Goldschmidt, Adalbert von

About 1850-1907

Composer and amateur musician; born at Vienna; came from a wealthy family, and though intended for the bar, chose to devote his energies to music instead. He gave his time to composition, after studying at the Vienna Conservatory, and his first work, founded on Hamerling's poem, Die sieben Todsunden, was produced at Berlin in 1876. It aroused great enthusiasm in the musical world; was produced in Paris, Hanover, Leipsic, Konitrsberg and Vienna, and highly praised except in Goldschmidt's home city. Dedicated to Liszt it received the warm commendation of that artist. Goldschmidt's opera, Helianthus, was produced at Leipsic in 1884, and was equally well received. In 1889 his trilogy, Gaea, was on the eve of being performed, but, the manager dying, it failed to appear; and discouraged at being unable to bring out the work into which he had put his best and most original thought, Goldschmidt seems to have lost in part the desire for fame, although a fourth work, Die fromme Helene, was given in 1897 at Hamburg. Other compositions published are a symphony; piano music; and numerous songs, the latter said to be of a very high order.