable merit, and many of his sonatas, such as that dedicated to Madame Bonaparte (in E♭, op. 45), are really fine and original compositions. Yet, even at his best, a want of sustained power makes itself felt. Though the absence of records as to his early life makes it probable that his musical training was not sacrificed to the profitable speculation of exhibiting a youthful prodigy, his constructive skill was never developed. All his music sounds like a clever improvisation that happens to have been committed to paper. There is little or no attempt at development or design. Whenever a new idea occurs to the writer it is straightway thrust in, and when no fresh idea presents itself one of the old ones is repeated. Hence it is that his music is now totally forgotten, for, whatever the opinion of contemporaries may be, posterity has invariably consigned to oblivion all music, no matter what other qualities it may possess, that is deficient in design. Moreover, Steibelt exhibits a most annoying inequality of style. Again and again the opening movement of a sonata excites the expectation of a really satisfactory work, as if for the very purpose of disappointing it by the deficiencies of the Adagio, if there is one, and the trivialities of a 'brilliant' Rondo. His contemporaries pronounced the 'Etude' his best work, and time has confirmed their opinion. It has been often republished, and may indeed be said to be the only work of his that still lives. To a modern pianist one of the most striking features of the collection is the fact that several of the pieces (e.g. Nos. 3 and 8) anticipate in a very noteworthy manner the style made popular by Mendelssohn in his 'Songs without Words.' The vast mass of Airs with variations, Fantasias, Descriptive pieces, Pot-pourris, Divertissements, Bacchanals, and the like, that had a great sale in their day, are now deservedly forgotten. The sample of his descriptive pieces already given [Programme-Music, vol. iii. p. 36a] may serve as a type of them all. They are of the worst class of programme-music, with no intrinsic musical merit. In England and France these pieces made their composer popular. In Germany, his reputation was comparatively nil. His pianoforte works however, good and bad, have all the great merit of feasibleness, and invariably lie well under the hand.
For the orchestra and other instruments Steibelt wrote comparatively little—wisely, in the judgement of one of his biographers. Unfortunately, the scores of many of his operatic works, especially those written for St. Petersburg, are inaccessible and perhaps lost. It cannot, however, be said that an examination of the score of 'Roméo et Juliette' quite bears out the sentence just quoted. We are told that an even division of the interest of the music between the various instruments is one great mark of skilful orchestral writing. If this be so, Steibelt's opera is in one respect skilfully written, for almost every instrument in the orchestra comes to the front in turn. More than this, the composer uses the forces at his command with power and freedom. The trombones are introduced to an extent then unusual, though not excessive. Many of the resources of modern scoring are to be found, especially the employment of wood-wind and strings in responsive groups. The main complaint that can be sustained against the work is that the concerted pieces are unduly protracted and impede the action—this is certainly the case with the Trio in the first Act. It should moreover be observed that when Steibelt writes for the pianoforte and other instruments, as in his quintets, the pianoforte is not allowed to monopolise the interest. His concertos are formed on the orthodox Mozartean model, and it must be added that they contain, especially in their first movements, most excellent writing. 'The instrumentation of the first movement is quite exceptionally beautiful was the opinion of one who listened to the performance of his Eighth Concerto in London, and even when the work as a whole is weak, as in the Sixth Concerto, the instrumentation is not deficient in skill and novelty.
Steibelt's originality as a composer was questioned in his own day. It was said that his famous 'Storm Rondo' was a feeble copy of a work for the organ by the Abbé Vogler, a statement on which the thoroughly pianoforte character of Steibelt's music throws considerable doubt. His enemies also averred that 'Roméo et Juliette' was a mere plagiarism from Georg Benda's opera of the same name—an allegation that is certainly unfounded. More serious objection may be taken to his Sixth Pianoforte Concerto, 'Le Voyage au Mont St. Bernard,' in which not only the general idea, but even the most striking details—the hymn of the monks, the tolling of the convent bell, and the national music of the Savoyards with accompaniment of triangles—are borrowed from Cherubini's opera of 'Elisa ou le Voyage au Mont Bernard.' It is, in fact, as it has been aptly described, 'the work, not of an architect, but of a decorator.' On the other hand, Steibelt must be credited with some contributions to musical progress. ​Modulation he used with a freedom unknown before him. The following passage, for instance, from the Andante of the first Sonata, in op. 37,
was an unheard-of thing in 1799. Of course, nothing is easier than to carry such innovations to excess, and he may be fairly said to have overstepped the line when in the 'working-out' of his Sonata for pianoforte and violin in E minor, op. 32, he introduces the second subject in E♭ major, changing the signature for 56 bars. Another instance is supplied by the two Sonatas for pianoforte that form op. 56. In the first, which is in E♭ major, he opens the development with an excursion into G♭ major for 13 bars and into F♯ minor for 31 bars, in each case changing the signature. In the second he leaves E major for G minor in the same part of the composition, employing a new signature for 33 bars. Greater licence still is to be found in works of less definite outline than a sonata. In the Fantasia dedicated to Madame Moreau, which is nominally in B♭ major, he passes after 56 bars through B major and B minor to C, and with the exception of the last 33 bars, which return to B♭ major, all the rest of a long work is in this key. But though he never grasped the plan that groups a number of subsidiary keys round the central key [Form, vol. i. p. 550b, and 552a], and seems rather to be quite aimless in his wanderings, the fact remains that in his use of keys he shows the workings of an original mind. Other cases that show his readiness to strike out in fresh directions are to be found in his discovery of the tremolo on the pianoforte and in his free use of the pizzicato in chamber music. He employs the latter, for example, most effectively in the Rondos of the Sonatas for Pianoforte and Violin, op. 32, no. 2, and op. 35, no. 3, in the second of which he uses this expedient in giving out the subject. The device of introducing a pantomime into an overture has found no imitators, unless the overture to 'Euryanthe' is to be reckoned as an imitation [Opera, vol. ii. p. 521b], but some of his other novelties have had a better fate. The manner in which he suggests the 'Lieder ohne Worte' in his 'Etude,' and his use of the trombones, alto, tenor, and especially bass, in 'Roméo et Juliette' have been already noticed. A similar boldness in orchestral writing is to be found in the first movement of his Sixth Concerto for Pianoforte, where a passage occurs in which the violoncellos are divided into three parts. Neither Haydn, nor Mozart, nor Beethoven divide their strings, except the violas, to any extent, and Steibelt's Concerto is at least thirteen years anterior to the Overture to 'Guillaume Tell,' which is usually quoted as the early instance of division of the violoncellos into more than two parts. More important still is the finale of the Eighth Concerto for Pianoforte, in which—probably following the lead of Beethoven—he adds voices to the instruments to form a climax, with an effect described as thrilling. We may fairly say that a composer who did these things deserves to be distinguished from the crowd of merely clever musicians. Had he but steadily lived and written up to his abilities it is probable that he might have taken one of the chief places in the roll of musical worthies; as it is, he only adds one more to the many instances which prove that conspicuous talent unaccompanied by moral earnestness will never succeed in making a man great.
The list of his works which follows has been compiled with considerable trouble. Not only had Steibelt a careless and, it is to be feared, dishonest habit, of publishing different works under the same opus number, and the same or a slightly altered work under different numbers, but, according to his own protest already mentioned, works were published under his name with which he had nothing to do. Under such circumstances the task of drawing up a complete and accurate list is wellnigh hopeless, and this catalogue, though compiled with all the care possible, does not profess to be more than a contribution towards a complete and exact list. An asterisk attached to a work means that it certainly contains one sonata (or the number given) and may contain more. A date has been added in some cases, where it seemed likely to be of any value.
Op. 1. 3 Sonatas. PF. and Violin (1788). | Sonata, PF. | 2 Sonatas. PF. | 3 Sonatas, PF. | 3 Sonatas, Harp with Violin and Cello ad lib. | 6 Sonatas, PF., with Flute or Violin and Cello.
Op. 2. *Sonata, PF. and Violin (1788). | Sonata, PF. | Sonata, PF. and Violin (1791). | 3 Sonatas, PF., the first with Violin. | 2 Sonatas, PF. | 3 Sonatas. PF., Violin, and Cello.
Op. 3. Sonata. PF., Violin, and Cello (1791). | Turkish Overture, PF., Violin, and Cello.
Op. 4. 3 Sonatas. PF. and Violin. | *Sonata, PF., Violin, and Cello (1791). | 3 Sonatas, PF., the first with Violin obbllgato.
Op. 5. Premier Caprice, PF. (1792). | Preludes and three pieces, PF. (1792). | 3 Preludes, PF.
Op. 6. Second Caprice, PF. | Grand Sonata, PF. and Violin; A (1792). | 3 Sonatas, PF. | 2 Sonatas and 'La Coquette,' PF., the first with Violin. | *Sonata, PF. | Rondo from 3rd PF. Concerto.
Op. 7. 3 Grand Sonatas, PF. (1793). | Turkish Overture, PF., Violin, and Cello. | 3 Sonatas.
Op. 8. Grand Sonata, PF. and Violin; D (1793). | 6 Grand Preludes or Exercises, PF. (1794). | 3 Quartets for Strings (1799). | 'Enfant cheri des Dames' with var. PF. (1799). | 3 Sonatas, PF., the third with Violin.
Op. 9. 6 Divertissements, PF. (1793). | 2 Grand Sonatas, PF. | 'La Coquette,' PF.; A.
Op. 10. Mélange d'airs et chansons en Forme de Scéne. PF. (1794).
Op. 11. 3 Sonatas, PF. and Flute, or Violin; B♭, A, D (1793). | 6 Sonatas, PF. and Violin. | 6 Sonatas, PF. | 6 Sonatas, PF., nos. 1, 4, 5, and 6, with Violin obbligato, nos. 2 and 3 with Flute obbligato. | 3 Sonatas, PF., Violin, and Cello. | 3 Sonatas, PF. with Violin acc. (ded. to Mme. Eugenia da Beaumarchois).
Op. 12.
Op. 13. 6 Airs with var., PF. | Duo, PF. and Harp.
Op. 14. 2 Grand Sonatas, PF. (1795). | Duo, Harp and PF.
Op. 15. Grand Sonata, PF.
Op. 16. Grand Sonata, PF. | Mélange d'Airs.
Op. 17. 3 Quartets for Strings; E♭, C, F min. (1797).
Op. 18. 3 Sonatas, PF., nos. 2 and 3 with Violin (1797). | 3 Sonatas, PF., with acc. for Flute, or Violin; G, C, B♭ (1799). ​Op. 19. 3 Sonatas, PF. (1797).
Op. 20. Sonatas, PF.
Op. 21.
Op. 22.
Op. 23. Grand Sonata, PF.; G min.
Op. 24. Preludes, PF. (1797). | Ladies' Amusement, PF. | Trois Caprices en Prelude, PF. | Sonata, PF.; G.
Op 25 Grand Sonata (L'Amante disperata), PF.; G min. (1797). | Preludes, PF. | 2 Sonatas, PF. and Violin; C, B♭.
Op 26. 3 easy Sonatas, PF. and Violin; D, A, F (1799).
Op 27. 6 Sonatas, PF. and Violin (ded. to Queen of Prussia); C, E♭, E, B♭, G, and ?A (1797).
Op 28 3 Quintets, PF. and Strings; no. 1, G; no. 2, D; no. 3, ? (1798). | 3 Sonatas, PF. à 4 mains (1798). | 'A me tutte le belle,' Rondo, PF., Violin, and Cello; E♭ (1798). | 3 easy Divertissements, PF.
Op. 29. 3 Grand Sonatas, PF. | 2 Rondos, PF.; F, G.
Op. 30. 3 Sonatas, PF. and Violin. | Grand Sonata, PF. with acc. for Violin; B♭. | 2 Rondos, PF.; F, A.
Op. 31. Grand Trio. PF., Violin, and Bass; A (1798). | First Quintet, PF and Strings; D.
Op. 32. Grand Sonata, PF. with acc. for Violin; E min. | 'Enfant cheri des Dames,' Air with var., PF., Violin, and Cello; E♭. | 2 Sonatas (with Scotch airs), PF.
Op. 33. 4 Sonatas of progressive difficulty, PF., with Violin ad lib.; G, F, G, D (1798). | Concerto no. 3 ('The Storm'), PF. and Orch.; E (1799). | 2 Sonatas, PF., with Violin and Cello ad lib.; B♭, F. | 6 Rondos, PF.; C, F, G, D, B♭, F.
Op. 34. 6 Quatuors concertante for Strings, in two books (1798). | 24 Waltzes, PF., with acc. for Tambourine and Triangle (1800).
Op. 35. 3 Sonatas, PF., with Violin ad lib.; E♭, F, A (1799). | Grand Concerto, no. 8 ('The Storm'); E (1799). | 'Amusement pour les Dames' (easy PF. pieces).
Op. 36. 8 Sonatas (ded. to Mme. de Boigne), PF., with acc. for Flute, or Violin; F. B♭, A (1799). | 3 Divertissements and 5 Rondos, PF. (1799). | 3 easy Divertissements, PF. | 3 easy Divertissements and Airs with var., PF. | Sonata for 2 PF.s (1800). | 12 Waltzes, PF., with acc. for Tambourine and Triangle. | Combat Naval, PF.. with Violin and Cello (and Gr. Tambour ad lib.); E♭.
Op. 37. 3 Sonatas, PF., with Violin ad lib. The first has also a Tambourine obbligato; C, A, E♭. | 3 Progressive Sonatas, PF.; C, B♭, F. | 3 Sonatas of progressive difficulty, PF., with Violin and Cello ad lib. | Sonata, PF.. with Violin ad lib.; E♭.
Op. 38. 3 Sonatas. PF., with acc. for Flute, or Violin; C, B♭. G. | 3 Sonatas, PF., with acc. for Flute or Violin; A, D, B♭. | 12 Divertissements (Marches, Waltzes, and Rondos), PF., with acc. for Tambourine.
Op. 39. 3 Sonatas (ded. to Mlle. de Boigne), PF., with acc. for Flute or Violin (1800). | 6 Bacchanals, PF., with Tambourine ad lib.
Op. 40. 3 easy Sonatas, PF., with Violin ad lib.; A min., C, F. Sonata, PF., with Violin ad lib.; E♭. | 3 progressive Lessons (also called Sonatas), PF.; C, B♭, F. | 3 favourite Rondos, PF.; C, A, E♭.
Op. 41. 3 Sonatas, PF. and Flute (1800). | Combat Naval, PF. (1800). | 3 Rondos, PF., with Flute, or Violin; A, D, B♭. | 3 Sonatas, PF.; C, B♭, G. | 3 easy, pleasing, and progressive Sonatas, PF,; C, B♭, F. | Easy Sonatas, PF. and Violin. | Easy Sonata, PF.
Op. 42. 6 easy and pleasing Sonatinas; Book 1, C, B♭, C; Book 2, D, E♭, A. | 3 easy Sonatas, PF. and Violin. | 3 Sonatas. PF., with Flute or Violin; A, D, B♭. | 'Mamma mia,' arranged as a Rondo, PF.; E♭. | Naval Fight, a grand national piece, PF.
Op. 43. 3 Sonatas. PF.; D, B♭, E♭. | Rondo, PF.; D. | 'Amusement pour les Dames,' PF.
Op. 44. Grand Sonata. PF., with Flute or Violin; A. | Fantasia with var. on 'Der Vogelfänger,' PF.
Op. 45. 3 Sonatas, PF., with acc. for Violin; A, E♭, B♭. | Grand Sonata (ded. to Mme. Bonaparte). PF.; E♭. | 3 Sonatas. PF., with acc. for Flute or Violin; A, D. B♭. | Sonata, PF. and Violin; A. Grand Polonaise, PF. and Violin; E. | Polonaise, PF.
Op. 46. 3 Sonatas ('in which are introduced some admired airs'), PF., with acc. for Flute or Violin; B♭. A, D.
Op. 47.
Op. 48. 2 Sonatas. PF.; E♭, A.
Op. 49. 6 Sonatas (in 2 books), PF. | Duet for Harp. | 3 Quartets for Strings. | 6 Sonatinas of progressive difficulty, PF.
Op. 50. 6 favourite (also called progressive) Sonatas, PF.; C, B♭, G, D, E♭, A.
Op. 51. 3 Sonatas, PF.; C. G, F. Quartet, PF., Violin, Viola, and Cello; A.
Op. 52.
Op. 53. 6 Bacchanals, PF., with acc. for Flute, Tambourine, and Triangle.
Op. 54.
Op. 55.
Op. 56. 3 Grand Sonatas, PF. and Violin; C, D, B♭. | 3 Grand Sonatas, PF., with Violin ad lib.; A min., F, C. | 3 Sonatas, PF., Violin, and Cello. | 2 Sonatas, PF.; E♭, E.
Op. 67. 3 Rondos, PF.; C, B♭, A.
Op. 58. Rondo, PF.; B♭.
Op. 59. Sonata, PF., with Violin ad lib.; E♭. | Grand Sonata, PF. Sonata, PF., Violin, and Cello.
Op. 60. Sonata (ded. to Duchess of Courland). PF.; E♭. | 6 Sonatas, PF. | 2 Rondos, PF.; F, A.
Op. 61. Grand Sonata, PF.; E♭. | 3 Sonatas, PF., with Violin and Cello. | 2 Sonatas, PF., with Violin and Cello (ad lib.); G, E♭. | 2 Sonatas, PF., with acc. for Violin and Cello; F, D. | 2 Sonatas. PF., Violin, and Cello; B♭, E♭. | Grand Sonata, PF., Violin, and Cello.
Op. 62. 2 Sonatas, PF.; F, D (1802). | 3 Sonatinas, PF.; E♭, G. C. 3 Sonatas, PF., with Violin or Flute; C, B♭, G.
Op. 63. Sonata, PF.; D. | 3 Grand Sonatas, PF.; C, F, D (1802). Sonata, PF.; B♭. | Le Rappel à l'armée, Military Fantasia on an air by Mozart, PF.; F. | Rondo, PF.
Op. 64. Grand Concerto, no. 5 (à la chasse), PF. and Orch.; E♭ (1802). | Grand Sonata, PF.; G. | Second Military Fantasia with a triumphal march by Haydn, PF.
Op. 65. 3 Sonatas, PF., Violin, and Cello. | 3 Sonatas, PF. | Le Rappel à l'armée, Military Fantasia, PF,; F. | Rondo, PF.
Op. 66. 3 Grand Sonatas, PF., with acc. for Flute or Violin added by I. Pleyel; F, G, A (1802). | 3 Sonatas, PF. and Violin. | 2 Sonatas, PF.; F, A. | Air favori de Léonce Varié, PF.; D.
Op. 67. 2 Sonatas, PF. | Grand Sonata, PF., with acc. for Violin, Sonata. PF., with Flute or Violin; D.
Op. 68. 3 Sonatas, PF., with Violin ad lib. | 2 easy Sonatas, PF. | 6 Bacchanals. PF., with Tambourine ad lib.
Op. 69. 3 Sonatas. PF., with Violin, or Cello, or Bassoon obbligato. | Grand Sonata, PF. and Violin obbligato; G min. | Les Papillons, Rondo, PF.; E♭. | 3 Sonatas, PF., Violin, and Cello. | Grand Sonata, PF. E♭.
Op. 70. 3 Sonatinas, PF., with Flute or Violin; C, B♭, G. | 3 Sonatas, PF., with Violin; G. F, A. | Sonata for Harp.
Op. 71. 3 Grand Sonatas, PF.. with Violin obbligato; G min., G, B♭. | Sonata (with a dance air by Duport), PF. and Flute.
Op. 72. 3 Sonatas (or Sonatinas), PF. and Violin or Flute; C, B♭, G. | La Bohemienne (Air by Choron), with var.; PF.; G.
Op. 73. 3 Sonatas, PF. and Violin; G, F, A. | Fantasia with 6 var. on 'Belisaire,' PF.; D min.
Op. 74. 3 Sonatas, PF. and Violin; E♭, A, E min. | 6 Bacchanals, PF., with Tambourine ad lib.
Op. 75. 3 Sonatas, PF. | 3 progressive Sonatas, PF., with Violin ad lib.; F, G, A. | 2 easy Sonatas, PF. | Fantasia, PF.
Op. 76. 3 Grand Sonatas, PF.; A, G, E♭. | New Turkish Overture, PF., Violin, and Cello.
Op. 77. 6 Sonatinas, PF. | Fantasia with 6 var. on the Romance of Richard Cœur de Lion, PF.; C.
Op. 78. Etude for PF., containing 50 exercises of different kinds (in 2 books) (1805). | 6 Bacchanals, PF., with Tambourine ad lib.
Op. 79. 3 Sonatas, PF. and Flute; G, F, A. | Grand Sonata, PF. and Violin obbllgato; E.
Op. 80. Grand Sonata, PF., with Violin obbligato; B♭. | Military Fantasia on 'La Sentinelle,' PF.; C. ​Op. 81. 3 Grand Sonatas. PF.; A, G, E♭. | Grand Sonata. PF. and Violin obbligato B♭.
Op. 82. Grand Martial Sonata, PF.; D. | Grand Fantasia with var., PF.; D.
Op. 83. Grand Sonata, PF., with Violin; E min. | 2 Sonatas. PF.; C, F.
Op. 84. Grand Sonata, PF., with acc. for Violin or Fluto; G. | 3 Sonatas. PF.; B, G, E♭.
Op. 85. Grand Sonata, PF.; C. | Grand Sonata, PF.; D.
Op. 86. 6 Sonatinas, PF.
Op. 87. Grand Sonata, PF. with Violin; B♭.
Op. 88. Grand Martial Sonata, PF.; D.
Op. 89. Grand Sonata. PF. and Flute; G.
Op. 90. Fantasia en forme de Scène, PF.; F min. | Fantasia en forme de Scène, PF.; G.
Op. 91. Sonata. PF.; G.
Op. 92–100.
Op. 101. Grand Fantasia ('L'Incendie de Moscou'), PF.
Op. 102. Etrennes aux Dames (Favourite Russian Dance with var.), PF.; G.
Op. 103–109.
Op. 110. Fantasia (Battle of Neerwinde), PF. (1792).
WORKS WITHOUT OPUS NUMBERS.
1. Vocal and Orchestral.
Six Operas—'Roméo et Juliette,' in 3 acts; produced at Théâtre Feydeau Sept. 10, 1793. | 'Albert and Adelaide,' in 3 acts, an English opera, not wholly original, produced at Covent Garden Dec. 11, 1798. | 'La Princesse de Babylone,' in 3 acts. | 'Cendrillon,' in 3 acts. | 'Sargines,' in 3 acts. | 'Le Jugement de Midas,' unfinished, but apparently performed.
Five Ballets—'Le Retour de Zéphire' (Paris Opera, March 8, 1802). | 'Le Jugement du berger Paris' (King's Theatre. London, May 24, 1804). | 'La belle Laitière, ou Blanche, Reine de Castile' (King's Theatre. Jan. 28, 1805). | 'La Fête de l'Empereur' (St. Petersburg, 1809). | 'Der blöde Ritter' (St. Petersburg, before 1812); and an Intermezzo, 'La Fête de Mars' (Paris Opera, March 4, 1806).
Vocal Music.—The 20 Songs of Estelle, with acc. for PF. or Harp. | 30 Songs, with acc. for PF. or Harp, in 5 vols., each of 6 songs.
Music for Orchestra.—Ouverture en Symphonie (1796). | Waltzes for Orch. | Grand Concerto for Harp, with Orch. acc. | Pot-pourri, arranged as Concerto, with acc. for Orch. | 8 Concertos for PF. and Orch., viz.—
| 1. | In C (1796). |
| 2. | In E min., with acc. for Violin or Full Orch. ad lib. (1796?). |
| 3. | In E ('The Storm'). Op. 33 or 35 (1798–9). |
| 4. | In E♭. |
| 5. | In E♭ ('à la chasse'). Op. 64 (1802). |
| 6. | In G min. ('Le Voyage au Mont St. Bernard') (about 1816). |
| 7. | In E mln. (Grand Military Concerto, 'dans le Genre des Grecs,' with 2 Orchestras) (before 1817). |
| 8. | In E♭ (with Bacchanalian Rondo, ace. by Chorus). (Produced at St. Petersburg March 16, 1820, and played by Mr. Neate at the London Philharmonic Concert of March 25. 1822.) |
2. Pianoforte.
I. Fantasias. Of these there are some 30, part with variations, besides those which have opus-numbers. Amongst them may be mentioned:—
4 Military Fantasias (the 4th called 'La Fête de Napoleon'), F, E, C, E♭. | Grand Military Fantasia, G. | First Fantasia (on an air from the 'Mystères d'Isis'—the Zauberflöte). | Second Fantasia (on an air from the 'Dansomanie'). | Third Fantasia (on an air from the 'Mystères d'Isis.') | Fourth Fantasia (on an air from the same). | Fifth Fantasia (on an air from the same). | Sixth Fantasia (on the Waltz from 'Don Giovanni'). | Fantasia with 9 var. on 'La Nouvelle Zoë,' A. | Grand Fantasia with 7 var. on 'La Jeanne,' D. | Fantasia with 9 var. on a Russian Waltz, A min. | Fantasia with 8 var. on Cavatina from 'Tancredi,' B♭. | Fantasia with 5 var. on 'Le Clair de la Lune,' B♭. | Fantasia with 5 var. on a theme from 'Virtuosi ambulanti,' C. | Fantasia (consisting of the airs 'Richard, o mon roi and 'Charmante Gabrielle') with 8 var. on 'Vive Henri IV,' D. | Fantasia with 8 var. on Rondo d'Aline and an air from 'Maris Garçons,' C. | Fantasia with 10 var. on 'Nel cor piu,' B♭ min. | Fantasia on the air 'Le point du Jour.' | Fantasia on the air 'Firmin et son chien.' | Fantasia on the Polonaise 'La placida campagna' and other airs sung by Mme. Catalani. | Fantasia, 'L'Orage sur mer,' on the Venetian Barcarole 'La Biondina en Gondoletta' and other airs sung by Mme. Catalanl. | Fantasia en forme de Scene, with var. (ded. to Mme. Narischkin), F min. | Fantasia on an air of Mme. Narischkin. | Fantasia en forme de Scène, with 8 var. on 2 Russian airs, D min. | Fantasia with 6 var., F. | Fantasia (ded. to Prince Lobkowitz), G. | Fantasia on an air from the 'Mysteres d'Isis' (ded. to Mme. Moreau), B♭. I Fantasia with var. on the air 'L'on revient toujours' from 'Joconde,' E.
II. Rondos. Amongst the vast quantity of these the following may be particularised:—
15 Rondos in 5 Books: Bk. 1. C, A, E♭; Bk. 2, D, E♭, F; Bk. 3, D, C, A; Bk. 4, G, C, A; Bk. 5, F. A mln., D. | La Bouquet, A. | Turkish Rondo (with Violin ad lib.). C. | Neapolitan Rondo, F. | Cosack Rondo (with Violin ad lib.), D. | 2 Scotch Rondos (with Violin ad lib.). | 2 Pastoral Rondos, E, E♭. | Le Berger et son Troupeau, B♭. | Départ de Paris pour Petersbourg, B♭. | Les Adieux de Bayard à sa Dame, E. Tink-a-tlnk (from the duet in 'Blue Beard'). G. | Bird duet from 'The Cabinet,' D. | Polacca from 'The Cabinet.' | Castanet song in 'The Caravan,' B♭. | Favourite Polonaise sung by Mrs. Billington arr. as a Rondo. | 3 Favourite Rondos (with Flute). | Rondo on a Swiss Theme, B♭.
III. Airs with Variations. Of these there are a very great number. Amongst the chief may be distinguished:—
10 Sets of Variations (pub. about 1808), No. 1. Air favori de 'Léonce' (cp. op. 66), D. No. 2. Air du ballet 'Les Noces de Gamache.' No. 3. Polonaise de Viotti, E♭. No. 4. Théme de Haydn. No. 5. Andante with var. No. 6. Air du petit Commissionaire. No. 7. Théme de Haydn. No. 8. Théme de Mozart ('Alles fühlt'). No. 9. Andantino ('Un jour de cet Automne') with var. No. 10. Air by Mozart ('Bel Männern'). | L'Himne des Marseillois with var. | 'Lullaby' (by Storace) with var. | Monostatos (Zauberflöte) with var. | Papageno (Zauberflöte) with var. | Var. on a Russian Theme (with Violin ad lib.). | Romance and Pastorale from 'Nina' with 8 var. | Variations on a Song ('A peine au sortir') by Méhul. | Two Russian Airs ('Schöne Minka' and 'Kleine Zigeunerin') with var., D min., D. | Polonaise de Viotti with var., B♭. | Pastorale and 7 var. (with Violin ad lib.). | Russian Air with var. (with Violin ad lib.). | Air ('And does a fond emotion') from 'The Cherokee' with var. | Air Montagnard de Viotti with 8 var., C.
IV. Pot-pourris. Of these there is a series of 20. The keys of the first 7 are F, A, A, E♭, D, D, E♭, and of the 19th, E♭. Nos. 1–16 were published in Paris between 1791 and 1798, and the remainder shortly after. Besides the piece already mentioned under Orchestral works, a Caprice-Pot-pourri with var. on an air from 'Alceste' may be mentioned.
V. Programme Music. As samples of this class may be mentioned:—
Grande Marche de Bonaparte en Italle (with Tambourine acc.), 1796(?). | Grande Bataille de Gemappe (with var. on Marseilles), 1796. | Defaite des Espagnols par l'armée Française (Military Sonata), 1797. | Britannia, or Admiral Duncan's Victory, 1797. | St. Paul's Procession, 1798. | La Journée d'Ulm (also arranged for Wind Instruments), 1806. | The Public Christening of the Neva, 1806. | See also opp. 36, 101, and 110.
3. Miscellaneous.
I. Amongst the higher class of music that falls under this head may be noticed:—
Méthode de PF. contenant les principes necessaires pour bien toucher de cet Instrument, des gamines dans tous les tons, des exercices pour les doubles cadences, 12 petltes leçons, 6 sonates d'une difficulté graduelle, et des grands exercices, le tout doigté, et enfin une instruction sur la manières de se servir des pedales. 1805. | 12 Sonatas, PF. (4 hands) the first 6 in F, G, G, C, B♭, F. | 6 Sonatas for Harp. | 3 Duets, PF. and Harp. | 6 Duets or Sonatas, 2 PF.s. or PF. and Harp. | 6 Sonatas for Harp, with acc. for Violin and Cello. | 6 Sonates periodiques (one with Violin or Flute ad lib.), PF. | 3 Preludes, PF. | 12 Sonatinas in 2 Books—Bk. 1. C, B♭, G, D, E♭. A; Bk. 2. C, G, F, D, B♭, E♭. PF. | 3 Sonatas (for beginners), PF. | Sonata for Harp with Violin ad lib. | Elégie (on the death of Marshal Prince Soltykoff). PF., D min., 1816. | 2 Airs by Braham ('The beautiful maid' and 'Never think of meeting sorrow') in Reeve's opera 'The Cabinet' arranged as a Sonata, PF., B♭. | La Chasse, Sonata, PF., with Violin ad lib. D. | Sonata, PF., with Violin, C min. | Overture and Rondo, PF. | Overture and Polonaise, PF.
II. The following are among the chief of his lighter works:—
12 Bacchanals, PF. (with Tambourine ad lib.). | 2 Books of Serenades, PF. | 12 Capriccios, PF. | Turkish March, PF. | Marche de Peterhof, 1811, PF. Triumphal March on the entry of Alex. I. and Fred. Will. III. into Paris, 1814, PF. | Le Retour de Cavalerie Russe à St. Petersbourg le 14 Oct. 1814, piéce milltaire. PF. | Le Départ, Impromptu, PF.; C. | Caprice on 'Non più andrai,' PF., 1816. | 6 Nouvelles Walzes a trois mains (the 6th Waltz is a parody of the finale of the 'Vestale'), PF. | Polonaise, PF.; D. | Turkish Rondo for Harp, with Violin and Tambourine ad lib. | Air ('Enfant chéri') with var., PF. and Harp. | Favourite Rondo for Guitar and Flute or Violin; D.
In the third book of 'Pandean Music' for the PF., published by N. Corri of Edinburgh, the first number is 'Air from Blaise et Babet by Steibelt,' but no single item of information about 'Blaise et Babet' is forthcoming, except that it does not seem to have been a piece brought out in London.
[ J. H. M. ]
* ↑ For an interesting account of music in Berlin at this period see Jahn's 'Life of Mozart,' ch. 30 (vol. ii. p. 374 etc. in Eng. trans.).
* ↑ A. M. Z. ii. p. 622.
* ↑ According to Fétis, Steibelt did not leave Paris till 1798, but Messrs. Broadwood and Sons have records in their possession which prove that he was established in London by Jan. 2, 1797. This information is due to the kindness of Mr. A. J. Hipkins.
* ↑ This Information is derived from an advertisement of Longman, Clementi & Co. in the 'Morning Chronicle' of Jan. 22, 1799. These pasticcios were common enough then, and until the end of the first quarter of the present century.
* ↑ All authorities seem to place the visit to Berlin between his concert at Prague and his arrival at Vienna. Otherwise it would be natural to conjecture from the dates that he went to Berlin before going to Dresden.
* ↑ 'Morning Chronicle,' May 25. 1804.
* ↑ Ibid. Jan. 28, 1806.
* ↑ The correspondent of the A. M. Z. (xi. 170) oddly describes him as 'Steibelt of London.'
* ↑ It is worth noting that some authorities declare this was written for Paris. This opera has been considered his greatest work.
* ↑ Mme. Arabella Goddard, among her numerous revivals, included Steibelt's Sonata in E♭, ded. Mad. Bonaparte; and some Studies.
* ↑ A. M. Z. xxv. p. 725.
* ↑ Ibid, xxiv. no. 25.
* ↑ See op. 4.
* ↑ See op. 7.
* ↑ See op. 2.
* ↑ This appears to have been also styled Preludes and Capriccios.
* ↑ Six Preludes are also published as op. 5. They are probably a combination of the Preludes in the works given.
* ↑ See op. 3.
* ↑ Probably part of op. 34, and perhaps the same as op. 17.
* ↑ See op. 32.
* ↑ From op. 6.
* ↑ See op. 16.
* ↑ See op. 10.
* ↑ Perhaps the same as op. 8.
* ↑ See opp. 35 and 43.
* ↑ Selections from these six appear to have been also published as op. 27.
* ↑ Six similar Quintets appeared in the following year (see op. 31). These Quintets were especially famous.
* ↑ These were followed the next year by a fourth, published separately.
* ↑ Also published for Harp and PF. The air comes from Paislello's 'La Modista raggiratrice.'
* ↑ This appears to have been also published for PF., Flute, and Cello.
* ↑ See op. 28.
* ↑ This was also published for PF. and Harp. See op. 8.
* ↑ See opp. 46 and 62.
* ↑ See op. 35.
* ↑ These 2 Sonatas are described as 'Liv. 2.' so that another book may have been published.
* ↑ These Quartets appear to be some sort of arrangement or selection.
* ↑ In 2 books, each containing 12 Waltzes. The first book was also published (1) for Harp, Tambourine, Flute, and Triangle; (2) for 2 Violins; (3) for 2 Flutes. One book was also published as op. 36.
* ↑ See op. 33.
* ↑ Also published as op. 43. See op. 24.
* ↑ These appear to have been also published as op. 39.
* ↑ Also published for PF., Violin and Triangle. These Waltzes are part of op. 34.
* ↑ See opp. 41 and 42.
* ↑ In 1802, 5 Sonatas with Violin ad lib. are announced as forming this work.
* ↑ It is possible that all the works numbered op. 37 are variants of the first-mentioned.
* ↑ This was also published as op. 41.
* ↑ These appear to have been also published as op. 36.
* ↑ See opp. 36 and 42.
* ↑ See op. 38.
* ↑ These were also published as op. 45. They may be identical with the preceding.
* ↑ See opp. 36 and 41.
* ↑ Also published as op. 35 See op. 24.
* ↑ Also published as op. 42.
* ↑ The 'admired airs' are—in no. 1, ''Twas within a mile of Edinbro' town' and 'The Caledonian Beauty'; in no. 2, 'The Maid of Selma' and 'Life let us cherish.'
* ↑ These appear to have been also published (1) for PF. and Violin, (2) for PF., Violin, and Cello.
* ↑ These last 5 works are suspiciously like the same thing in different disguises.
* ↑ The following airs are introduced—in no. 1, 'If a body meet a body,' and Sir David Hunter Blair's Reel; in no. 2, 'Jesse Macpharlane' (sic), and 'La chantreuse.'
* ↑ Also published as op. 65.
* ↑ Also published as op. 63.
* ↑ The second movement of the first Sonata is on a Scotch song, and the third movement on a Russian theme.
* ↑ 'Léonce' was an opera by Isouard, 1805.
* ↑ These appear to have been also published for Flute, both as op. 73 and as op. 79.
* ↑ 'Belisaire' was an air by Garat.
* ↑ Also published as op. 81.
* ↑ Not, apparently, the same as op. 7.
* ↑ Selections from these six seem to have been also published as op. 77. See op. 73.
* ↑ 'La Sentinelle' was an air by Choron.
* ↑ Also published as op. 76.
* ↑ Also published as op. 88.
* ↑ Also published as op. 82.
* ↑ At this point, about the date of Steibelt's arrival in Russia, almost all record of his works disappears.
* ↑ The original score of this work came into the possession of Moscheles, and was sold by him on leaving London in 1847.
* ↑ Some authorities declare that Steibelt only wrote 5 of this set of 20 songs.
* ↑ The 'Dansomanie' was a ballet, set by Méhul in 1800 and by Rossi before 1806.
* ↑ 'La Nouvelle Zoë' was an opera dance.
* ↑ 'La Jeanne' was a dance air.
* ↑ 'I Virtuosi ambulanti' was an opera by Fioravanti, 1807.
* ↑ Apparently from Berton's opera 'Aline,' 1803.
* ↑ This Fantasia has nothing to do with the 3rd PF. Concerto.
* ↑ This may be op. 90.
* ↑ This was a posthumous work. 'Joconde' was an opera by Isouard, 1814.
* ↑ An opera by Kelly, 1798.
* ↑ An opera by Mazzinghi, Reeve, and Braham, 1801.
* ↑ An opera by Reeve, 1803.
* ↑ An opera by Paisiello.
* ↑ An opera by Storace, 1794.