František Kočvara

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František Kočvara (* around 1750 in Prague ; † September 2, 1791 in London ; also Franz Koczwara or Franz Kotzwara ) was a Bohemian composer and violinist.

Life

Franz Kočvara lived and worked after stays in Germany and on the British Isles as a performing musician, teacher and composer. He mastered numerous instruments and had a reputation as an excellent violinist, he also played the viola, cello and double bass, as well as oboe, flute, bassoon and cister. It is known that he was a member of the Bath Theater Orchestra from 1774 to 1776 . From 1776 he lived in London. In the mid-1780s he worked in Ireland, after which he was double bass player in the King's Theater .

The circumstances of his death caused a sensation: he died by hanging in a suspicious pub. A prostitute who was accused of murdering him was later acquitted.

plant

Kočvara was a prolific composer, his melodic works were very popular. He composed primarily harpsichord and violin sonatas, trio sonatas, string quartets and other chamber music. His programmatic music The Battle of Prague for harpsichord, violin, cello and tambour became famous and was played more than thirty times by the end of the 19th century.

Works (selection)

  • 6 "Songs" (London, 1775)
  • 3 “Serenades for violin, viola, cello and 2 horns”, Op. 1 (published with Felice Giardini , Amsterdam around 1775)
  • 4 “Sonatas alto et basse continue”, Op. 2 (Bonvin, Paris, 1787)
  • 6 "Trio Sonatas" (London, around 1777)
  • 6 “Trio Sonatas for 2 violin with basso continuo” (2 horns ad lib.), Op. 5 (London, 1778)
  • “ A Periodical Overture in 8 Parts ”, Op. 10 (around 1790)
  • " The Battle of Prague , Sonata in F major for pianoforte with accompaniments for violin, cello and drum", Op. 23 (London, J. Lee, c.1788)
  • 3 "Sonatas for the harpsichord or pianoforte with accompaniment for violin", Op. 34 (London, 1791)
  • 3 "Sonatas for fortepiano", Op 36. (Mannheim, around 1791)
  • "Six easy Duets for 2 violas" Op. 37 (1791)

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Online at: www.ibiblio.org , accessed December 16, 2010
  2. ^ François-Joseph Fétis: Biographie universelle des musiciens et bibliographie générale de la musique (1867)
personal data
SURNAME Kočvara, František
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Koczwara, Franz; Kotzwara, Franz
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Bohemian violinist and composer
DATE OF BIRTH around 1740
PLACE OF BIRTH Prague
DATE OF DEATH September 2, 1791
Place of death London