Johann Nowotny is one of those bandmasters, we know relatively little about. This probably goes back to the fact that he spent the major part of his career in Russian service and only served six years as an imperial and royal regimental bandmaster. In addition, he was active in a regiment that was stationed in the country and not in one of the major cities of Austria-Hungary. Following his studies - probably at the Prague organ school - he served, like many of his countrymen too, as bandmaster in the Russian army for more than 13 years. From August 1886 until September 1892 he was regimental bandmaster of Infantry Regiment (IR) No. 92. In 1886 he composed his march "Austria", op. 28 (the title "Austria" was used for the British and American editions of the march) which was dedicated to the "highly respected officers of the Imperial and Royal Infantry Regiment Baron von König No. 92" in Terezín. Nowotny’s march which musically cites the Imperial national anthem in its trio undoubtedly is one of the most beautiful 6/8 marches of the Austro-Hungarian march heritage.
