Karl Norbert Schmid

Karl Norbert Schmid (16 December 1926 – 13 February 1995) was a German organist, composer, choir director and music educator.

Life and career Schmid was born in Ochsenhausen. Already at the age of ten, he substituted for his teacher, the organist at the Gabler organ at in Ochsenhausen. This influenced his career decision: After the Abitur, he studied Catholic church music at the Kirchenmusikschule (today ) in Regensburg from 1943 to 1948, making him one of the first graduates after World War II.

Schmid was married twice, to Elisabeth née Hebele, and later to Hildegard née Hauser. Both wives died of illness, and had no children. Schmid died after a short illness at the age of 68 and was buried on 16 February 1995 in a family grave at the Lower Catholic Cemetery in Regensburg.

Work After the Second Vatican Council, the vernacular language was also used in the liturgy instead of the historic Latin. Schmid filled the shortage in suitable church music in German by composing settings of hymns from the Gotteslob, often with Überchor (a choir in higher range than congregational singing), chorale cantatas, psalms settings, masses and proprium hymns. His works are accessible to lay performers. They became widely used throughout German-speaking countries.

Schmid dedicated his Te Deum for soloists, choir and orchestra, Op. 100, to Bishop Manfred Müller. He is known for his setting with Überchor of "Großer Gott, wir loben dich", which is often performed at the end of festive masses, sometimes augmented with brass or orchestra. It ended an open-air Papal mass in Regensburg when Pope Benedict XVI , leading to more popularity.

Schmid's compositional estate is held by Proskesche Musikabteilung der Bischöflichen Zentralbibliothek (Proske's music department of the episcopal central library) in Regensburg.