stamaty did not have musical training from an early age on. marmontel mentions that his musical studies had to take second place after classes in literature and history. stamaty did not have a piano of his own before he was fourteen years of age. his mother on the advice of her family was against a career of her son in music, although stamaty showed considerable musical gifts from an early age on. stamaty's family wanted him to become a diplomat, a civil engineer or a clerk in the administration.