The History of the Schnabel Music Foundation

Ann Schnabel Mottier, François Mottier and Claude Mottier have managed the musical legacy of the Schnabel family musicians since 1997, a task previously attended to by Ann’s father, Karl Ulrich Schnabel.

It is Claude’s passion for music and his heritage, and his untimely demise in 2002 that have inspired Ann and François Mottier to create the Schnabel Music Foundation as a means for sharing the Schnabel musical legacy with the world.

All members of the Schnabel-Mottier family have been instrumental in the successful establishment of the Schnabel Archives at the  Akademie der Künste, Berlin, in 2001. This culminated in the inaugural event celebrating the opening of the Archives in September 2001. It included an exhibition, the performance of most Schnabel compositions, and a symposium, and coincided with the 50th anniversary of Artur Schnabel’s death.

Mary Virginia Foreman Le Garrec (1908 – 2012) was closely associated with Artur Schnabel from 1935 until his death in 1951.

She has dedicated her life and resources to the advancement of Artur Schnabel’s compositions. Through her undying loyalty and financial support, she made possible the recording of Schnabel’s three Symphonies, and Dance and Secret & Joy and Peace, among others.

Furthermore, she financed most of the concerts featuring Artur Schnabel’s compositions performed during the 2001 51st Berlin Festival at the Akademie der Künste.

In her ongoing commitment to the promotion of the Schnabel compositions she has embraced the creation of the Schnabel Music Foundation in 2002.   Mary Virginia Foreman continued to actively take part in the planning of the Schnabel Music Foundation activities, which she also funded to a significant degree.