Kocžwara, František
Kocžwara, František
Kocžwara, František, Bohemian composer; b. probably in Prague, c. 1750; d. (by hanging) London, Sept. 2, 1791. He traveled in Europe, then settled in London toward the end of the 18th century. In 1790 he went to Dublin as a viola player in the orch. at the King’s Theatre. Returning to London the same year, he played in the orch. at the Handel Commemoration in May. He is remembered solely for his horripilating piece The Battle of Prague for Piano or Harpsichord, Violin, Cello, and Drum ad libitum (publ. in Dublin, c. 1788), purporting to depict in appropriately loud banging chords the effect on the ear of the defeat inflicted by the Austrian armies upon the Prussians at the crucial encounter on May 6, 1757, during the 7 Years’ War. A person of curious sexual diversions, he convinced a prostitute to enhance their encounter by strangling him through repeated hangings. This peculiar event became the subject of a court trial of the prostitute in question, held on Sept. 9, 1791, in which she was acquitted. An account of the legal proceedings was publ. in London on Sept. 16, 1791, under the title “The Trial of Susannah Hill for the Murder of F. Kotzwarra.”
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire