Else Schmitz-Gohr

Else Schmitz-Gohr (12 August 1901 – 13 December 1987) was a German composer, pianist, and teacher who is best remembered for her Elegy for the Left Hand for piano, her successful students, and her recordings of Max Reger's works for piano.^[1][2]

Schmitz-Gohr was born in Cologne. She studied at the Cologne Conservatory and the Stern Conservatory in Berlin. Her teachers included Franz Bolsche, Wilhelm Klatte, Dr. Otto Klauwell, James Kwast,^[3] and Fritz Hans Rehbold. She socialized with sculptor Lili Graf.^[4] In 1918, she debuted as a pianist under conductor Hermann Abendroth, and in 1922 won the Gustav Hollaender medal.^[1]

Schmitz-Gohr toured throughout Germany and abroad as a pianist. She was known for her interpretation of modern composers, especially Max Reger, whose works she recorded commercially on LP KAS 30067 (Kaskade).^[5][2] She taught at the Rheinische Musikschule, the State Academy of Music in Cologne, and the Stern Conservatory. Her students included Dietmar von Capitaine, York Höller,^[6] Bernhard Klee,^[1] Aloys and Alfons Kontarsky,^[7] Georg Kroll,^[8] Irene Vogel Osiander,^[9] Erika Rademacher, Eckart Sellheim,^[10] and Joachim Volkmann.^[11]

Nareh Arghamanyan recorded works by Schmitz-Gohr on her album Femmes de Légende  Hänssler HC25026 (2025).