Thomas Koschat (8 August 1845 – 19 May 1914) was an Austrian composer and bass singer. He popularized Carinthian folk music across Europe and the Americas.

Biography

Koschat was born on 8 August 1845 in the Viktring district of

Klagenfurt Klagenfurt am WörtherseeLandesgesetzblatt 2008 vom 16. Jänner 2008, Stück 1, Nr. 1: ''Gesetz vom 25. Oktober 2007, mit dem die Kärntner Landesverfassung und das Klagenfurter Stadtrecht 1998 geändert werden.'/ref> (; ; sl, Celovec), usually ...

. From 1865 to 1867 he attended the

Technical University of Vienna TU Wien (TUW; german: Technische Universität Wien; still known in English as the Vienna University of Technology from 1975–2014) is one of the major universities in Vienna, Austria. The university finds high international and domestic recogn ...

, studying chemistry, but he did not obtain a degree. Instead his imagination was captivated by music, and he formed his first vocal quartet in 1866. He joined the

Vienna State Opera The Vienna State Opera (, ) is an opera house and opera company based in Vienna, Austria. The 1,709-seat Renaissance Revival venue was the first major building on the Vienna Ring Road. It was built from 1861 to 1869 following plans by August ...

in 1867, singing bass.Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon. 6. Auflage. Band 11, Bibliographisches Institut, Leipzig/Wien 1907, S. 523. (in German) In 1874 he joined the choir at St. Stephen's Cathedral. From 1877 until 1906 he performed with the Koschart Quintet. That year he also joined the choir at the Hofmusikkapelle and served as soloist there. As a composer he was known for his Kärntnerlieder, folk songs of Carinthia arranged by himself, or else his own compositions set in that style. With his men's quartet and quintet he toured Europe and the Americas, where the performances of his Carinthian music were enthusiastically received. For most of his life he resided in Vienna. Nonetheless he was made an honorary citizen of Klagenfurt in 1907 owing to the local nature of his work. Koschat died in Vienna, at his home on Strobachgasse in the 5th district, on 19 May 1914. He was buried at near Klagenfurt.

Legacy

Koschat composed numerous pieces for choir, in addition to quartets and songs. Many of these are in waltz time and focus on Carinthian themes and locales. Additionally he published a book of poems in the Carinthian dialect. Klagenfurt Viktringer Ring 17 Koschat Museum 28042009 06

Klagenfurt Viktringer Ring 17 Koschat Museum 28042009 06

A museum dedicated to Koschat was opened in 1934, containing letters, manuscripts, portraits, awards, recordings, and other memorabilia related to his life and output. Heavily damaged during the Second World War, the museum was rebuilt and reopened in 1951 from funds raised through private donations and lotteries. The museum is open May through September for a couple of hours each day. In 1970 the Austrian Post issued a commemorative postage stamp honoring the 125th anniversary of Koschat's birth.: ''Sonderpostmarke Thomas Koschat, 125. Geburtstag''. Vienna: Österreichische Staatsdruckerei 1970

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Koschat, Thomas 1845 births 1914 deaths category:Austrian basses Musicians from Klagenfurt Austrian composers Burials in Austria