# Wonderful performance of Franz Schmidt's "Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln"



## nobilmente

This is a wonderful performance of a relatively little-known work by the fine Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Schmidt. It sets texts from the Book of Revelations for a large orchestra, chorus, soloists and organ. Everyone involved plays and sings superbly, a delight from beginning to end.

The sound quality in the video is first-class, clear and well-extended. There are no subtitles of the original German text, but in the _Download Booklet_ link at https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN 5061 you will find the text and an english translation.

Schmidt's musical style is original and in a late Romantic style, with underlying influences of Bruckner, Reger and Bach: an exuberant Magyar spicy element occasionally erupts too. Recommended!


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## NLAdriaan

There are quite some recordings, of which I have this one. Interesting fellow, Schmidt played solo-cello in the VPO under Mahler (while not being the first cello, purely on musical quality) and teached many musicians and conductors. He was considered to be a successor to Bruckner by some, however being born in the same year as Schonberg, Schmidt's musical 'conservatism' was a bit outdated. He had a sad private life and was (untruthfully?) blamed for Nazi sympathies.

He composed quite some organ music and 4 symphonies, but I don't know them. Is there anyone here who can shine more light on Schmidt's music?


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## Roger Knox

For Franz Schmidt's symphonic works, there is in the Orchestral Music area this thread: "Neglected German and Austrian orchestral composers and works of the late romantic era." It has quite a bit on Schmidt. His symphonies are wonderful! My favourite is No. 2 in E-Flat Major.


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## adriesba

I love this piece! It's one of my favorites and grossly underrated. I have the Welser-Möst recording. Good Stuff! The conductor Fabio Luisi in the video will be performing the piece with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in April this year: https://www.mydso.com/buy/tickets/fabio-luisi-conducts-schmidt 
Luisi seems to be trying to bring more attention to this work. This page describes Luisi as "a champion of the Austrian composer's oratorio": 
https://www.mydso.com/about-the-dso/press-room/press-releases/dso-19-20-SEASON
If it wasn't so far away, I'd go to it, but I couldn't afford to travel that far unfortunately. Hopefully this work ends up being performed more often.


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## elgar's ghost

The organ music is quite substantial as a body of work - anyone who likes Reger's should investigate Schmidt's if they are unfamiliar with it. This 4-disc set on Capriccio does, I think, include everything apart from the original version of the variations and fugue on _the King's Fanfare_ from his opera _Fredigundis_.


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