Background
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.
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.
She studied with Mathilde Marchesi (1821-1913), and afterward worked as a professor of voice at the Vienna Conservatory.
She composed piano work and songs, and was noted for her masses and other sacred works. Beethoven wrote the "Hochzeitslied" ("Wedding Song") for the wedding of Anna"s mother to Leopold Schmerling in 1819. According to her, Beethoven wrote the song "Ruf vom Berge" for Anna"s mother during an excursion to Himmel.