Schutt, Eduard

1856-

Russian musician, whose musical education was influenced by Anton Rubinstein, Dreyschock, Leschetizky and Wieniawski. He was born in St. Petersburg, and was educated by his father, a cellist of distinction. At five he showed his musical inclinations by improvising on the piano. He entered the St. Petersburg Conservatory when he was nineteen, where he studied with Petersen and Stein. He graduated with the highest honors in 1876, winning the first prize, and shortly afterward went to Leipsic. While a student in the St. Petersburg Conservatory he wrote a serenade in four movements for stringed instruments. He remained at Leipsic till 1878, going then to Vienna, where he has since lived, and where he early became a friend of Leschetizky, who directed his studies and aided him in many ways. Schutt was director of the Akademisch Wagner Verein of Vienna from 1882 to 1886, and appeared in concerts at Paris, Leipsic and Vienna. In 1887 he was invited to Bayreuth by Cosima Wagner to assist in the management of the Wagnerian Festivals, but declined] Schutt has written a comic opera, entitled Signer Formica. He is known in America chiefly through his piano compositions, which are numerous and of great merit. His concerto in G minor was played before the Russian Musical Society at St. Petersburg and at the Crystal Palace at Sydenham. Among other works are Carnival Mignon; Scenes   Pantomime  three morceaux; two miniatures; Scenes de bal; variations for piano; preludes; many transcriptions; songs; and other compositions. Schutt was one of the first musicians to recognize the genius of Saint-Saens, and upon the occasion of that composer's visit to Leipsic, when the critics all treated him coldly, Schutt issued a pamphlet extolling the Frenchman to such an extent that it called forth a reprimand from the authorities of the Conservatory, where he was a student at the time. He is said to be most genial in disposition, witty, broad and progressive in spirit, well-read and informed.