Schmitt, Florent (1870–1958)

French composer. His music shows the influence of Richard Strauss and the French composers Fauré, Debussy, and Massenet. His most successful work is the ballet La Tragédie de Salome (revised as a symphonic poem in 1910).

He studied music at Nancy from 1887 and in 1889 was sent to the Paris Conservatory, where he was first a pupil of Dubois and Lavignac and afterwards of Massenet and Fauré for composition. He won the Prix de Rome in 1900 and wrote his first mature works during his three years in Rome. He was director of Lyon Conservatory 1922–24.

Works Stage music ballets, including La tragédie de Salomé (1907), Le petit elfe Ferme-l'œil (1924), Reflets, Ourvasi, Oriane et le Prince d'Amour (1938); incidental music for Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra (translated by Gide); film music for an adaptation of Flaubert's Salammbô (1925).

Choral with orchestra Psalm 46 for soprano solo, chorus, organ, and orchestra.

Orchestral symphonic study Le palais hanté (after Poe), symphony (1958), Trois Rapsodies, Ronde burlesque, Çancunik; Kermesse-Valse, Symphonie concertante, Suite sans esprit de suite for orchestra, Légende for saxophone and orchestra (1918), Final for cello and orchestra.

Chamber and vocal piano quintet; Lied et Scherzo for double wind quintet; Andante et Scherzo for chromatic harp and string quartet; Suite en Rocaille for strings, flute, and harp; Sonatine en trio for flute, clarinet, and harpsichord (or piano); string quartet (1949); string trio; Sonate libre for violin and piano; piano pieces.