E. Robert Schmitz
E. Robert (Elie Robert) Schmitz (February 8, 1889, in Paris – September 5, 1949, in San Francisco) was a Franco-American pianist, teacher, writer, editor, and organizer. He studied with Louis Diémer at the Conservatoire de Paris, where he won first prize in piano. A protégé of Debussy, Schmitz caught the attention of Camille Saint-Saëns and Vincent D'Indy while directing the Association musicale moderne et artistique (later renamed L'Association de concerts Schmitz) which premiered Debussy's Première rhapsodie, Roussel's Evocations, Le Flem's Crépuscules d'amour, and Milhaud's Suite symphonique. Schmitz lead the Association from 1911–14. Schmitz toured the United States in 1919 and, the following year, founded the Franco-American Music Society in New York, which incorporated as Pro Musica from 1923–36. During this period, the first American appearances of Bartók and Ravel were sponsored, as well as lectures and concerts by Schoenberg, Prokofiev, and Stravinsky. Schmitz also had a personal and professional friendship with Charles Ives. Schmitz published his system of piano study, The Capture of Inspiration, in 1935, as well as editions of the Chopin Etudes, the Bach Two-Part Inventions, and other works that included explanatory texts on his method. His book, The Piano Works of Claude Debussy, a technical analysis with commentary, was published posthumously in 1950. Among his pupils were composers Samuel Dolin, Harry Somers, and Gertrude Price Wollner; and pianist Naomi Yanova. He recorded in 1942 the Debussy Preludes, Books I and II, for RCA Victor Records, as well as other works for Edison Records. The CD, Élie Robert Schmitz joue Debussy (Les introuvables, Vol. 34), was released in 2023. Schmitz died at age 60. |
Birth and Death Data: Born Paris (capital city and largest city of France), Died September 5, 1949 (San Francisco (consolidated city and county in California, United States) )
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1920 - 1947
Roles Represented in DAHR: piano
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 1-25 of 60 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | BS-068872 | 10-in. | 1/14/1942 | Les sons et les parfums | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | BS-068873 | 10-in. | 1/14/1942 | Des pas sur la neige | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | BS-068874 | 10-in. | 1/14/1942 | Sérénade interrompue | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | BS-068875 | 10-in. | 1/14/1942 | La fille aux cheveux de lin | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | BS-068876 | 10-in. | 1/14/1942 | La cathédrale engloutie, part 1 | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | BS-068877 | 10-in. | 1/14/1942 | La cathédrale engloutie, concluded | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | BS-068878 | 10-in. | 1/15/1942 | Les collines d'Anacapri | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | BS-068879 | 10-in. | 1/15/1942 | Le vent dans la plaine | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | BS-068880 | 10-in. | 1/15/1942 | Minstrels | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | CS-068881 | 12-in. | 1/15/1942 | Suite bergamasque : Prélude | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | CS-068882 | 12-in. | 1/15/1942 | Clair de lune (Moonlight) | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | CS-068888 | 12-in. | 1/16/1942 | Suite bergamasque : Menuet | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | CS-068889 | 12-in. | 1/16/1942 | Suite bergamasque : Passepied | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | CS-068890 | 12-in. | 1/16/1942 | La cathédrale engloutie | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | BS-068891 | 10-in. | 1/16/1942 | La danse de puck | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | BS-068892 | 10-in. | 1/16/1942 | Ce qu'a vu le vent d'ouest | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | BS-071298 | 10-in. | 1/14/1942 | Danseuses de delphes | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | BS-071299 | 10-in. | 1/14/1942 | Voiles | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | D5RB-0253 | 10-in. | 5/4/1945 | La sèrénade interrompue | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | D5RB-0254 | 10-in. | 5/4/1945 | La danse de Puck | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | D5RB-0255 | 10-in. | 5/4/1945 | Minstrels | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | D5RB-0256 | 10-in. | 5/4/1945 | Sur le nom d'Haydn | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | D6RB-1614 | 10-in. | 2/1/1946 | Brouillards | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | D6RB-1615 | 10-in. | 2/1/1946 | Feuilles mortes | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | D6RB-1616 | 10-in. | 2/1/1946 | La puerta del vino | E. Robert Schmitz | Piano solo | instrumentalist, piano |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Schmitz, E. Robert," accessed December 24, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104206.
Schmitz, E. Robert. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104206.
"Schmitz, E. Robert." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 24 December 2025.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Robert Schmitz
Discogs: E. Robert Schmitz
Allmusic: E. Robert Schmitz
RILM: E. Robert Schmitz
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Schmitz, E. Robert (Elie Robert), 1889-1949 - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n83065626
Wikidata: Robert Schmitz - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1273567
VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/8191643
MusicBrainz: Robert Schmitz - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/36f6b946-d30f-444d-8418-1324232a988e
Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/112673 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/112673
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