Bochsa Robert Nicolas Charles, *9 August 1789 Montmédy (Meuse), †6 January 1856 Sydney, French harpist and composer. He studied composition in Bordeaux under F. Beck, then harmony at the Paris Conservatoire under Ch.S. Catel (harmonia), composition under E.N. Méhul and harp under F.J. Naderman and M. de Marin. From 1813 he was court harpist to Napoleon, and later to Louis XVIII; in 1817, having been forced to flee France, he settled in London, where in 1822–27 he worked as a harp teacher at the newly-founded Royal Academy of Music. From 1826 to 1832 he was a conductor of the Italian Opera (King’s Theatre) in London. In 1839 he left England with well-known singer A. Bishop. Bochsa’s concert tours included nearly all of Europe, America and Australia. Bochsa significantly enriched the technique of harp playing. He also left behind a school of playing this instrument.
Literature: A. Pougin Un musicien voleur, faussaire et bigame, “Le Ménestrel” 1907.
8 operas
4 ballets
an oratorium
numerous harp pieces
