Stephen Austen Pearce

Background

Stephen Austen Pearce was born on November 7, 1836 in Brompton, Chatham, Medway, England. He was the son of Stephen and Elizabeth (Austen) Pearce. The father, a postmaster, gave his six children the best educational opportunities.

Education

Stephen Austen Pearce and James, his brother, received special training as organists and choirmasters and were so similarly trained that a biography of one to a certain degree involves also the other. Stephen, the elder brother, was the more learned and his influence was therefor more far-reaching. Both boys sang in the Rochester Cathedral and the nearby Chatham Cathedral choirs (Episcopalian), thus taking part daily in two services and spending the remaining time in the cathedral school. Both received their most important organ training under the eminent organist, John Larkin Hopkins, and were therefore fitted for any organ position. Both entered Oxford and took their degrees of B. Mus. , Stephen in 1859, and James in 1860. Stephen continued his study and received the degree of D. Mus. in 1864.

Career

In 1864 Stephen Austen Pearce visited the United States and Canada. His brother had preceded him and was organist of the Quebec Cathedral. Stephen had held important positions in London churches and returned to give organ recitals at the Hanover Square Rooms and elsewhere, but in 1872 he came to America to reside. Settling in New York, he became an important factor as organist, theorist, and writer. He held church positions at St. George's, St. Stephen's, Zion, Ascension, the Fifth Avenue Collegiate (Dutch Reformed), all in New York City, and at the First Presbyterian in Jersey City. For one year (1878 - 1879) he was instructor in vocal music at Columbia College. He also taught harmony and composition at the New York College of Music and was lecturer on harmony at the General Theological Seminary, and at the Peabody Institute and The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. Besides these many activities he gave numerous lectures and recitals in other cities.

Stephen Austen Pearce had a brilliant technique and was doubtless one of the best organists of his time. With a tremendous capacity for work, in 1874 he became musical editor of the New York Evening Post and on occasion contributed articles to the Musical Courier and to various other periodicals. He edited a Pocket Dictionary of Musical Terms (1889) in twenty-one languages, including Arabic, Chaldaic, French, German, and Greek. He wrote much church and piano music and made many transcriptions of symphonies and oratorios for organ.

Stephen Austen Pearce died on April 8, 1900, in the Jersey Heights Presbyterian Church. He had begun to play the morning service, but feeling ill, Pearce was obliged to lie down and died almost at once of a stroke of paralysis.

Achievements

• Stephen Austen Pearce was a distinguished musician of his time. He became famous thanks to his compositions, such as a three-act children's opera, "La Belle Américaine"; a dramatic oratorio, "Celestial Visions"; a church cantata, "The Psalm of Praise" (in fugal style for solos, eight-part chorus, full orchestra and organ), performed at Oxford University; an Overture in E minor; an orchestral "Allegro Agitato"; several pieces for piano, and a vocal trio in canon form, "Bright Be Thy Dreams. "

Personality

Stephen Austen Pearce was dignified and fine-looking.

Quotes from others about the person

• Dr. Waldo Selden Pratt: "My impression of him was that he was a most competent and accomplished musician, probably too much so to secure full recognition at the time when he came here. "

Connections

Father:

Stephen Pearce

Mother:

Elizabeth (Austen) Pearce

Brother:

James Pearce