Franz Mittler (1893-1970) was born in Vienna on April 14,1893. Displaying talent as a violinist at an early age, he first performed in concert at the age of nine accompanied by the seven year old pianist, Clara Haskil. By 1904, he was concentrating on the piano, studying with Theodor Leschetizsky; his cousin, Leonie Gombrich, mother of the renowned art historian, Sir Ernst Gombrich, who was Leschetizsky’s assistant, and later with Carl Friedberg. He also studied composition with Richard Heuberger, an associate of Brahms, and Karl Prohaska, and theory with the noted contrapuntist, Joseph Labor. In 1919, after serving in the Austrian Army during World War I, Franz Mittler was appointed conductor at the Opera Theater in Gera-Reuss, Germany where his ballet, “The Golden Goose” was performed. During the 1920’s and 1930’s, he returned to Vienna as a leading “lieder” accompanist, touring with Franz Steiner, and Leo Slezak and serving as musical colla...