A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Schnyder von Wartensee, Xavier
SCHNYDER VON WARTENSEE, Xavier, so called from his castle at the S.E. end of the Lake of Constance, was born at Lucerne, of a noble family, April 18, 1786. His career would naturally have been one in accordance with his rank, but the Revolution, and a strong inward feeling, drove him in the direction of music. Until 1810 he had no teaching but what he could get from books and practice. In that year he went to Zürich, and then to Vienna, with the wish to become a pupil of Beethoven. He was however compelled to take lessons from Kienlen—perhaps a better teacher than Beethoven would have been. After a few years in the Austrian capital he returned to Switzerland, made the campaign of 1815 against the French, then became teacher in the Pestalozzian institute at Yverdun, and at length in 1817 settled at Frankfort, and lived there as teacher of composition and director of various musical institutions till his death, Aug. 30, 1868. During this latter period he was much esteemed as a teacher, and had many pupils, among them our countryman Pearsall.
Schnyder appears to have been a man of exceptional ability, but his life was too desultory to admit of his leaving anything of permanent value, and there was always a strong amateur element about him. His compositions are numerous and of all classes: an opera 'Fortunatus' (1829), an oratorio for men's voices—both brought to performance, and the opera to publication; symphonies, which were played in Frankfort; solo and part-songs, etc. He wrote much, both poetry and prose, and many of his articles on musical subjects were contributed to the 'Allg. musik. Zeitung' and 'Cæcilia.' He was also a wit, and Hauptmann has preserved one story which is worth repeating, considering the date of its occurrence. After one of the early performances of Tannhäuser, Schnyder was asked his opinion. 'Well, said he, I put Wagner above Goethe and Beethoven. Yes; he composes better than Goethe and writes verse better that Beethoven.' A romance and duet and a song from Fortunatus are given in the A. M. Z. for 1832, and the former of the two is reprinted in the Musical Library, iii. 133. They are both melodious and well accompanied.