Josef Bayer (1852-1913):
Die Puppenfee • Sonne und Erde

Opera house musicians have often found playing for ballet performances something of a chore. It was certainly so for Austrian symphonic composer Franz Schmidt (1874-1939), when in 1896 he became a cellist with the Vienna Court Opera orchestra. He delighted in playing in orchestral concerts of the Vienna Philharmonic, and for operas under such conductors as Wilhelm Jahn and Hans Richter. He was scathing, however, about his experience of playing under Court Ballet Director, Josef Bayer: "I liken him, in order not to insult this rank, to an Austrian regimental music sergeant only in so far as he possessed the arrogance and coarseness of one in richest measure. His ability as conductor and musician, however, would not have satisfied the needs of the post of regimental music sergeant by a long way. He was beneath all criticism and was further devalued by the pitifulness and vulgarity of his composi