A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Schack, Benedict

by Carl Ferdinand Pohl

SCHACK, Benedict, the first Tamino, and one of the party^[1] who stood round Mozart's bed the night before his death, and at his request sang the completed portions of the 'Requiem' as far as the first bars of the 'Lacrimosa,' when he broke into violent weeping at the thought that he should never finish it. Schack, who was born in 1758, was a man of general cultivation, a thorough musician, and a good flute-player. He composed several operas for Schikaneder's theatre. Mozart was on intimate terms with him, and would often come and fetch him for a walk, and while waiting for Schack to dress, would sit down at his desk and touch up his scores. Schack's voice was a fine tenor, flexible and sonorous, and his execution thoroughly artistic, but he was a poor actor.^[2] In 1787 he was taking second parts only; in 1792 he sang Tamino, Count Almaviva, and Don Ottavio (Don Gonsalvo in the German translation) after which we hear no more of him as a singer. His Operas or Singspiele came between 1789 and 93; some were written with Gerl.^[3] [App. p.781 "Add that in the 'Harmonicon,' vol. ix. p. 298, there is an account of a Mass by him which was finished by Mozart."]

[ C. F. P. ]

1. The others were Mozart's brother-in-law, Hofer, the violinist, and Franz Xaver Gerl, a bass-singer, and the first Sarastro. Mozart himelf sang the alto.
2. Jahn's 'Mozart,' ii. 510.
3. Gerl sang Osmin in 1787 at the same theatre in the Freihaus, where was produced in 1797 his comic opera in 3 acts 'Die Maskerade,' by 'a former member of this theatre.'