Franz Schmidt BiographyA piano pupil of Leschetizky and composition pupil of Bruckner, Franz Schmidt earned his living at first as a cellist in the Vienna Court Opera, where he experienced conflict with Mahler. He later taught composition at the Vienna Staatsakademie and was director of the Musikhochschule from 1927 to 1931. His work as a composer has something in common with Max Reger, particularly in music for the organ.
Stage MusicSchmidt's opera Notre Dame, based on Victor Hugo, had some success and excerpts, notably an Intermezzo, are heard in concert programmes.
Vocal and Choral MusicDas Buch mit sieben Siegeln (The Book with Seven Seals), based on the Apocalypse, has its own place among modern oratorios.
Orchestral and Chamber Music
Schmidt wrote four symphonies, Variations on a Theme of Beethoven for piano left hand and orchestra and a piano concerto for the left hand, these last, with various chamber works, for the pianist Paul Wittgenstein, brother of the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, who had lost his right arm in the 1914-1918 war.
Organ Music
Schmidt added considerably to the repertoire of organ music, with a series of chorale-preludes, preludes and fugues, toccatas and sets of variations.
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