Johann Strauss II - Kaiser-Walzer (Emperor Waltz), Op. 437

Strauss often played in the glittering Imperial balls, conducting the orchestra and playing the first violin at the same time.   The majestic launch of this fascinating waltz presents the backdrop of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the hegemony of the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph in 1888. Johann Strauss II was Music Director of the Dance Hesperides of the Imperial Court from 1863 to 1872 and composed on occasion for the celebration of an imperial anniversary. The ingenuity of the melody of the Emperor Waltz, which was originally orchestrated for a full orchestra, is such that it was easily adapted for the four or five instruments of a chamber ensemble by the Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg in 1925. This waltz is a tender and somewhat melancholic work, which at times turns its gaze nostalgically to the old Vienna. The waltz praises the majesty and dignity of the old monarch, who was fully devoted to his people. It begins with a majestic, magnificent march, which soon re
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Ave Maria


Prayer to the Virgin Mary, consisting of two parts. The first part comes from the Gospel (Lukas 1,28 and 42) and the second part was added in the 13th century (at the end from “Santa Maria”). For this reason, the entire text is only set to music in a relatively late era. Mainly great composers of the polyphonic music of the 16th century (Joaquin des Prez, Orlando di Lasso, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Claudio Monteverdi and others) were enchanted by this prayer and they offered us wonderful compositions.

The prayer returned to the pinnacle of its glory in 1800 when F.P.Schubert set Ave Maria to music:

Also interesting is Gounaud’s Ave Maria, who was set to music according to the harmonious basis of a prelude of J.S.Bach.

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