MusiLLection

  A ballroom scene evoking the glittering waltzes of Johann Strauss II and the musical world of nineteenth-century Vienna. An der schönen blauen Donau (The Blue Danube, Op. 314) by Johann Strauss II did not initially emerge as the iconic orchestral waltz known today. The work was originally conceived as a choral waltz , marking Strauss’s first significant attempt to combine dance music with vocal writing. Commissioned by the Vienna Men’s Choral Society, the piece was intended for performance in February 1867 at the annual Carnival Festivity, a lavish masked musical celebration. This first version failed to achieve immediate success, most likely due to the rather conventional quality of its lyrics. Later that same year, Strauss presented the work in a purely orchestral version, and its fortunes changed dramatically. The melody of The Blue Danube rapidly captivated international audiences, spreading across Europe and beyond, and establishing itself as one of the most famous waltze...

The Strauss brothers—Eduard, Johann II, and Josef—central figures in Vienna’s nineteenth-century musical life. Johann Strauss II stands among the most recognizable and influential figures of nineteenth-century musical life. His path was neither simple nor linear: it unfolded through family conflict, artistic ambition, public acclaim, and personal loss. His  life reveals that artistic triumph often emerges from tension—between inheritance and independence, public success and private compromise—leaving a legacy shaped as much by personal choice as by musical brilliance.  The milestones below trace the decisive moments that shaped his journey—from the shadow of his father to international recognition. 1825 Born on October 25 in Vienna into a family already deeply involved with music. His father, Johann Strauss I, was a celebrated composer and conductor—a circumstance that would profoundly, and often contentiously, influence his life. 1831 Composes his first waltz, revealing a...

Johann Strauss II , celebrated for his waltzes and lively dance music, followed a distinctive creative approach. He consistently sought contemporary and recognizable themes as the inspiration for his compositions, ensuring that his music remained fresh and closely connected to the everyday experiences of his audiences. A characteristic example of this approach can be found in Vergnügungszug (Pleasure Train), a fast polka ( Polka schnell ) composed in 1864. The work was written for one of the famous summer concerts Strauss conducted in Pavlovsk, near St. Petersburg, where he spent several seasons presenting new compositions. For this particular piece, Strauss drew inspiration from a symbol of modern progress at the time: the steam locomotive. The composition vividly captures the energy and motion of a train in full operation. Its driving rhythm evokes the steady chugging of a steam engine, while short, repeated figures suggest the mechanical movement of the wheels along the tracks. Str...

Strauss often played in the glittering Imperial balls, conducting the orchestra and playing the first violin at the same time.   The majestic Emperor Waltz by Johann Strauss II was composed to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph’s reign in 1888. Strauss, Music Director of the Imperial Court’s Dance Hesperides from 1863 to 1872, occasionally wrote pieces for imperial anniversaries, and this waltz stands out as one of his most iconic ceremonial works. The waltz’s ingenious melody, originally orchestrated for full orchestra, was so adaptable that Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg arranged it for a chamber ensemble of four or five instruments in 1925. Tender and somewhat melancholic, the Emperor Waltz often gazes nostalgically toward old Vienna. It celebrates the majesty and dignity of the emperor, devoted to his people, while blending ceremonial grandeur with lyrical charm. The piece opens with a majestic march that soon swells into a full orchestra...

The Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka , Op. 214, was composed in 1858 by Johann Strauss II following a highly successful concert tour in Russia. During the summer season, Strauss performed regularly at Pavlovsk, near Saint Petersburg, a fashionable venue for open-air concerts that played a crucial role in shaping his international reputation. Shortly after his return, the polka was premiered in Vienna on 24 November 1858. The title itself reveals Strauss’s playful wit. In German, “Tratsch” refers to gossip or idle chatter, while “Tritsch” carries no literal meaning. Together, the words form an onomatopoeic pun, imitating the sound of lively conversation—much like the English expression “chit-chat.” Such wordplay was characteristic of Strauss, who delighted in pairing light-hearted music with humorous or evocative titles. True to its name, the Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka bursts with energy and rhythmic vitality. Strauss once remarked that dancers might happily pause their movements, engaging in anima...

Frühlingsstimmen ( Voices of Spring ) was originally conceived in 1882 as a concert waltz with soprano obbligato , written to showcase a celebrated Italian soprano. Its first reception in Vienna was unexpectedly cool: the audience found the work unremarkable, and the melody insufficiently distinctive. Outside Austria, however, the waltz was received with immediate enthusiasm and soon gained widespread popularity. Its fortunes in Vienna changed when Johann Strauss II arranged the piece as a purely orchestral concert waltz . In this form, Voices of Spring quickly won over audiences and became one of the composer’s most admired works. Among its enthusiastic supporters was Franz Liszt , who greatly admired Strauss’s melodic invention and orchestral finesse. After the waltz rhythm is quietly introduced by the bass, the woodwinds—supported by the full orchestra—unfold a lyrical melody rich in trills, glissandi, and ornamental figures . The music evokes the gentle awakening of nature: t...

A forest path near Vienna, evoking the pastoral atmosphere and carefree countryside escapes celebrated in Strauss’s Tales from the Vienna Woods . Johann Strauss II 's deep affection for Viennese life is vividly reflected in Tales from the Vienna Woods , composed in 1868. Written shortly after his triumphant return from Paris, the waltz stands as a joyful musical anthem celebrating the spirit and leisure of Vienna. At the time, city dwellers would often escape to the Heurigen —country taverns on the outskirts of the city—to enjoy wine, fresh air, and convivial company. The atmosphere of these carefree excursions permeates the lively melodies of the waltz. This work is among Strauss’s most pictorial compositions and remains one of his most popular. Its themes are crafted to evoke the sounds of the Viennese countryside, along with the rustic joy and relaxed sociability of rural life. The waltz opens with an extended introduction marked by a nostalgic mood, where melancholy hunting h...

Portrait of Johann Strauss II, the “King of the Waltz,” whose music defined Viennese musical life in the nineteenth century. The body of work created by members of the Strauss family forms a remarkable and invaluable bridge between folk tradition and cultivated musical expression. Nowhere is this synthesis more vivid than in the music of Johann Strauss II , the central figure of the most celebrated Viennese musical dynasty of the nineteenth century. With nearly four hundred waltzes to his name, Johann Strauss II became the driving force behind a profound transformation: a dance of relatively humble origins was elevated into a universal symbol of elegance, pleasure, and social ritual. Initially embraced by the aristocracy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the waltz soon transcended class distinctions and spread across the entire civilized world as an irresistible object of entertainment and desire. Strauss endowed the waltz with symphonic breadth, structural refinement, and melodic inve...