- Written between 1932-33, Schmidt’s Symphony No. 4 is a deeply personal work for the composer. In 1932, Schmidt’s daughter, Emma, died suddenly shortly after giving birth, which prompted an emotional breakdown. As a way of working through his grief, he composed his fourth symphony, which he referred to as “a requiem for my daughter.”1
- Symphony No. 4 premiered in Vienna with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Oswald Kabasta.
- The work was also dedicated to Austrian conductor Oswald Kabasta.2
- Symphony No. 4 premiered in Vienna with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Oswald Kabasta.
- Listen for: the unusual opening of the work – a somber trumpet solo, which will return at the end of the last movement as well.
Sources
- Notes in accompanying booklet, SCHMIDT, F.: Symphony No. 4 / Variations on a Hussar’s Song performed by Malmö Symphony Orchestra conducted by Vassily Sinaisky, Naxos 8.572118, 2010, compact disc.
- “Symphony No.4 (Schmidt, Franz),” IMSLP, accessed February 12, 2025, https://imslp.org/wiki/Symphony_No.4_(Schmidt%2C_Franz).
Cut IDs
26573 26574