A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Schmid, Anton
SCHMID, Anton, Custos of the Hofbibliothek in Vienna, born at Pihl, near Leipa in Bohemia, Jan. 30, 1787, entered the Imperial Library at Vienna in 1818, became Scriptor in 1819, Custos in 1844, and died at Salzburg, July 3, 1857. His department as a writer was the history and literature of music and hymns. He contributed to the following works:—Dr. Ferdinand Wolf's 'Ueber die Lais, Sequenzen, und Leiche' (Heidelberg, 1841); Becker's 'Darstellung der musikalischen Literatur' (supplement, Leipzig, 1839); A. Schmidt's 'Allg. Wiener musik. Zeitung' (from 1842 to 48); Dehn's 'Cäcilia' (from 1841 to 48; Mavence, Schott); and the 'Oesterreich. Blätter für Lit. und Kunst' (1844, 45). His independent works are 'Ottaviano dei Petrucci of Fossombrone, the inventor of moveable metal types for printing music, and his successors' (Vienna, Rohrmann, 1845); 'Joseph Haydn und Nicolo Zingarelli,' proving that Haydn was the author of the Austrian national hymn (Vienna, Rohrmann, 1847); 'Christoph Willibald Ritter von Gluck, his life and musical works. A biographical æsthetical study (Leipzig, Fleischer, 1854); also a work on chess, 'Tschaturanga-vidja' (Vienna, Gerold, 1847).
Schmid was of a modest and retiring disposition, and distinguished in his official capacity for conscientiousness, industry, and courtesy. To him in the first instance is due the orderly and systematic arrangement of the musical archives of the Hofbibliothek. In recognition of his unwearied industry and research he was made a member of the Historische Verein of Upper Bavaria, of the Dom-Musikverein and the Mozarteum of Salzburg, of the Congregazione ed Accademia Pontifica di Santa Cecilia of Rome, of the Societa litteraria dell' Areopago of Genoa, and of the Archæological Societies of Vienna, Nuremberg, etc.[ C. F. P. ]