Fried Walter

Fried Walter (9 December 1907 in Ottendorf-Okrilla as Walter Emil Schmidt, 8 April 1996 in Berlin) was a German composer. He composed over 500 pieces and arranged more than 250 songs, including many Volkslieder, and he is considered one of the most versatile and prolific composers of German light music. Life Fried Walter was born as the son of an elementary school teacher near Dresden. His mother died when Walter was only 5 years old. Although his father encouraged him to also become a teacher, Walter focused his studies on musical instruments, including piano, cello, organ, and French horn. At the age of 17, he was accepted as a student for music theory and conducting at the Semperoper opera house in Dresden. He earned his first paycheck as a horn player playing Richard Wagner operas as an ensemble musician. After completing his education, he volunteered for the state theater in Gotha, after which he moved to the Reußisch-Fürstliche Theater in Gera. The Great Depression forced him to give up his position. Walter moved to Berlin, where he studied the techniques of silent film accompaniment from Giuseppe Becce; however, with the advent of sound film, his career as silent film accomp