The Composer

Franz Schmidt was born on 22 December 1874 in Preßburg. The Schmidt family – part of it was of Hungarian origin – moved to Vienna in 1888. This meant for the musical ‘prodigy’ that he was able to study at the former ‘Conservatory of the Society of the Friends of Music’.

Franz Schmidt influenced the Austrian and Vienna musical life in many ways: from 1896 to 1911 he was a member of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, until 1913/14 he held a post as cellist in the Vienna Court Opera Orchestra. As teacher for piano, violoncello, counterpoint and composition at the present University of Music and Performing Arts he educated numerous students who later became renowned [...]