Jürgen E. Schmidt

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Jürgen Schmidt

Jürgen Ernst Johannes Schmidt (born January 14, 1937 in Berlin ; † August 19, 2010 in Zemling , Lower Austria ) was a German-Austrian production manager and music producer , from 1959 to 2010 at Preiser Records .

Childhood and youth

Jürgen Schmidt was born as the son of Hermann and Eva Luise Schmidt, geb. Klingbeil born in Berlin. The father was an authorized signatory and managing director of a clothing company in Berlin. In 1940 the family moved to Vienna because Hermann Schmidt was entrusted with the management of the Vienna branch. In later years, Schmidt described this move, which took place in early childhood, as a stroke of luck, which “certainly had a very positive effect on my future path in life.” Infected by the music passion of the painter Alfred Waagner (1886–1960) and his father, a great opera lover with a particular fondness for the baritone Heinrich Schlusnus (1888–1952) , Schmidt himself became an avid standing room visitor from 1948 - initially at the alternative venues of the destroyed State Opera , the Volksoper and the Theater an der Wien . In general, Schmidt never missed an opportunity to make private contact with singers whom he adored. In the summer of 1955, for example, he took advantage of a trip to relatives in Berlin to pay a visit to the German opera singer and actor Michael Bohnen , whom he had already contacted by telephone in Vienna. Another important contact from this early period was the second-hand bookshop of Roland Tuchter, who chatted for hours with the young Schmidt about his favorite singers and made a significant contribution to his knowledge of the repertoire.

Training to become a singer

With all this enthusiasm for opera, the idea of ​​a career as a singer was an obvious one. Schmidt completed a commercial apprenticeship (graduated in 1954), but already in 1953 he enrolled as an extraordinary student at the University of Music and Performing Arts , majoring in singing, baritone voice. He received lessons from Ileano Giurescu, later also from Paul Lorenz. His debut took place in June 1965 in the Schönbrunn Palace Theater in the role of Nardo in Mozart's “ Gardener from Love ”. The contract signed by Hans Gabor with the Vienna Chamber Opera ended in August of the same year, no further engagements came about because Schmidt opted for his regular job at Preiser Records.

Jürgen Schmidt, early 1960s © FM Salus, Salzburg

Entry into the record industry

Schmidt came into contact with the record industry during his training as a singer. According to his own statements, this happened by chance: “... the first long-playing records were expensive and mostly not perfect. My dealer was tired of the exchange and sent me straight to delivery so that I could finally choose a perfect copy there. I got into conversation with the warehouse manager, he said he could really use someone like me, and so it happened that on October 1, 1955 I found work at the Austrian Columbia Graphophon, a sister company of the German Electrola Schmidt's skills subsequently led from assistant to the warehouse manager to a position in the company's retail business. In the fall of 1957 the position of production manager became vacant, for which Schmidt applied at the age of 20 on the condition that he could go to London for “ His Master's Voice ” or to Electrola in Cologne for a few weeks in order to gain an insight into the operation of the studio . The decision was made for Cologne.

Particularly noteworthy from this time is Schmidt's contribution to the series Unvergichtiges Unforgotten . Until then, singers such as Joseph Schmidt , Richard Tauber , Fjodor Schaljapin and Fritzi Massary were introduced, Schmidt successfully suggested the publication of Rudolf Bockelmann , Hans Hermann Nissen , Michael Bohnen, Helge Rosvaenge , Max Lorenz , Gerhard Hüsch , Margarete Teschemacher and Marcel Wittrisch .

Back in Vienna, he began working as a unit manager and producer - to Schmidt's chagrin mainly in the field of light music. But highlights such as taking care of the recordings of the piano humorist Hermann Leopoldi could compensate him . Schmidt's work at the Austrian Columbia Graphophon ended in the summer of 1959.

Jürgen Schmidt, approx. 2002/03

Preiser Records

Schmidt started his job as a unit manager and producer at Preiser -Record on October 1, 1959 with the cabaret series from Vienna

Cabaret from Vienna

The representatives of the Viennese cabaret scene at that time were recorded, above all the ensemble around Gerhard Bronner . The first record with Bronner and Helmut Qualtinger was a huge success and paved the way for further recordings that still have cult status today. Protagonists were u. a. Georg Kreisler , Louise Martini , Peter Wehle , Fritz Muliar , Karl Farkas , Ernst Waldbrunn and Cissy Kraner .

"Living past"

Jürgen Schmidt with Lotte Lehmann in Vienna, June 11, 1964

In addition to setting up a speech record production (including the spoken Rosenkavalier and an Arthur Schnitzler commemorative plate) and looking after some music productions such as For example, the complete recording of Franz Schmidt's chamber music with the Wiener Konzerthausquartett, another series took on more and more shape for Jürgen Schmidt: The Living Past . Started in 1966, the basic idea was primarily to help Viennese artists achieve fame that they did not enjoy elsewhere. Richard Mayr opened this series, followed by Maria Jeritza , Emil Schipper and Mária Németh . But already with the 5th edition, Schmidt expanded the selection and started a second series with the title Court Opera Classics . This was dedicated to recordings from the time of the Vienna Court Opera, i.e. until 1918, while the Living Past covered a period from 1918 to the 1940s (in individual cases even beyond). In record stores, the series were always recognizable at first glance thanks to their distinctive covers: white cover with a picture of the singer in the center for Court Opera Classics , purple for Living Past . With the conversion from long-playing records to CD, the two series were finally united into one. At Preiser Records, Schmidt's “credo” is described as “the authentic sound, in contrast to the clinically cleaned of background noises. In selecting the artists, Schmidt attached great importance to authenticity, but also to promoting lesser-known personalities. The catalog "Lebendige Past", which is maintained by Schmidt, with its more than 400 titles has become a reference work for opera connoisseurs. "

Despite the enormous amount of work in relation to these series, Schmidt himself stated in his autobiographical remarks that he “practically carried out this activity on the side”, since his actual work at Preiser Records consisted of artists like Georg Kreisler, Helmut Qualtinger or Fritz To supervise Muliar and to carry out new productions with them. Two artists who were particularly important to Schmidt were Anton Dermota and Robert Holl - the first was able to document his career in old age extensively with Schmidt's help (with his Schubert cycle, among other things), the second Schmidt was a great sponsor and accompanied Holl, who was not yet 30 at the time, from 1975 in his international career not only as a producer, but also as a close friend.

From 1972 Jürgen Schmidt became Otto Preiser's equal partner and thus co-owner of the company. After Preiser's death in 1996, he took over the management, which he held until his retirement in 2002. The fact that Schmidt continued to work with the same enthusiasm and enthusiasm as before, even after his retirement, proves that the focus was always on the love of music. The care of the series initiated by him remained in his hands until his death.

Jürgen Schmidt with Hans Hotter, July 25, 2001

Formative friendships

Jürgen Schmidt v. a. with the singers Hans Hotter (from 1965 until his death in 2003) and Oskar Czerwenka (from 1962 until his death in 2000). While bassist Czerwenka, as the host of sociable rounds, enabled Schmidt to get to know many other singers personally, he had a real father-son relationship with the reclusive Hotter. When Hotter died, it was Schmidt who inherited his entire music archive.

The friendship with Helmut Qualtinger was particularly close. After Qualtinger's death, Schmidt remembered the time they spent together. a. in the trendy restaurant Gutruf , where both were regulars

“Our real acquaintance began on a professional basis. [...] When I switched to the Preiser company, it then turned out that I had to oversee and edit all the recordings for the cabaret series from Vienna . Even after he ended his cabaret time in 1961, Helmut Qualtinger remained loyal to us and gave us tremendous success with Mr. Karl . Then a line had to be found: Qualtinger wanted to approach the reading of the Latter Days of Mankind right away, but we received a rejection from the then Kraus estate administrator Heinrich Fischer. It was only when Fischer was supposed to write the introduction for Mr. Karl for Bayerischer Rundfunk that he realized whom he had rejected and immediately revised his opinion. "

- Jürgen E. Schmidt
Elisabeth and Jürgen Schmidt in the "Gutruf", early 1950s

Private

On March 13, 1974, Jürgen Schmidt married Elisabeth Schmidt, born as a secretary at the time. Brejl. The marriage remained childless. Jürgen Schmidt was considered a “humorous, sociable person, known and loved in the Viennese artistic circles.” Based on his intensive collector activities, extensive contacts arose which, as with Norton-Welsh, often became friendships. " He was always ready to share his vast knowledge of singers and their records (and to mimic many of them too) and was generous with free copies to those who helped him. His contacts were enormous and included many singers and their widows, with what one might call an 'inner circle' of prominent male singers from the Vienna State Opera, the most prominet being Hans Hotter. "

Jürgen Schmidt died suddenly and unexpectedly on August 19, 2010 in his summer house in Zemling in Lower Austria and was buried at the Hernals cemetery.

Importance and appreciation

In the obituaries of Gottfried Cervenka ( Ö1 ) and Wilhelm Sinkovicz ( Die Presse ) Schmidt is recognized by Preiser Records as a “Viennese institution” , “one of the most important record producers in Austria” , as the “absolute original in the industry” and as the “real soul” . Recognition as an "expert for historical sound recordings" or "musical soul of the Preiser Records company" and as a "universal musical genius" was already certain during his lifetime. Official confirmation of this appreciation came with the award of the title of professor in 1988 and the award of the German Record Critics for his life's work in 1991. On October 16, 2010 Schmidt was posthumously awarded the Gottlob Frick Medal in gold.

Jürgen Schmidt around 2008

The most important legacy of Jürgen Schmidt are certainly the series "Cabaret from Vienna" and "Living Past" , which he initiated and supervised , whereby the latter in particular is not only characterized by its high technical quality, but also by its detailed researched data on the individual Artists and the published recordings. In general, the Preiser catalog reads like a who's who especially of the artists closely associated with Vienna. Schmidt knew them all: from Friedrich Gulda , Waldemar Kmentt , Julius Patzak to Michael Heltau and Elfriede Ott . He was personally friends with many of them, including Heinz Zednik , Heinz Holecek and Georg Kreisler.

It is thanks to Schmidt's tireless commitment that some forgotten singing stars of yore have been brought back into the consciousness of our present - and this while largely preserving the original sound by means of a time-consuming careful restoration that dispensed with radical noise systems and automatic noise suppressors. He had support from the sound engineer Helmut Leistner, who after Schmidt's death became an invaluable help in recording the extensive estate.

The entire estate should go to the Austrian Media Library , where it should be made accessible to all interested parties. The widow expressly requests that the available material (LPs, CDs, research material on the publications, photos and correspondence with artists, including Lotte Lehmann , Robert Holl, Hans Hotter, Helmut Qualtinger, etc.) be reviewed.

literature

  • Allmayer-Beck, Peter / Podgorski, Thaddäus / Völker, Herbert (ed.): The Gutruf. A back room turns 100 , Vienna 2006. ISBN 3-9502052-6-8 .
  • Cervenka, Gottfried: Obituary in the Ö1 radio show "Apropos Opera" on October 24, 2010.
  • Deissen, Eva: "Lob & Preiser", in: wien live 03/05, p. 50.
  • Dermota, Anton: Thousand and One Evenings - My Singer Life , Paul Neff Verlag, Vienna 1978. ISBN 3-7014-0153-5 .
  • Fink, Hans-Juergen / Seufert, Michael: Georg Kreisler doesn't exist at all - Die Biographie , Scherz Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2005. ISBN 3-502-15021-4 .
  • Jarolin, Peter: "CD of the week: And the color purple shines forever", in: Kurier , March 8, 2009, p. 34.
  • Jaroš, Monika / Alexandra Stockert (eds.): Plattl mit Herz - Jürgen E. Schmidt, a life for the record. Böhlau Verlag, Vienna 2019. ISBN 978-3-205-20789-4
  • Norton-Welsh, Christopher: "Jürgen Schmidt", in: The Record Collector , vol. 55/3, Sept. 2010, p. 228.
  • Ritterband, Charles: "Preiser's sound documents from old Vienna", in: Neue Zürcher Zeitung , April 3, 2004, p. 19.
  • Schmidt, Jürgen E .: "Quasi Lauter Freunde", in: Quasi a Genie - Helmut Qualtinger (1928-1986) , ed. by Arnold Klaffenböck / Wolfgang Kos / Ulrich N. Schulenburg / Alexandra Hönigmann, special exhibition of the Wien Museum October 2, 2003 - January 6, 2004, Thomas Sessler Verlag, Vienna 2003, pp. 172–173. ISBN 3-216-30717-4 .
  • Sinkovicz, Wilhelm: "Obituary: Jürgen E. Schmidt, voice fetishist" , in: diePresse.com , October 20, 2010.
  • Stalzer, Alfred: Preiser Records - The audio memory of the Viennese post-war cabaret. Conversation with Christoph Preiser, the son of the label founder, in: Alles Meschugge? Jewish wit and humor , ed. by Marcus G. Patka and Alfred Stalzer, Jewish Museum Vienna 2013, pp. 201–202. ISBN 978-3-85002-825-7 .
  • Reinhold Westphal: Preiser Records. In: Oesterreichisches Musiklexikon . Online edition, Vienna 2002 ff., ISBN 3-7001-3077-5 ; Print edition: Volume 4, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna 2005, ISBN 3-7001-3046-5 .
  • Zednik, Heinz: My opera life , recorded by Oliver Láng, Edition Steinbauer, Vienna 2008, ISBN 978-3-902494-23-8 .
  • Zuckriegl, Margit / Piffl, Gerald (eds.): Franz Hubmann - Photograph , Vienna 2004.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Obituary: Jürgen E. Schmidt, voice fetishist. diepresse.com, August 20, 2010, accessed November 20, 2015 .
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Clemens Höslinger: On the death of Jürgen Schmidt (Preiser Records). Klassik-heute.com, September 3, 2010, accessed November 20, 2015 .
  3. ↑ Schmidt, Jürgen E .: "Quasi Lauter Freunde", in: Quasi a Genie - Helmut Qualtinger (1928–1986), ed. by Arnold Klaffenböck / Wolfgang Kos / Ulrich N. Schulenburg / Alexandra Hönigmann, special exhibition of the Wien Museum October 2, 2003-6. January 2004, Thomas Sessler Verlag, Vienna 2003, p. 173.
  4. ^ Norton-Welsh, Christopher: "Jürgen Schmidt", in: The Record Collector , vol. 55/3, Sept. 2010, p. 228.
  5. ↑ Schmidt, Jürgen: Unpublished manuscript, undated, [p. 1].
  6. ^ Article from May 17, 2007 in the Tamino Klassikforum.
  7. ↑ Schmidt, Jürgen E .: "Quasi Lauter Freunde", in: Quasi a Genie - Helmut Qualtinger (1928–1986), ed. by Arnold Klaffenböck / Wolfgang Kos / Ulrich N. Schulenburg / Alexandra Hönigmann, special exhibition of the Wien Museum October 2, 2003-6. January 2004, Thomas Sessler Verlag, Vienna 2003, p. 173.
  8. ^ Norton-Welsh, Christopher: "Jürgen Schmidt", in: The Record Collector , vol. 55/3, Sept. 2010, p. 228.
  9. ↑ http://www.tamino-klassikforum.at/index.php?thread/5204 , last accessed on November 7, 2015.
  10. ↑ Schmidt, Jürgen: Unpublished manuscript, undated, [p. 1, 4].
  11. ↑ Schmidt, Jürgen: Unpublished manuscript, undated, [p. 1].
  12. ^ Schmidt, Jürgen E .: Quasi all friends. In: Quasi a genius - Helmut Qualtinger (1928-1986) , ed. by Arnold Klaffenböck / Wolfgang Kos / Ulrich N. Schulenburg / Alexandra Hönigmann, special exhibition of the Wien Museum October 2, 2003-6. January 2004, Thomas Sessler Verlag, Vienna 2003, p. 173.
  13. ^ Stalzer, Alfred: Preiser Records - The audio memory of the Viennese post-war cabaret. Conversation with Christoph Preiser, the son of the label founder, in: Alles Meschugge? Jewish wit and humor , ed. by Marcus G. Patka and Alfred Stalzer, Jewish Museum Vienna 2013, p. 201.
  14. ↑ Archive link ( Memento of the original from November 21, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , last accessed November 7, 2015.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.preiserrecords.at
  15. ^ Westphal, Reinhold: Preiser Records , in: Oesterreichisches Musiklexikon Online.
  16. ^ Deissen, Eva: Lob & Preiser , in: wien live 03/05, p. 50.
  17. ↑ Ritterband, Charles: Preisers Tondokumente aus dem alten Wien , in: Neue Zürcher Zeitung , April 3, 2004, p. 19.
  18. ^ Fink, Hans-Juergen / Seufert, Michael: Georg Kreisler does not exist - Die Biographie , Frankfurt am Main 2005, pp. 190 and 201–203.
  19. ↑ Schmidt, Jürgen: Unpublished manuscript, undated, [p. 3].
  20. ^ Stalzer, Alfred: Preiser Records - The audio memory of the Viennese post-war cabaret. Conversation with Christoph Preiser, the son of the label founder, in: Alles Meschugge? Jewish wit and humor , ed. by Marcus G. Patka and Alfred Stalzer, Jewish Museum Vienna 2013, p. 201.
  21. ↑ Ritterband, Charles: Preisers Tondokumente aus dem alten Wien , in: Neue Zürcher Zeitung , April 3, 2004, p. 19.
  22. ↑ Jarolin, Peter: CD of the week: And the color purple shines forever , in: Kurier, March 8, 2009, p. 34.
  23. ↑ Schmidt, Jürgen: Unpublished manuscript, undated, [p. 4-5].
  24. ↑ Jarolin, Peter: CD of the week: And the color purple shines forever , in: Kurier , March 8, 2009, p. 34.
  25. ↑ Archive link ( Memento of the original from November 21, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , last accessed November 7, 2015.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.preiserrecords.at
  26. ↑ http://www.tamino-klassikforum.at/index.php?thread/5204 , last accessed on November 7, 2015.
  27. ↑ Archive link ( Memento of the original from November 21, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , last accessed November 7, 2015.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.preiserrecords.at
  28. ↑ Schmidt, Jürgen: Unpublished manuscript, undated, [p. 5].
  29. ↑ Schmidt was not only the producer of a number of Dermota recordings, but also worried u. a. also the creation of the discography in his autobiography, see: Dermota, Anton: Tausendundein Abend - Mein Sängerleben , Vienna 1978, pp. 343–352.
  30. ^ Cervenka, Gottfried: Obituary in the Ö1 radio show Apropos Opera from October 24, 2010.
  31. ^ Stalzer, Alfred: Preiser Records - The audio memory of the Viennese post-war cabaret. Conversation with Christoph Preiser, the son of the label founder, in: Alles Meschugge? Jewish wit and humor , ed. by Marcus G. Patka and Alfred Stalzer, Jewish Museum Vienna 2013, p. 201.
  32. ↑ Jarolin, Peter: CD of the week: And the color purple shines forever , in: Kurier , March 8, 2009, p. 34.
  33. ↑ Schmidt, Jürgen: Unpublished manuscript, undated, [p. 5].
  34. ^ Norton-Welsh, Christopher: "Jürgen Schmidt", in: The Record Collector , vol. 55/3, Sept. 2010, p. 228.
  35. ↑ Schmidt, Jürgen: Unpublished manuscript, undated, [p. 4].
  36. ↑ Klingohr, Rudolf "Purzl": "Zeitzeugen - 38 Views", in: Das Gutruf. A back room turns 100 , ed. by Peter Allmager-Beck, Thaddäus Podgorski and Herbert Völker, Vienna 2006, p. 158.
  37. ↑ Schmidt, Jürgen: "Zeitzeugen - 38 Views", in: Das Gutruf. A back room turns 100 , ed. by Peter Allmager-Beck, Thaddäus Podgorski and Herbert Völker, Vienna 2006, pp. 180–182.
  38. ↑ Cf. Another photo of this series of photos by Hubmann was published in: Zuckriegl, Margit / Piffl, Gerald (ed.): Franz Hubmann - Photograph , Vienna 2004, p. 32f.
  39. ^ Norton-Welsh, Christopher: "Jürgen Schmidt", in: The Record Collector , vol. 55/3, Sept. 2010, p. 228.
  40. ^ Cervenka, Gottfried: Obituary in the Ö1 radio show "Apropos Opera" on October 24, 2010.
  41. ↑ Sinkovicz, William: Obituary: Jürgen E. Schmidt, Stimmfetischist in: diePresse.com , October 20 of 2010.
  42. ↑ Sinkovicz, William: Obituary: Jürgen E. Schmidt, Stimmfetischist in: diePresse.com , October 20 of 2010.
  43. ^ Cervenka, Gottfried: Obituary in the Ö1 radio show "Apropos Opera" on October 24, 2010.
  44. ↑ Höslinger, Clemens: “A Viennese singing lesson with record examples from 1910”, in: Österreichische Musikzeitschrift 27/1972, No. 5, p. 311.
  45. ↑ Deissen, Eva: “Lob & Preiser”, in: wien live 03/05, p. 50.
  46. ↑ Fono Forum 4/1991, p. 14.
  47. ↑ Schmidt, Jürgen E .: "Quasi Lauter Freunde", in: Quasi a Genie - Helmut Qualtinger (1928–1986), ed. by Arnold Klaffenböck / Wolfgang Kos / Ulrich N. Schulenburg / Alexandra Hönigmann, special exhibition of the Wien Museum October 2, 2003-6. January 2004, Thomas Sessler Verlag, Vienna 2003, p. 173.
  48. ↑ Jarolin, Peter: "CD of the week: And the color purple shines forever", in: Kurier, March 8, 2009, p. 34.
  49. ^ Norton-Welsh, Christopher: "Jürgen Schmidt", in: The Record Collector , vol. 55/3, Sept. 2010, p. 228.
  50. ↑ See Zednik, Heinz: Mein Opernleben , recorded by Oliver Láng, Vienna 2008, p. 155.
  51. ^ Cervenka, Gottfried: Obituary in the Ö1 radio show "Apropos Opera" on October 24, 2010.
  52. ↑ Archive link ( Memento of the original from November 21, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , last accessed November 7, 2015.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.preiserrecords.at
  53. ↑ http://www.tamino-klassikforum.at/index.php?thread/5204 , last accessed on November 7, 2015.
  54. ↑ The extensive private sound archive is u. a. Mentioned by Ritterband, Charles: "Preiser's Tondokumente aus dem alten Wien", in: Neue Zürcher Zeitung , April 3, 2004, p. 19. and by Höslinger, Clemens: "Zum Tod von Jürgen Schmidt (Preiser-Records)", classic -heute.de, September 3, 2010.

Web links

Commons : Jürgen E. Schmidt  - Collection of images, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME Schmidt, Jürgen E.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Schmidt, Jürgen Ernst Johannes (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German-Austrian production manager and music producer
DATE OF BIRTH January 14, 1937
PLACE OF BIRTH Berlin
DATE OF DEATH August 19, 2010
Place of death Zemling , Lower Austria