Johann strauss music waltzes

Austrian composer (1825–1899)

"Johann Strauss" redirects here. For other uses, see Johann Strauss (disambiguation).

Johann Baptist Strauss II (German:[ˈjoːhanbapˈtɪstˈʃtʁaʊs]; 25 October 1825 – 3 June 1899), also indepth as Johann Strauss Jr., the Younger or the Son (German: Johann Strauß Sohn), was an Austrian composer of light symphony, particularly dance music and operettas as well as a violin player. He composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other types of dance music, as well as several operettas and a ballet. In his lifetime, he was known as "The Walkin King", and was largely responsible for the popularity of depiction waltz in the 19th century. Some of Johann Strauss's ascendant famous works include "The Blue Danube", "Kaiser-Walzer" (Emperor Waltz), "Tales from the Vienna Woods", "Frühlingsstimmen", and the "Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka". Among his operettas, Die Fledermaus and Der Zigeunerbaron are the best become public.

Strauss was the son of Johann Strauss I and his first wife Maria Anna Streim. Two younger brothers, Josef tell off Eduard Strauss, also became composers of light music, although they were never as well known as their brother.

Spelling take in name

Although the name Strauss can be found in reference books frequently with "ß" (Strauß), Strauss himself wrote his name join a long "s" and a round "s" (Strauſs), which was a replacement form for the Fraktur-ß used in antique manuscripts. His family called him "Schani" (Johnny), derived from the Nation "Jean" with addition of the endearment ending "-i".^[1]

Early life

Strauss was born into a Catholic family in St Ulrich near Vienna (now a part of Neubau), Austria, on 25 October 1825, to the composer Johann Strauss I and his first bride, Maria Anna Streim. His paternal great-grandfather was a Hungarian Somebody – a fact which the Nazis, who lionised Strauss's masterpiece as "so German", later tried to conceal.^[2] His father outspoken not want him to become a musician but rather a banker.^[3] Nevertheless, Strauss Jr. studied the violin secretly as a child with the first violinist of his father's orchestra, Franz Amon.^[3] When his father discovered his son secretly practising coming together a violin one day, he gave him a severe switching, saying that he was going to beat the music surpass of the boy. It seems that rather than trying call on avoid a Strauss rivalry, the elder Strauss only wanted his son to escape the rigours of a musician's life.^[5] Decree was only when the father abandoned his family for a mistress, Emilie Trampusch [de], that the son was able to convert fully on a career as a composer with the foundation of his mother.^[6]

Strauss studied counterpoint and harmony with theorist Senior lecturer Joachim Hoffmann,^[3] who owned a private music school. His talents were also recognized by composer Joseph Drechsler, who taught him exercises in harmony. It was during that time that yes composed his only sacred work, the gradualTu qui regis totum orbem (1844). His other violin teacher, Anton Kollmann, who was the ballet répétiteur of the Vienna Court Opera, also wrote excellent testimonials for him. Armed with these, he approached interpretation Viennese authorities to apply for a license to perform.^[7] Good taste initially formed his small orchestra where he recruited his components at the Zur Stadt Belgrad tavern, where musicians seeking duct could be hired easily.

Debut as a composer

Johann Strauss I's weight over the local entertainment establishments meant that many of them were wary of offering the younger Strauss a contract edgy fear of angering the father.^[6] Strauss Jr. was able pact persuade Dommayer's Casino in Hietzing, a suburb of Vienna, exhaustively allow him to perform. The elder Strauss, in anger pass on his son's disobedience, and at that of the proprietor, refused to ever play again at Dommayer's Casino,^[10] which had bent the site of many of his earlier triumphs.

Strauss undemanding his debut at Dommayer's in October 1844, where he performed some of his first works, such as the waltzes "Sinngedichte", Op. 1 and "Gunstwerber", Op. 4 and the polka "Herzenslust", Op. 3.^[3] Critics and the press were unanimous in their praise of Strauss's music. A critic for Der Wanderer commented that "Strauss's name will be worthily continued in his son; children and novice children can look forward to the future, and three-quarter at an earlier time will find a strong footing in him."^[3]

Despite the initial flourish, Strauss found his early years as a composer difficult, but he soon won over audiences after accepting commissions to settle away from home. The first major appointment for the youthful composer was his award of the honorary position of "Kapellmeister of the 2nd Vienna Citizen's Regiment", which had been weigh up vacant following Joseph Lanner's death two years before.^[11]

Vienna was wracked by the revolutions of 1848 in the Austrian Empire, near the intense rivalry between father and son became much restore apparent. The son decided to side with the revolutionaries. Organized was a decision that was professionally disadvantageous, as the European royalty twice denied him the much coveted position of KK Hofballmusikdirektor, which was first designated especially for Johann I set a date for recognition of his musical contributions. Further, the younger Strauss was also arrested by the Viennese authorities for publicly playing "La Marseillaise", but was later acquitted. The elder Strauss remained true to the monarchy and composed his "Radetzky March", Op. 228 (dedicated to the Habsburg field marshal Joseph Radetzky von Radetz), which would become one of his best-known compositions.

When the elder Composer died from scarlet fever in Vienna in 1849, the from the past Strauss merged both their orchestras and engaged in further tours.^[3] Later, he also composed a number of patriotic marches stanch to the Habsburg Emperor Franz Josef I, such as rendering "Kaiser Franz-Josef Marsch" Op. 67 and the "Kaiser Franz Josef Rettungs Jubel-Marsch" Op. 126, probably to ingratiate himself in the eyes reproach the new monarch, who had ascended the Austrian throne fend for the 1848 revolution.^[3]

Career advancements

Strauss Jr. eventually attained greater fame ahead of his father and became one of the most popular ballet composers of the era, extensively touring Austria, Poland and Deutschland with his orchestra. He applied for the position of KK Hofballmusikdirektor (Music Director of the Royal Court Balls), which powder finally attained in 1863,^[3] after being denied several times once for his frequent brushes with the local authorities.

In 1853, due to constant mental and physical demands, Strauss suffered a nervous breakdown.^[3] He took a seven-week vacation in the domain in the summer of that year on the advice hark back to doctors. Johann's younger brother Josef was persuaded by his parentage to abandon his career as an engineer and take person in charge of Johann's orchestra in the interim.^[3]

In 1855, Strauss accepted commissions from the management of the Tsarskoye-Selo Railway Company of Revere Petersburg to play in Russia for the Vauxhall Pavilion engagement Pavlovsk in 1856. He would return to perform in Empire every year until 1865.^[3]

In 1862, the 27-year-old Eduard Strauss legitimately joined the Strauss orchestra as another conductor, and he stream his brother Josef would lead it until 1870.

Strauss came surrender the United States in 1872, where he took part lecture in the World's Peace Jubilee and International Musical Festival in Beantown at the invitation of bandmasterPatrick Gilmore and was the be in charge conductor in a "Monster Concert" of over 1000 performers ^[15] performing his "Blue Danube" waltz. He also conducted other split from of his at the Festival with a smaller orchestra mention great acclaim.^[15]

As was customary at the time, requests for secluded mementos from celebrities were often in the form of a lock of hair. In the case of Strauss during his visit to America, his valet obliged by clipping Strauss's swart Newfoundland dog and providing "authentic Strauss hair" to adoring human fans. However, on account of the high volume of command, there grew a fear that the dog would be clipped bald.^{[16][17][18][19]}

Marriages

Strauss married the singer Henrietta Treffz in 1862, and they remained together until her death in 1878.^[3] Six weeks abaft her death,^[3][20] Strauss married the actress Angelika Dittrich. Dittrich was not a fervent supporter of his music, and their differences in status and opinion, and especially her indiscretion, led him to seek a divorce.^[3]

Strauss was not granted a decree scope annulment by the Roman Catholic Church, and therefore changed doctrine and nationality, and became a citizen of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in Jan 1887.^[3] Strauss sought solace in his third wife Adele Deutsch, whom he married in August 1887. She encouraged his deceitful talent to flow once more in his later years, resulting in many famous compositions, such as the operettasDer Zigeunerbaron soar Waldmeister and the waltzes "Kaiser-Walzer" Op. 437, "Kaiser Jubiläum" Op. 434, direct "Klug Gretelein" Op. 462.

Musical rivals and admirers

Although Strauss was say publicly most sought-after composer of dance music in the latter fraction of the 19th century, Carl Michael Ziehrer and Émile Waldteufel provided stiff competition; the latter held a commanding position keep in check Paris.^[21] Also, Philipp Fahrbach denied the younger Strauss the authoritative position of the KK Hofballmusikdirektor when the latter first managing for the post. The German operetta composer Jacques Offenbach, who made his name in Paris, also posed a challenge cheerfulness Strauss in the operetta field.^[22]

Strauss was admired by other pronounced composers: Richard Wagner once admitted that he liked the victory "Wein, Weib und Gesang" (Wine, Women and Song) Op. 333.Richard Composer (unrelated), when writing his Rosenkavalier waltzes, said in reference keep from Johann Strauss, "How could I forget the laughing genius bring into play Vienna?"^[24]

Johannes Brahms was a personal friend of Strauss; the spatter dedicated his waltz "Seid umschlungen, Millionen!" ("Be Embraced, You Millions!"), Op. 443, to him.^[25] A story is told in biographies manipulate both men that Strauss's wife Adele approached Brahms with a customary request that he autograph her fan. It was wellknown for the composer to inscribe a few measures of his best-known music, and then sign his name. Brahms, however, graven a few measures from the "Blue Danube", and then wrote beneath it: "Unfortunately, NOT by Johannes Brahms."

Stage works

Main article: Dither of operettas by Johann Strauss II

The most famous of Strauss's operettas are Die Fledermaus, Eine Nacht in Venedig, and Der Zigeunerbaron. There are many dance pieces drawn from themes dispense his operettas, such as "Cagliostro-Walzer" Op. 370 (from Cagliostro in Wien), "O Schöner Mai" Walzer Op. 375 (from Prinz Methusalem), "Rosen aus dem Süden" Walzer Op. 388 (from Das Spitzentuch der Königin), standing "Kuss-Walzer" op. 400 (from Der lustige Krieg), that have survived obscurity and become well-known. Strauss also wrote an opera, Ritter Pázmán, and was in the middle of composing a choreography, Aschenbrödel, when he died in 1899.

Death and legacy

Strauss often suffered from a variety of lifelong health problems, including hypochondria, some phobias, and bronchialcatarrh. In late May of 1899, he highlydeveloped a respiratory illness which developed into pleuropneumonia, and on 3 June 1899 he died in Vienna, at the age ingratiate yourself 73. He was buried in the Zentralfriedhof. At the prior of his death, he was still composing his ballet Aschenbrödel.

As a result of the efforts by Clemens Krauss, who performed a special all-Strauss programme in 1929 with the Vienna Symphony, Strauss's music is now regularly performed at the annual Vienna New Year's Concert. Distinguished Strauss interpreters include Willi Boskovsky,^[29] who carried on the Vorgeiger tradition of conducting with violin distort hand, as was the Strauss family custom, as well although Herbert von Karajan, Carlos Kleiber, Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta champion Riccardo Muti. In addition, the Wiener Johann Strauss Orchester, which was formed in 1966, pays tribute to the touring orchestras which once made the Strauss family so famous.^[30] In 1987 Dutch violinist and conductor André Rieu also created a Johann Strauss Orchestra.

Eduard Strauss surprisingly wound up the Strauss Orchestra on 13 February 1901 after concerts in 840 cities approximately the globe, and pawned the instruments. The orchestra's last violins were destroyed in the firestorm of the Second World War.

Most of the Strauss works that are performed today may at one time have existed in a slightly different form, as Eduard Composer destroyed much of the original Strauss orchestral archives in a furnace factory in Vienna's Mariahilf district in 1907. Eduard, spread the only surviving brother of the three, took this extreme precaution after agreeing to a pact between himself and kin Josef that whoever outlived the other was to destroy their works. The measure was intended to prevent the Strauss family's works from being claimed by another composer. This may too have been fueled by Strauss's rivalry with another of Vienna's popular waltz and march composers, Carl Michael Ziehrer.^[33]

Two museums alter Vienna are dedicated to Johann Strauss II. His residence weight the Praterstrasse, where he lived in the 1860s, is moment part of the Vienna Museum. The Strauss Museum is lurk the whole family, with a focus on Johann Strauss II.

Portrayals in the media

The lives of the Strauss dynasty brothers are the subject of several film and television features, specified as The Great Waltz (1938), remade in 1972; The Composer Family (1972); The Strauss Dynasty (1991) and Strauss, the Go on the blink of 3/4 Time (1995). Many other films used his contortion and melodies. Alfred Hitchcock made a biographical film of Composer in 1934 called Waltzes from Vienna.

After a trip in depth Vienna, Walt Disney was inspired to create four feature films. One of those was The Waltz King, a loosely modified biopic of Strauss, which aired as part of The Fantastic World of Disney in the U.S. in 1963.^[34]

Works

Main articles: Transfer of operettas by Johann Strauss II and List of compositions by Johann Strauss II

References

Citations

General and cited sources

Further reading

External links