Rudolph Edward Schirmer Jr. (June 18, 1919 – Nov 19, 2000) was a composer, lyricist, poet, and the former chairman of the Board of G. Schirmer Music Inc., an American classical music publishing company. In World War II, he worked in the U.S. Military Intelligence Service during the war in a unit called the Ritchie Boys, which was a unit that consisted of German-speaking personnel for roles in counterintelligence in Europe, translating key information from German prisoners of war (POW), and related services.Service and Citizenship: Examining the Historical Relationship between Immigration and Military Service in the United States...Page 68 (kennesaw.edu)
Starting in 1949, Schirmer was a prolific songwriter for over 20 years. He occasionally used poetry by notable poets or books by notable authors as the lyrics for songs.
In 1968, he wrote Hymn to the Americas (Himno a las Americas in Spanish) which was performed by the Washington National Symphony at the Fourth Inter-American Music Festival in 1968.
Early life Rudolph Schirmer was the son of singer Ann Swinburne Munroe and Rudolph Edward Schirmer Sr., the previous publisher and president of G. Schirmer. His grandfather was Gustav Schirmer the founder of the G. Schirmer corporation.
Rudolph E. Schirmer Jr. originally attended Princeton University. He later left Princeton during his sophomore year to attend the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where he studied composition under Rosario Scalero. Although he left Princeton to transfer to another school, he is considered a 1941 alumnus by the university.
Music and writing career Schirmer's works in music and literature span close to 50 years:
1949 In 1949, he was one of the co-writers for the German book 3 Briefe an Kurt Leimer (3 Letters to Kurt Leimer). Kurt Leimer was a German pianist, composer, and piano teacher who had been drafted in World War II into the Wehrmacht (collective of armed forces of Nazi Germany) and became a POW in Livorno, Italy in 1944, as the war was coming to a close. Schirmer worked in the Ritchie Boys unit in WW II, which consisted of German-speaking interrogators for interviewing German POWs. However, it is unclear if Schirmer and Leimer had met during the war.
In terms of musical works, Schirmer had copyrighted the song he had written "Remember thee!" for voice and piano, with words by the English Romantic poet Lord Byron (1788- 1824).Remember thee! remember thee! For voice and piano, by Rudolph Schirmer, (words by Lord Byron) Copyright: G. Schirmer, Inc.
22 August 1949, EP39818 The same year, he also wrote the song "Love's Secret" with words by English poet and artist William Blake (1757- 1827)Love's Secret; for voice and piano, by Rudolph Schirmer, (word by William Blake. Copyright by G. Schirmer, Inc., 19 August 1949; EP40084. as well as "So we''ll go no more a-roving" with words also by Lord Byron.So we'll go no more a-roving; for voice and piano, by Rudolph Schirmer, (words by Lord Byron). Copyright G. Schirmer, Inc., 19 August 1948; EP40085.
1955 In 1955, he did the music arrangement of "A Child's Prayer", which was a song for three-part chorus of women's voices accompanied by piano. The lyrics were from the 1944 book Prayer for a Child by American novelist, poet, and children's fiction writer Rachel Field (1894–1942), which was a classic bedtime prayer.Type of Work:
Music
Registration Number / Date:
RE0000189852 / 1983-12-12
Renewal registration for: PA0000196258 / 1955-05-17
Title:
A Child's prayer. For three-part chorus of women's voices with piano acc. Arr. Rudolph Schirmer.
Copyright Claimant:
Rudolph Schirmer (A)
Basis of Claim:
New Matter: "arr."
WebVoyage Record View 1 (loc.gov)
1960s In 1960, Schirmer copyrighted his musical compositions for the musical Forty Ways to Sunday. Some of the compositions below can be seen in the section named Music for musical 40 ways to Sunday.
Between 1961 and 1963, he wrote the music and lyrics for the following songs:
"Bluebird" "Seven Songs" "Don't Mention Love Again" "The Gift of Christmas" "Nobody Wants My Heart" "You" In 1964, he wrote the collection of poems titled A Friend in Fantasy: Poems.A Friend in Fantasy. 1st edition. Exposition Press, 204 pages. Copyright: Rudolph Schirmer, 24 June 1964. A720277,
In 1968, he wrote Hymn to the Americas (Himno a las Americas in Spanish), which was for a four-part chorus of mixed voices with a soprano solo and piano accompaniment. The Spanish text was written by Fernando Flores. It was performed by the Washington National Symphony at the Fourth Inter-American Music Festival in 1968.Hymn to the Americas. Words & music: Rudolph Schirmer. Copyright G. Schirmer. 18 June 1968. EP247185
1998
In 1998, he was reader/performer for the published audiobook The Doors of Perception, which is reading of the 1954 book of English philosopher and writer Aldous Huxley.Type of Work: Sound Recording
Registration Number / Date: SR0000179059 / 1999-06-21
Title: The doors of perception / by Aldous Huxley.
Description: 2 sound cassettes.
Performer: Read by Rudolph Schirmer.
Copyright Claimant: ℗ Audio Partners Publishing Corporation (employer for hire)
Date of Creation: 1998
Date of Publication: 1998-08-14
Previous Registration: Text preexisting.
Basis of Claim: New Matter: sound recording.
Names: Huxley, Aldous
Schirmer, Rudolph
Audio Partners Publishing Corporation The work ties into the earlier works of Schirmer based, in that as the song "Love's Secret" (1949) incorporates the words from the poem of the same name by William Blake, so is the title of "The Door of Perception" from Blake's 1793 book The Marriage of Heaven and Hell:Aldous Huxley – The Doors of Perception.pdf (archive.org)If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, Infinite.
For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thro' narrow chinks of his cavern.
Discography (recorded media) +TitleDateWordsMusicArrangementPerformerRemember thee! Remember thee! 1949Romantic poet Lord Byron (1788- 1824)Rudolph SchirmerLove's Secret1949English poet and artist William Blake (1757- 1827)Rudolph SchirmerSo we''ll go no more a-roving1949George Gordan Byron (Lord Byron)Rudolph SchirmerA Child's Prayer: for three-part chorus of women's voices with piano accompaniment. 1955American novelist, poet, and children's fiction writer Rachel FieldGustav KlemmRudolph SchirmerYvonneYvonne. Words and arrangement: Rudolph Schirmer. Music: Abbey McVay. Copyright Rudolph Schirmer & Abbey McVay. 8 March 1957, EU4702551957Rudolph SchirmerAbbey McVayRudolph SchirmerUnited States Victory MarchUnited States Victory March. Music: Rudolph Schirmer. Arranged for band by Gene von Hallberg. Copyright: G. Schirmer. 11 November 1966. EP223860.1961Rudolph SchirmerGene von HallbergBluebirdType of Work:
Music
Registration Number / Date:
RE0000429000 / 1989-02-09
Renewal registration for: EP0000150403 / 1961-03-24
Title:
Bluebird. For voice and piano. w & m Rudolph Schirmer.
Copyright Claimant:
Rudolph Schirmer (A)
Variant title:
Bluebird
WebVoyage Record View 1 (loc.gov)1961Rudolph SchirmerRudolph SchirmerSeven Songs:Schirmer, Rudolph. Seven Songs. For Voice and Piano ... [1.] Form of Wooing. [2.] Sound of Laughter. [3.] Honey Shun. [4.] Wanderlust. [5.] Lullaby. [6.] Ianthe. [7.] My Heart Is a River. G. Schirmer, 1962.
Form of Wooing. Sound of Laughter. Honey Shun. Wanderlust. Lullaby. Ianthe. My Heart is a River1962Rudolph SchirmerRudolph SchirmerDon't Mention Love AgainType of Work:
Music
Registration Number / Date:
RE0000525156 / 1991-02-08
Renewal registration for: EP0000181049 / 1963-11-01
Title:
Don't mention love again. For voice & piano. w & m Rudolph Schirmer.
Copyright Claimant:
Rudolph Schirmer (A)
Variant title:
Don't mention love again
WebVoyage Record View 1 (loc.gov)1963Rudolph SchirmerRudolph SchirmerThe Gift of ChristmasType of Work:
Music
Registration Number / Date:
RE0000525126 / 1991-02-08
Renewal registration for: EP0000181050 / 1963-11-01
Title:
The Gift of Christmas. For voice & piano. w & m Rudolph Schirmer.
Copyright Claimant:
Rudolph Schirmer (A)
Variant title:
The Gift of Christmas
WebVoyage Record View 1 (loc.gov)1963Rudolph SchirmerRudolph SchirmerNobody Wants My HeartType of Work:
Music
Registration Number / Date:
RE0000525160 / 1991-02-08
Renewal registration for: EP0000181048 / 1963-11-01
Title:
Nobody wants my heart. For voice & piano. w & m Rudolph Schirmer.
Copyright Claimant:
Rudolph Schirmer (A)
Variant title:
Nobody wants my heart1963Rudolph SchirmerRudolph SchirmerYouType of Work:
Music
Registration Number / Date:
RE0000525125 / 1991-02-08
Renewal registration for: EP0000181047 / 1963-11-01
Title:
You. For voice & piano. w & m Rudolph Schirmer.
Copyright Claimant:
Rudolph Schirmer (A)
Variant title:
You1963Rudolph SchirmerRudolph SchirmerHymn to the Americas1968Rudolph SchirmerRudolph SchirmerThe Doors of Perception(Audiobook)1998English writer and philosopher Aldous HuxleyRudolph Schirmer
Books and poetry (printed media) +TitleAuthor3 Briefe an Kurt LeimerHeinsheimer, Hans W., et al. 3 Briefe an Kurt Leimer. 1949.1949Hans W. Heinsheimer, Kurt Leimer, Gustave Schirmer, Rudolph SchirmerA Poem for Spain: Santa Cruz del Valle de Los CaidosSchirmer, Rudolph. A Poem for Spain: Santa Cruz Del Valle de Los Caidos. Schirmer, Ronald.Rudolph SchirmerA Friend in Fantasy; PoemsSchirmer, Rudolph. A Friend in Fantasy; Poems. Exposition Press, 1964.1964Rudolph SchirmerIntroduction to Art Song. Mezzo-soprano/alto : Songs in English for Classical Voice Students.Boytim, Joan Frey, et al. Introduction to Art Song. Mezzo-Soprano/Alto : Songs in English for Classical Voice Students. G. Schirmer, Inc., 2016, https://www.halleonard.com/mylibrary/.2016Joan Frey Boytim (Compiler), Laura Ward (Instrumentalist), Brendan Fox (Instrumentalist), Richard Hageman, C. Alison-Crompton, Rudolph Schirmer, Easthope Martin, Carl Hahn, Herbert Kingsley, Eric H. Thiman, Clara Edwards, Franco Leoni, Samuel Barber, Thomas Linley, William Schuman, Thomas Vincent Cator, John Jacob Niles, Roger Quilter, Thomas Augustine Arne
Personal life Schirmer's first marriage was in 1949 to Countess Marnegu Eugenia Wenckheim (Countess Ena Wenkheim), a descendant of the leadership of the Austria-Hungarian Empire. The wedding was at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. In the same year of Shirmer's first marriage to Countess Ena Wenkheim, he was one of the co-writers for the German book 3 Briefe an Kurt Leimer (3 Letters to Kurt Leimer). However, they were divorced in 1953.
On February 8, 1958, Schirmer married film actress Iris Flores in New York City. Flores was a former film actress as well as an inventor and the granddaughter of the former president of Costa Rica, the late Rafael Yglesias Castro. While they were married, Schirmer wrote Hymn to the Americas (Himno a las Americas in Spanish), which was for a four-part chorus of mixed voices with a soprano solo and piano accompaniment. The Spanish text was written by his brother-in-law and the former Vice Consul to the Government of Costa Rica, Fernando Flores."Film Actress and Husband on Honeymoon Here". Palm Springs Desert Sun. It was performed by the Washington National Symphony at the Fourth Inter-American Music Festival in 1968. After 12 years of marriage, they were divorced in November 1970.Ancestry.com – California, U.S., Divorce Index, 1966–1984
On January 9, 1972, Schirmer married Maria Raffaela Mormino. They were married until Schirmer died in 2000.
Lyrics for Love's Secret The William Blake poem Love's Secret were the lyrics for the Schirmer song of the same name. The poem is presently in the public domain:
Never seek to tell thy love,
Love that never told can be;
For the gentle wind doth move
Silently, invisibly.
I told my love, I told my love,
I told her all my heart,
Trembling, cold, in ghastly fears.
Ah! she did depart!