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Erik George Sebastian Smith (25 March 1931 – 4 May 2004) was a German-born British record producer, pianist and harpsichordist. He produced over 90 opera recordings. His greatest legacy is the 1991 complete recording of the entirety ofWolfgang Amadeus Mozart's compositions, which included many previously unheard fragments and was released for the bicentennial of Mozart's death.
Smith was born inRostock, the son of the German conductorHans Schmidt-Isserstedt. His Jewish mother took him from Germany in 1936, with his brother, to be brought up in England. He did his tertiary education atCorpus Christi College, Cambridge.
Through his friendship with the American pianistJulius Katchen he joined theDecca company as a record producer, working with such people asJohn Culshaw and Gordon Parry.
In 1958 he produced the first recording ofPeter Grimes, conducted by the composer,Benjamin Britten. He also produced the first recording of Mozart's operaLa clemenza di Tito, with the conductorIstván Kertész, in 1967.
Smith formed theLondon Wind Soloists and theVienna Mozart Ensemble in order to record the complete wind music and the complete dances and marches of Mozart. Many of these were premiere recordings.
In 1967 he moved toPhilips. Here, he produced a series ofHaydn operas, many earlyVerdi operas,Tippett'sThe Midsummer Marriage, andBerlioz'sThe Trojans andBenvenuto Cellini. Many of these were premiere recordings.
In 1991 he created the Complete Mozart Edition, on 180 CDs. He completed some of Mozart's unfinished works, such as the finale of the String Quartet, K. 464.
After his formal retirement in 1991 he continued to devote time to projects such asMitsuko Uchida's cycle ofSchubert sonatas.
He wonGrammy Awards in 1971, 1973, 1976 and 2003.
Smith died on 4 May 2004, survived by his wife Priscilla and two daughters, Miranda and Susanna.
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