[Nicolas-Charles Bochsa]
Kriehuber 1842. Gedr. bei Joh. Hofelich Vienne chez Artaria & Comp.ie Lithograph, rare, printed area 265 x 180mm (10½ x 7"). Uncut sheet of paper with large margins. Facsimile signature. Robert Nicolas-Charles Bochsa (1789-1856), harpist and composer who led a colourful life. After becoming entangled in counterfeiting, fraud and forgery in France, Bochsa fled to London in 1817 and was convicted in his absence. In London, Bochsa helped found the Royal Academy of Music in 1821, but was forced to resign as the secretary of the Academy in 1826 when his criminal conviction became known. He worked as director of the Kings Theatre until causing another scandal in 1839 by eloping with Anna Bishop, wife of composer Henry Bishop. They travelled the world performing together. Bochsa was director of the Teatro San Carlo in Naples for two years, before travelling to Australia with Bishop. They arrived in Sydney at the time of the goldrush in December 1855, but only gave one concert before Bochsa died. Bishop organised an elaborate tomb for him in Camperdown Cemetery, Sydney. For Bochsa's composition 'The Krakoviak' see ref. 21668. From the Morley Collection of Harp Music.
[Ref: 33179] £260.00
(£312.00 incl.VAT)