Erik Smith
Encyclopedia
Erik George Sebastian Smith (25 March 1931 – 4 May 2004) was a German-born British record producer, pianist and harpsichordist. He produced over 90 opera recordings. His greatest legacy is the 1991 complete recording of the entirety of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
's compositions, which included many previously unheard fragments and was released for the bicentennial of Mozart's death.
He was born in Rostock
, the son of the German conductor Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt
. His Jewish mother took him from Germany in 1936, with his brother, to be brought up in England. He did his tertiary education at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
.
Through his friendship with the American pianist Julius Katchen
, he joined the Decca
company as a record producer, working with such people as John Culshaw
and Gordon Parry.
In 1958 he produced the first recording of Peter Grimes
, conducted by the composer Benjamin Britten
. He also produced the first recording of Mozart's opera La clemenza di Tito
, with the conductor István Kertész.
He formed the London Wind Soloists and the Vienna Mozart Ensemble in order to record the complete wind music and the complete dances and marches of Mozart. Many of these were premiere recordings.
In 1967 he moved to Philips
. Here, he produced a series of Haydn
operas, many early Verdi
operas, Tippett
's The Midsummer Marriage
, and Berlioz
's The Trojans
and Benvenuto Cellini
. Many of these were premiere recordings.
In 1991 he created his master work, the Complete Mozart Edition, on 180 CDs. He even completed some of Mozart's unfinished works, such as the finale of the String Quartet, K. 464.
After his formal retirement in 1991, he continued to devote time to projects such as Mitsuko Uchida
's cycle of Schubert
sonatas.
He won Grammy Award
s in 1971, 1973, 1976 and 2003.
Erik Smith died on 4 May 2004, survived by his wife Priscilla and two daughters, Miranda and Susanna.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
's compositions, which included many previously unheard fragments and was released for the bicentennial of Mozart's death.
He was born in Rostock
Rostock
Rostock -Early history:In the 11th century Polabian Slavs founded a settlement at the Warnow river called Roztoc ; the name Rostock is derived from that designation. The Danish king Valdemar I set the town aflame in 1161.Afterwards the place was settled by German traders...
, the son of the German conductor Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt
Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt
Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt was a German conductor and composer.-Early life:Born in Berlin, he studied music in Heidelberg and Münster. He was also a composition student with Franz Schreker at the Berlin Hochschule für Musik, and received a doctorate in 1923.-Career:He was a repetiteur at the...
. His Jewish mother took him from Germany in 1936, with his brother, to be brought up in England. He did his tertiary education at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It is notable as the only college founded by Cambridge townspeople: it was established in 1352 by the Guilds of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary...
.
Through his friendship with the American pianist Julius Katchen
Julius Katchen
Julius Katchen was an American concert pianist, possibly best known for his recordings of Johannes Brahms's solo piano compositions.-Early career:...
, he joined the Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
company as a record producer, working with such people as John Culshaw
John Culshaw
John Royds Culshaw OBE was a pioneering English classical record producer for Decca Records. He recorded a wide range of music, but is best known for masterminding the first studio recording of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, begun in 1958.Largely self-educated musically, Culshaw worked for...
and Gordon Parry.
In 1958 he produced the first recording of Peter Grimes
Peter Grimes
Peter Grimes is an opera by Benjamin Britten, with a libretto adapted by Montagu Slater from the Peter Grimes section of George Crabbe's poem The Borough...
, conducted by the composer Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
. He also produced the first recording of Mozart's opera La clemenza di Tito
La clemenza di Tito
La clemenza di Tito , K. 621, is an opera seria in two acts composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Caterino Mazzolà, after Metastasio...
, with the conductor István Kertész.
He formed the London Wind Soloists and the Vienna Mozart Ensemble in order to record the complete wind music and the complete dances and marches of Mozart. Many of these were premiere recordings.
In 1967 he moved to Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
. Here, he produced a series of Haydn
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn , known as Joseph Haydn , was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms...
operas, many early Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
operas, Tippett
Michael Tippett
Sir Michael Kemp Tippett OM CH CBE was an English composer.In his long career he produced a large body of work, including five operas, three large-scale choral works, four symphonies, five string quartets, four piano sonatas, concertos and concertante works, song cycles and incidental music...
's The Midsummer Marriage
The Midsummer Marriage
The Midsummer Marriage is an opera in three acts, with music and libretto by Michael Tippett. The work's first performance was at Covent Garden, 27 January 1955, conducted by John Pritchard...
, and Berlioz
Hector Berlioz
Hector Berlioz was a French Romantic composer, best known for his compositions Symphonie fantastique and Grande messe des morts . Berlioz made significant contributions to the modern orchestra with his Treatise on Instrumentation. He specified huge orchestral forces for some of his works; as a...
's The Trojans
Les Troyens
Les Troyens is a French opera in five acts by Hector Berlioz. The libretto was written by Berlioz himself, based on Virgil's epic poem The Aeneid...
and Benvenuto Cellini
Benvenuto Cellini
Benvenuto Cellini was an Italian goldsmith, sculptor, painter, soldier and musician, who also wrote a famous autobiography. He was one of the most important artists of Mannerism.-Youth:...
. Many of these were premiere recordings.
In 1991 he created his master work, the Complete Mozart Edition, on 180 CDs. He even completed some of Mozart's unfinished works, such as the finale of the String Quartet, K. 464.
After his formal retirement in 1991, he continued to devote time to projects such as Mitsuko Uchida
Mitsuko Uchida
, born 20 December 1948, is a Japanese naturalized British classical pianist.-Career:Born in Atami, a seaside town close to Tokyo, Japan, Uchida moved to Vienna, Austria, with her diplomat parents when she was twelve years old, after her father was named the Japanese ambassador to Austria...
's cycle of Schubert
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an Austrian composer.Although he died at an early age, Schubert was tremendously prolific. He wrote some 600 Lieder, nine symphonies , liturgical music, operas, some incidental music, and a large body of chamber and solo piano music...
sonatas.
He won Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s in 1971, 1973, 1976 and 2003.
Erik Smith died on 4 May 2004, survived by his wife Priscilla and two daughters, Miranda and Susanna.
Sources
- Cairns, David (May 11, 2004). "Obituary: Erik Smith, Record producer breaking new ground with Mozart and Berlioz". The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
- Daily Telegraph (May 17, 2004). ""Obituary: Erik Smith"