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Born: April 21, 1909 - Schoenbrunn (now Svinov, part of the town of Ostrava, Czech Republic), Austria
Died: November 22, 1993 - Vienna, Austria |
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Karl Scheit was one of the leading Austrian guitarists, lutenists and music educators of the 20th Century. He is also known as the "Segovia of Austria". Scheit studied at the Academy of Music in Vienna with Jacob Ortner. From 1933 to 1984 he was Professor for Music and Performance at the Academy of Music in Vienna (now the Academy of Music and Fine Arts in Vienna), and at the Conservatory in Vienna. Among his students were Heinz Wallisch, Robert Wolff, Jürg Chamber, Richard Pilkington and Konrad Ragossnig.
In his days Karl Scheit was one of the foremost of European virtuosi, noted on the classical guitar, noted for his musicianship. He performed widely in and around Vienna. He helped to change the status of the guitar from accompanying to solo instrument, and was one of the pioneers of historical performance practice (for example with the ensemble Schola Antiqua with J. Mertin and Gustav Leonhardt). He won numerous awards and prizes.
Karl Scheit was also a foremost scholar, and editor of Renaissance and Baroque music, and his name was widely known to serious guitar students in many lands. He rediscovered, transcribed and published and extensive Renaissance and Baroque literature for plucked string instruments (lute, vinuela and 5-string guitar). His most important publication Lehrwerk für Gitarre is still the basis for the guitar pedagogy. |
