Anna Pessiak-Schmerling

Anna Pessiak-Schmerling (1834 – 14 March 1896) was an Austrian composer born in Vienna.

She was born Anna Schmerling, daughter of Maria Anna Giannatasio del Río (1792-1868), and the granddaughter of Cajetan Giannatasio del Río (1764-1828) who had a boarding school in Vienna.

[1] She studied with Mathilde Marchesi (1821-1913),[2] and afterward worked as a professor of voice at the Vienna Conservatory.

[4] The Giannatasio del Rio family was associated with Beethoven through his nephew Karl, and Franziska (Fanny) Giannatasio del Río, Anna Pessiak-Schmerling's aunt, was a source for biographical detail on the composer.

According to her, Beethoven wrote the song "Ruf vom Berge" for Anna's mother during an excursion to Himmel.