A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Schmitt
SCHMITT, a German musical family. The founder of it was Cantor at Obernburg in Bavaria. His son Alois was born at Erlenbach on the Main in 1789, and taught to play by his father; he then learned composition from Andre of Offenbach, and in 1816 established himself in Frankfort as a PF. teacher. After a few successful years there—during which, among others, he had taught Ferdinand Hiller—and much travelling, he migrated to Berlin, then to Hanover, where he held the post of Court Organist, and lastly back to Frankfort, where he died July 25, 1860. His reputation as a teacher was great, though he had a passion for journeys, and his pupils complained of his frequent absences. He composed more than 100 works, chiefly instrumental, of all descriptions, including some useful PF. studies.
His brother Jakob, born at Obernburg Nov. 2, 1803 [App. p.785 "1796"], was a pupil of Alois. He settled in Hamburg, where he brought out an opera (Alfred the Great) and a prodigious amount of music, including many sonatas for the piano, solo and with violin, variations, three books of studies, etc., in all more than 300 works; and died June 1853.
The son of Alois, Georg Alois, was born Feb. 2, 1827, during his father's residence at Hanover. Music came naturally to him, but it was not till after some time that he decided to follow it. He was then at Heidelberg university, and put himself under Vollweiler to serious study of counterpoint. His first attempt was an operetta called 'Trilby,' which was performed at Frankfort in 1850, with great success. He then passed some years in various towns of Germany, and at length, in 1856, was called by Flotow to Schwerin as Court-capellmeister, where he still resides. In 1860 he visited London, and played with éclat before the Queen, and elsewhere. He is much valued through the whole of Mecklenburg, and has kept up the reputation of his family by writing a quantity of music of all classes, from a Festival Cantata (Maienzauber) downwards. Emma Brandes, now Mad. Engelmann, the eminent pianist, was his pupil. His wife, Cornelia Schmitt, née Csányi, was born in Hungary, Dec. 6, 1851. Her father took a main part in the Revolution, and was imprisoned for 10 years, but the mother, finding remarkable gifts for music in her daughters, found means to take them to Vienna for their education. There Cornelia learnt singing from Caroline Pruckner. Engagements at Pressburg and Schwerin followed, and her marriage was the result. Since then she has left the boards and taken to concert singing.[ G. ]