A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Smith, Father
SMITH, FATHER, the usual appellation of Bernard Schmidt, a celebrated organ-builder, born in Germany about 1630, and came to England in 1660 with two nephews, Gerard and Bernard, his assistants. To distinguish him from these and express the reverence due to his abilities, he was called Father Smith. His first organ in this country was that of the Royal Chapel at Whitehall, which Pepys mentions in his Diary as having heard it on July 8, 1660. Subsequently he built one for Westminster Abbey, one for St. Giles's-in-the-Fields (1671), and one for St. Margaret's, Westminster (1675), of which in the following year he was elected organist at a salary of £20 a year. He was now rapidly acquiring fame and was appointed Organ maker in ordinary to the King, apartments in Whitehall being allotted to him, called in the old plan 'The Organ-builder's Workhouse.'
In 1682 the treasurers of the societies of the Temple had some conversation with Smith respecting the erection of an organ in their church. Subsequently Renatus Harris, who had warm supporters amongst the Benchers of the Inner Temple, was introduced to their notice. It was ultimately agreed that each artist should set up an organ in the church, and in 1684 both instruments were ready for competition. In 1685 the Benchers of the Middle Temple made choice of Smith's organ; but those of the Inner Temple dissented, and it was not until 1688 that Smith received payment for his instrument, namely £1000.
In 1683 he contracted for the organ of Durham Cathedral. In consequence of the reputation he had acquired by these instruments, he was made choice of to build an organ for St. Paul's Cathedral, then in course of erection. This instrument was opened on Dec. 2, 1697. Smith became Court organ-builder to Queen Anne, and died 1708.
According to Hawkins and Burney the two nephews of Schmidt, as above mentioned, were named Bernard and Gerard. But Horace Walpole alters Bernard's name to Christian. These two are very little known, although they built several fine instruments.
In 1755 a Mr. Gerard Smith was organ-repairer to Chelsea Hospital. This was probably a grandnephew of Father Smith, since from the date he could hardly have been his nephew.
Christopher Schrider or Schreider (possibly Schröder), was one of Father Smith's workmen, and previous to 1708 had become his son-in-law. After Smith's death he succeeded to his business, and in 1710 was organ-builder to the Royal Chapels. His organs do not appear to be very numerous, that of Westminster being his chef-d'œuvre. It was built for the coronation of George II. in 1727, and was presented to the Abbey by the King (Chrysander's Händel, ii. 174. note). He put up another organ in Henry the Seventh's Chapel for the funeral of Queen Caroline, Dec. 17, 1737, when Handel's noble anthem, 'The ways of Zion,' was first sung to its accompaniment (Ibid. 437, note; Stanley's 'Westminster Abbey,' p. 166).[ V. de P. ]