A few weeks ago I was in Vienna and went to the Central Cemetery and took photos of gravesites of the composers there. Next to Hugo Wolf was a grave stone with the name KARL KOMACK. Well, I didn't know who he was. When I got home I consulted Groves III and V, the internet, and a few old reference books. Now other than a truly fun story by someone else on a ghost hunters site, I can't find any reference to him. Do any of you wizards of the obscure have any idea who he was?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karel_Komz%C3%A1k_II (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karel_Komz%C3%A1k_II) Perhaps?
Or possibly, his father.
There are more hits on the Internet if you use the following spelling: Karel Komzak.
The Wikipedia article certainly suggests that it could be Karel Komzak...
He was buried at Baden but in the following November his remains were exhumed and transferred to the Central Cemetery of Vienna where the artist was given an honorable grave by the city authorities. A monument, showing the composer with baton in hand, was erected on his grave in 1907.
You guys are brilliant...amazing. I'm humbled and very thankful. Deeply appreciated. That's him.
His music is worth a listen too, if you like Strauss family, Waldteufel, et al.
Pollock has recorded at least one CD - on CPO? Marco Polo? - of which I find Der letzte Gruss op198 especially good. A cluster of composers with output akin to Strauss from around Habsburg or Germany and are well worth having on your shelves as is the Great Dane Lumbye, whose Dream Pictures is lovely.
Yes, I ordered one of the Marco Polo disks, and it is very delightful music. No Strauss II, but very enjoyable nonetheless. Some of the marches are very militaristic. But, the disk really opened my eyes: there are THREE Karl Komzaks!
Komzak I (1823 - 1893), Komzak II (1850 - 1905) and Komzak III who isn't represented on the disk. It was K I whose grave I saw. Thanks again.