Koczwara,Franz

Franz Koczwara (also: František, Francis; Kotzwara, Kocžwara) was born in Prague in 1750.
Nothing is known about his training. He spent his mature years in England. Franz Koczwara had mastered
numerous instruments: violin, viola, cello, and double bass, but also oboe, flute, and bassoon.
Between 1774 and 1776, he is said to have been a member of the “Bath Theatre Orchestra; in 1779 he was one of the musicians of the “Winchester Annual Musical Festival“. In the late 1780s, Franz Koczwara worked in Ireland; however, in the end, he played the double bass at the King‘s Theatre in London, where he died in 1791.

The focus of Franz Koczwara‘s work is on chamber music, predominantly
for strings. His works are characterized by attractive melodies and catchiness. At the time, they were quite popular and were published in London from 1775 on.
The Sonata for Two Violas and Cello C Major is the sixth of a collection of sonatas for various instrumentations, published by Charles & Samuel Thompson in London (presumably 1775).

This recording is based on the new edition by Wolfgang Sawodny of the work in the Walter Wollenweber publishing house in Munich-Gräfelfing 1995.

The first movement (in a latent sonata form) is a solemn Andante espressivo with a quietly pulsing quarter movement. As befits the instrumentation, the
sonorous midrange dominates the sound, revealing a noble and contemplative bearing. A sorrowful Adagio movement in the same minor key (c minor) follows as a contrast, in which the first viola is allowed to unfold over a regular bass movement. The Rondo finale (Allegro) presents a dance-like and swinging character to which are added two thoughts leaning towards minor that give the
impression of development.