The Schnabel Sisters were well known in Boise for their beautiful voices in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Charles Schnabel and Eva Elisabeth (Schaeffer) Schnabel moved from Prussen, Austria to Idaho to do some opal mining. Establishing himself as a respectable merchant and trader, Charles and Eva had 8 daughters in Boise, Idaho – Elizabeth, Eva, Anna, Flora, Victoria Germania, Victoria America, Rose, and Augusta. Like many families in the 19th century, the Schnabel family faced the loss children at young ages. Victoria Germania Schnabel lived only one month to die of whooping cough in 1878 and Flora Centennia Schnabel died at the age of 13 after the final concert the sisters gave together in 1889. After the second death of a daughter, Charles moved the family to Frankfurt, Germany so his daughters could get a European education in the arts.
Elizabeth Idaho (Ida) Schnabel began to study voice and piano in Nottingham, Ohio at the age of 14. Elizabeth sang in concerts with her sisters until the age of 18 when her sister, Flora, died. After moving to Germany, she studied piano and voice. When her teacher told her that her voice was a “nice little voice” but lacked the power necessary for a career in opera, she returned to the United States. She married Sherman Grant King on September 7th, 1892 and moved back to Boise soon after. While in Boise she continued to work with her music and also compose. In 1948 she was honored when the Tuesday Musical presented a program of selections by Idaho composers including her “Twilight in Idaho” composition.
Eva Minnehaha (Minnie) Schnabel studied music in Germany after her family’s move to Frankfurt. Minnie’s teachers, unlike Elizabeth’s, believed her voice to be worthy of a professional career. Studying under Frau Gunter, a famous voice teacher in Germany, she prepared for a life singing on the operatic stage. Before her career as an opera singer could develop, however, she decided to focus her life on gospel music instead of “singing in worldly concerts.” Turning from the operatic stage and singing exclusively gospel music, she toured churches throughout Europe before returning to the United States. She married Reverend Claude Milton Severence and had three children. She continued to sing after leaving Europe, but focused her talent on the less fortunate. She would visit penitentiaries, poor-houses, and hospitals to sing “to those who were sick or without joy.” She never regretted choosing a simpler life as a gospel singer and died at the ripe old age of 82 in 1955 surrounded by children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Anna Columbia Schnabel chose to study the violin instead of developing her voice while studying in Germany. She married a French-Canadian named Eugene Hudson. Little is known about Anna and Eugene’s life. She died in Beacon, New York in 1945 at the age of 71.
Flora Centennia (Tinnie) Schnabel was born on May 20, 1876 in Boise, Idaho. She sang on stage with her six sisters until a cold ended her life at the age of 13. Her death ended the familial performances before Charles moved the family to Germany. She, like her sisters, spoke German exclusively at home and trained the family cats and dogs to only respond to German commands rather than English.
Victoria Germania Schnabel was born in Germany on December 13, 1877 and died a little more than a month later on January 22, 1878 of whooping cough.
Victoria America Schnabel, unlike her sisters, did not continue a musical career after moving to Germany with the family. Instead, she studied to be an artist. She married Dikran Bedikian, an Armenian Oriental rug scholar and lived with him in Montclair, New Jersey. Dikran wrote articles for the Montclair Times and Victoria would partner with him and create illustrations to go along with his articles.
Rose May Schnabel also chose to end her singing career after moving to Germany and chose acting instead. There is little information on Rose or her acting career. She died on August 28, 1929 in an automobile accident near Sawyersville, Quebec while traveling to a performance.
Augusta Octavia Schnabel chose to study piano. She married a fellow musician, Carl Tollefsen, a Norwegian violinist who studied at Julliard School of Music. Augusta and Carl formed the Tolleffson Trio and toured Europe performing together. They performed before kings and queens of different countries and eventually Carl was knighted by the King of Norway. They recorded for Radio Corporation of America (RCA) and a number of other recording companies. After touring Europe for several seasons, Augusta and Carl decided to settle in Brooklyn, New York where they founded the Brooklyn Music Academy. Augusta died in Brooklyn at the age of 70 in April of 1955.
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For more information on the Schnabel sisters please see the Betty Penson Papers at the Special Collections and Archives in the Alberston's Library on Boise State University's campus. See also Idaho Women in History: Big and Little Biographies and Other Gender Stories, vol. 1. Betty Penson-Ward (Legendary Publishing Company: Boise, Idaho) 1991. p. 109-111.
