Stoeckel, Gustave J(acob)
Stoeckel, Gustave J(acob)
Stoeckel, Gustave J(acob), German-American organist, pedagogue, and composer, father of Carl Stoeckel ; b. Maikammer, Bavarian Palatinate, Nov. 9, 1819; d. Norfolk, Conn., May 14, 1907. He studied in Speyer and Kaiserslauten. After serving as a school principal in Landstuhl and as organist at Speyer Cathedral, he left his homeland in the wake of the 1848 revolution and settled in Norfolk as a private teacher. He then was “Instructor of Vocal Art, Organist, and Chapelmaster” at Yale Univ. (1855–96), where he also was the first Battell Prof. of Music (1890–96). He founded the New Haven Phil. Soc. and was co-founder of the Mendelssohn Soc; also was active with male glee clubs, becoming known as the father of the American glee-club tradition. He wrote many fine glee-club arrangements. Other works include 6 operas, a Sym., choral works, songs, and piano pieces.
Biblography
D. Smith, G.J. S., Yale Pioneer in Music (New Haven, 1939).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire