Here is a curious case: a composer about whom hardly anything can be found online, apart from a few brief mentions in historical newspapers and one long, extremely flattering, positively enthusiastic, review in issue 8 of the
Österreichische Musik- und Theaterzeitung of 15 January 1890 (translated with Deepl, then slightly adapted):
QuoteCurrently, a young Pole named Roman Kwoczvński is causing a stir in aristocratic Viennese music circles with his poetic compositions reminiscent of Chopin, as well as the striking resemblance of his spiritualised features to those of the wonderful musical hero, attracting widespread attention and admiration. As our efforts are now primarily focused on providing initial support to aspiring young talents, we are eager to present this newly discovered promising genius in portrait and biography.
Roman Kwoczyński was born in Poland in 1867. His sense of music was awoken at an early age, so that all connoisseurs who heard the little boy playing the piano predicted a great artistic career for him. His father, however, an old-style Polish nobleman, had absolutely no intention of allowing his son to pursue an artistic education — he wanted him to become a lawyer. And so it came to pass that the boy was left to his own devices and his genius, and with the kindness of his mother — whose favourite he was, too much so to have to give up any of his wishes — he was able to continue his piano and singing studies in secret. The results were brilliant, for he soon aroused general interest with his skill at the piano and his wonderfully silvery soprano voice as a soloist in church music performances organised by the grammar school pupils.
A funny episode occurred during that time: after one such church performance, his father asked him which lady had sung the solo so beautifully and refused to believe that it had been his own son. — Thus, he spent his early youth feeling very inhibited, and it was only after his father's death and after passing his school-leaving examination that he was able to follow his heart's desire. He moved to Vienna with his mother to learn about the works of our great masters in exemplary performances, enrolled as a student of law — and, supported by state scholarships, continued his singing and composition studies with great enthusiasm.
An aristocrat in his habits and tastes, familiar with the elegant manners of the salon from an early age, the young man, distinguished by the beauty of both his mind and his body, soon became a special favourite of all the aristocratic families of his homeland, such as Princess Zuzanna Czartoryska, Prince Georg Czartoryski, Countess Gizycka, who was well known in musical circles, Count Arthur Potocki, Baron Ziemialkowski, a member of the court, Prince Pulkin and other art-loving aristocrats. The fruits of his serious studies to date are two major symphonic works, as well as a number of songs, ballads and piano pieces. Of these original compositions, his symphonic poem 'L'heure des Demons' is particularly noteworthy, in which he surprises even the more free-thinking minds of our day with his ingenious disregard for traditional norms and laws, his bold independence in replacing the old with the new, granting the idea alone the right to determine form and law — he surprises even the freest-thinking minds of our day.
All his compositions belong to the realm of Romanticism, in which he reigns happily. In a thoroughly idiosyncratic way, he knows how to shape his ideas and reveries and give them an original, characteristic stamp that distinguishes his works so favourably from all other phenomena of modern times. A divine spark in a full, strong stream already pervades these early works of his that we have before us and gives them that strangely luminous brilliance that dazzles and enchants us with a wonderful magical power, captivates us and carries us away in admiration. It seems to us as if he dreams more from outside himself than from within, and it is precisely this quality that appeals to us in its new, strange and appealing way, for it takes on a very distinctive character in him. His sweet melodies softly flatter our hearts, and the wild storm of his passion captivates our minds and souls with its almighty power.
But it is not only in composition that he has achieved significance, but also in the field of vocal art. Fortunately, his lovely soprano voice has developed into a magnificent, powerful tenor, which, thanks to its rare and very appealing timbre, seems destined to cause a sensation in the musical world in the near future. His voice vividly reminds us of that of Mierzwinski. With particular ease, he takes the High C and D and has repeatedly delighted all listeners in the aristocratic Viennese salons with his lovely, charming song performances, winning their hearts and eliciting enthusiastic applause.
This high sense of 'beautiful' performance, which he carries in his heart as a gift from heaven, as a living ray from the original source of light and beauty, he has neither acquired nor learned, but has achieved solely through his preoccupation with goodness and beauty.
If all appearances are not deceiving, the image of the brilliant Roman Kwoczyński will soon join the ranks of those living luminaries whom we are accustomed to viewing in a halo of transfiguration.
Imbued with the magic of youth, with captivating charm and amiability, he exerts an irresistible attraction on all those who have come to know him. We can rightly describe him as one of the most ideal figures of the present day, and we are certain that his fatherland will one day proudly bear his name. Dr. Hartung.
So far, even his death year remains a mystery. There
is, however, a portrait (https://anno.onb.ac.at/cgi-content/anno-plus?aid=omt&qid=28N94YQ02PX0SASE3YP3GJWARW1RJ0&datum=1890&page=17&size=45), in the same issue of the
Österreichische Musik- und Theaterzeitung.