Stanford, Sir Charles Villiers (b Dublin, 30 September, 1852 - d London, 29 March, 1924)
Stanford was educated at Cambridge (1880-4) where he returned in 1873 as the organist of Trinity College, and then later appointed as professor in 1887. From 1883, he also taught at the Royal College of Music (his own education having been complete under Reinecke in Leipzig (1874-5), and Kiel in Berlin (1876)).

Apart from his Anglican cathedral music, little of his large output (nearly 200 opus numbers) has remained in performance. His works include ten operas (notably Shamus O'Brien (1896), Much ado about nothing (1901), and The travelling companion (1926)), partsongs (from which The blue bird is still remembered), seven symphonies, and other orchestral scores (including the Clarinet Concerto (1902), and a series of Irish Rhapsodies), eight string quartets, and organ and piano music.