- Biography
- Blue Danube Waltz
- Radetzky March
- Annen-Polka
- Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka
- Perpetuum Mobile
- Morgenblätter
- Tales from the Vienna Woods
- Thunder and Lightning Polka
- Die Fledermaus
- Roses from the South
- A Night in Venice
- Gypsy Baron
- Emperor Waltz
- Vienna Blood
Biography
Nineteenth-century Vienna was hailed as the capital city of dance music as a result of the efforts of the Strauss family.
Johann the elder (1804–1849) was the son of an inn-keeper, but quickly became a prominent figure leading his own orchestras in cafes, ballrooms and dance-halls and writing and arranging all his own music.
After a few years his repertoire added up to more than two hundred dances, a hundred and fifty of which were waltzes.
Johann had three sons who all followed in his footsteps, the most famous of which was ‘Johann ll’ (1825–1899), who wrote such all-time favourites as The Blue Danube, Tales from the Vienna Woods and the ever popular Emperor Waltz.
The other two brothers were less famous but equally active in the world of music, with Josef (1827–1870) writing Music of the Spheres and Dynamiden, both of which are frequently performed today, and Eduard (1835–1916) making more of a name as a conductor.
The music from the Strauss family is probably the most popular light classical music in the repertoire – audiences love it and there are frequently concerts dedicated solely to performances of these works, the most famous being the televised New Year’s Day concert live from Vienna.
As well as the waltzes already listed, the family were also renowned for writing marches and polkas.
The most famous of these are Johann Strauss senior’s Radetzky March and Johann Strauss II’s Pizzicato Polka.
These never fail to engage audiences in clapping along and joining in with the chorus.
Blue Danube Waltz
By the Beautiful Blue Danube
1847, Orchestral
Written in 1847, The Blue Danube is definitely Johann Strauss II’s most famous waltz. It has a swinging tune and warm orchestration which instantly evokes an image of couples in full evening dress, swirling each other around in grand Viennese dance halls.
It was used to great effect in the film ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ to accompany space-ships slowly tumbling around in space.
Radetzky March
1848, Orchestral
Written by Johann Strauss the Elder in 1848, this march was named after an Austrian field-marshal and came to symbolise the Hapsburg monarchy.
Annen-Polka
1852, Orchestral
While he was on tour in London in 1867, Johann II found that this polka was one of England’s most favoured pieces and, at Covent Garden, it was played a total of eighty-two times during sixty-three concerts.
Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka
1858, Orchestral
Short and light, Tritsch-Tratsch is less a piece of dance music, more a novelty orchestral item, full of lively sound-effects such as corks popping, rifle-shots and rolls of thunder.
Perpetuum Mobile
Perpetuum Mobile: musikalischer Scherz
1861, Orchestral
On 5 February 1861, an amazing spectacle took place when three balls were held on the same night in Vienna, each one’s orchestra being conducted by a different member of the Strauss family – Johann II, Josef and Eduard.
The evening was sensational, involving 300 musicians playing fifty dances, including fourteen waltzes, ten quadrilles, nine French polkas, eight polka-mazurkas, eight quick-polkas and a schottisch. The whole event was entitled ‘Carnival’s Perpetual Motion: or Non-Stop Dance’ and this inspired Johann to write his musical jest based on this title.
Morgenblätter
1863, Orchestral
On the 12th of January 1864 a large ball was held in the Sofienbad-Saal, for which Johann Strauss II had submitted a waltz entitled Morgenblätter (‘Morning Papers’). However, Jacques Offenbach (of ‘Cancan’ fame) was visiting the area and also intended to submit a waltz for the ball. A friendly rivalry grew up and, at the ball, Strauss conducted the orchestra for both works, Offenbach’s entry being called Abendblätter (‘Evening Papers’).
Tales from the Vienna Woods
1868, Orchestral
This charming waltz is really the result of the friendly rivalry that existed between Johann II and Josef: after Josef produced some classics, including ‘Music of the Spheres’, in the summer of 1868, Johann came up with ‘Tales from the Vienna Woods’ and others.
The two combined with their brother Eduard in July of the same year to produce ‘Shooting Quadrille’, each man writing two sections.
Thunder and Lightning Polka
1868, Orchestral
During the summer of 1868 there was a certain agressive yet friendly rivalry between the brothers Johann II and Josef Strauss, where each would try to match the other’s compositions with a finer work. After Josef had produced some classics, including the ‘Music of the Spheres’, Johann responded by writing the Thunder and Lightning polka, though he originally called it ‘Shooting Star’.
Die Fledermaus
Die Fledermaus: Overture
1874, Orchestral
A complete operetta, Die Fledermaus (‘The Bat’) is a blend of catchy tunes and basic farce, full of witty lines, mistaken identity and clever disguises for the performers. To be fully appreciated, it must be seen in a proper production with singers able to perform comedy.
Roses from the South
1880, Orchestral
The theme for Roses from the South is taken from Johann Strauss II’s seventh operetta, ‘The Queen’s Lace Handkerchief’, which was originally inspired by the poet Cervantes’ waltz aria ‘Wo die wilde Rose erblüht’.
A Night in Venice
A Night in Venice: Overture
1882, Orchestral
Written in 1882, A Night in Venice represents a rather sad period in the life of Johann Strauss II, for he had just become divorced from his wife Lili, and though she had plagued him for many years he was still depressed. In fact, the opening night of the operetta had to be moved to another venue, as it was with the theatre manager of that particular site that Lili had commited adultery.
Gypsy Baron
The Gypsy Baron: Overture
1884, Orchestral
Written in 1884, this operetta was probably Johann Strauss II’s most successful. A contemporary review remarked:
‘The man who for decades has delighted the music-loving world through his creations, appears now to have reached the zenith of his creative power.’
Emperor Waltz
1889, Orchestral
In 1889 Johann Strauss II signed a one-week contract to conduct concerts in Berlin, and before he set off he sent his Berlin publisher one of his latest waltzes. He had named this waltz ‘Hand in Hand’, the title referring to a recent toast made by the Austrian Emperor during a visit to the German Kaiser Wilhelm II, where he had stressed the importance of friendship between the two nations. Strauss’s publisher, however, decided on a diplomatic change of name to ‘Emperor Waltz’, as this would keep both monarchs happy. The piece was first performed less than six weeks later and was an enormous success.
Vienna Blood
1899, Opera
Though often referred to as an original Strauss operetta, the work was actually compiled from the music of Johann Strauss II with composer’s consent. Completed in 1899, it deals with romantic intrigue in Vienna, and is named after a Strauss waltz from 1871 which is incorporated in the overall work.