Bernhard Schmid

1) Alsatian organist and composer Bernhard Schmid the Elder (also called "B. Schmid d'Ä" for "der Ältere" in some sources, or "Bernhard Schmidt") was the son of another Bernhard Schmid, an administrative official in the then free city of Strasbourg. Schmid was educated in Strasbourg and first mention of him comes from his marriage certificate dated October 31, 1552. In 1562, Schmid assumed the dual posts of organist at Strasbourg Cathedral during the Christmas season and at the Thomaskirche in Strasbourg through the rest of the year. His son, also named Bernhard Schmid (now called "the younger") was born in 1567. In 1577, Schmid the Elder published Zwey Bücher einer Neuen Kunstlichen Tabulatur auff Orgel und Instrument, an important and popular early print consisting of two volumes, the first entirely devoted to keyboard intabulations of vocal works -- mostly by Orlandus Lassus -- and the second continuing the intabulations but adding 16 dances that are apparently original or adapted from folk material. Schmid also enjoyed some prominence as a poet -- there are a handful of Latin poems scattered throughout the Zwey Bücher, and independent examples of his poetry survive in other sources. In early 1592, Schmid retired from his post at Strasbourg Cathedral in order to assume a lighter duty at Jung-St. Peter-Kirche, but died within the year.

While the intabulations of works of other composers dominate the Zwey Bücher, the 16 dances at the end are the works that have enjoyed some currency in modern times. Schmid's publication includes a useful guide to reading the tablature employed, which is in the "new German" format, and quite detailed in its use of ornamentation, unusual in keyboard prints this early. While the publication is ostensibly for organ, Schmid clearly designed it for use on all keyboard instruments of the time.

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2) Swiss trumpeter Bernhard Schmid (born 1940) played on some releases for trumpet and organ with German organist Harald Feller which leads to confusing him with the Alsatian composer.