Schreiber, Frederick C.

Born in Vienna, Austria, on January 13, 1895, Schreiber first studied the piano at the age of eight. He attended the Humanistic High School, followed by Vienna University and the Vienna State Academy of Music, which culminated in a diploma for mastery of composing, conducting, piano and violoncello. Schreiber actively composed music throughout his life, beginning at the age of ten and continuing well into his late 80s.

During World War I, Schreiber served in the Austrian army, on the Italian front. After the war he married Lucy Erenreich, who died in 1968. In addition to working as a choir director and opera conductor, Schreiber taught composition, and in 1927 he became a Professor of Composition, Music Theory and Instrumentation at the Vienna Conservatory of Music. Conditions preceding the outbreak of World War II caused Schreiber and his wife to move to New York City in early 1939. They became naturalized U.S. citizens in 1945.

Schreiber continued to teach composition and piano while also working as the organist and choirmaster at the East Sixty-eighth Street Reformed Evangelical Church. He held this position until 1958, and then became music director for the Broadway Presbyterian Church (located at 114th Street), where he remained until his retirement in 1972. In the remaining years of his life he composed a large number of short pieces of music, particularly vocal works. He died two days after his ninetieth birthday, on January 15, 1985.

The highlights of Schreiber’s career include the ten first prizes he received in international competitions for various compositions. These awards occurred between the years 1945-1956, and usually led to the premiere performance of the winning piece. The Philadelphia Orchestra, led by Eugene Ormandy, and the Chicago Symphony under Fritz Reiner sponsored two of the more notable contests that Schreiber won.

Apart from the contests, it appears that very few of his 400-plus compositions were ever publicly performed. At least two of Schreiber's early works were performed in Europe; this information is noted on the score. As a church music director he likely used his own arrangements of anthems and hymns; in 1972 the Broadway Presbyterian Church’s orchestra performed one of Schreiber’s larger works, Magnificat . In 1977 an article in the New York Times used him as an example of prolific composers who are not widely known. He also wrote and selected the music played at his own funeral.

Sources: New York Times Obituary, New York Times Company, January 20, 1985.

Schonberg, Harold C. “Music View,” New York Times (1857-Current file); Jul. 31, 1977; ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times p. X13.

Slonimsky, Nicolas. Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of Musicians . 7th ed. New York: Schirmer Books, 1984.

Wier, Albert, E. The Macmillan Encyclopedia of Music and Musicians . New York: The Macmillan Company, 1938.

From the guide to the Frederick C. Schreiber papers, 1901-1985, (The New York Public Library. Music Division.)