Schneider, Georg Abraham

1770-1839

German oboist and composer; born at Darmstadt, where he was instructed on several instruments by the town musician and in harmony by his stepfather the Cantor Portmann. He was taken into the service of the King at Berlin, where he became a member of the Royal Orchestra and established subscription concerts. For two years he conducted at the theatre in Reval, but in 1816 he was back again in Berlin, where he spent the rest of his life as conductor of the Royal Opera. A prolific composer, his works include the operas, Der Orakelspruch, Aucas-* sin und Nicolette, Die Verschwornen, Der Traum, and Der Werwolf; Cardillac, a melodrama; ballets; entr'actes; incidental music to plays; the oratorios, Die Pilgrime von Golgotha, and Die Geburt Christi; cantatas; masses; a few symphonies; and many smaller works, concertos, quartets, trios, etc., mostly for wind-instruments.