# Johann Strauss II



## Sid James

Much is said of the other Strauss, Richard, on this website, but I think Johann (no relation) is rather neglected. *Johann Strauss II *(1825-99) is undoubtedly well known by all of you, so he needs no introduction. His father was also a well-known composer in Austria, and despite his attempts to dissuade him from becoming a musician also, young Johann carried on the family tradition. There's also no need to inform you how he wrote many waltzes that are still popular, and are celebrated annually at the Vienna New Year's day concert. Indeed, the way that he led his own orchestra, with violin in hand, and became the waltz king of Europe is mirrored today by Andre Rieu who does virtually the same thing (though I'm not a big fan of Rieu).

But there is another side, I think, to Johann Strauss II. After re-acquainting myself with his most famous operetta, composed in the mid 1870's, _Die Fledermaus (The Bat)_, I think he elevated this genre far above it's humble origins. Here is music that is quite complex when compared to other works in the genre, and has some very operatic writing for the voice, orchestra & chorus. I personally think that, depending on the interpretation (which seems more flexible than opera), this can be read as either as simply an operetta (Boskovsky's account), or a comic opera (Karajan's & Bohm's readings).

So if you are a fan of this work (like I am), or some of his other operettas and/or waltzes, then do post your thoughts here...


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## starry

Roses from the South has been one of my big favourites in the past. Tales from the Vienna Woods is a classic too, and of course numerous others. I suppose you can see him as coming towards the end of the classical music dance tradition, modernism seems to have had less time for dance music and certainly not dance music to be literally danced to (that was to be taken over by popular music).


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## jhar26

I like Die Fledermaus very much. The third act is pretty poor compared to the first wo though. Nevertheless a great work.


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## Barger

Prowd owner of the complete Naxos set *100 Most Famous Works vol. 1-9!*!!

Anyone ever heard/seen _The Gypsy Baron_ operetta? I am looking for a good recording.

*for authentic Viennese style I recommend:*
>>Greatest Hits by Vienna Volksoper Orchestra
>> any Carlos Kleiber recording of Strauss


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## Moira

I attended an Andre Rieu concert - and LOVED it.

One of my friends describes these things as "great events with music, not great musical events."

Here is my blog review if anyone is interested. http://artscomments.wordpress.com/2012/08/21/andre-rieu-maestro-for-the-masses/

Edited to insert link.


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## Sonata

I haven't explored Johann Strauss II yet, but I do enjoy waltzes. I have a double disc set on my amazon wishlist that is one of the first items I plan to buy after my spending freeze is over in February.


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## Crudblud

I tend to get bored with Strauss pretty fast, I don't have a problem with his style nor do I consider it beneath me, I just think it's painfully obvious that most of his music was written as background music for the dance hall and it isn't as interesting as it could be. I like it but I don't, if that makes any sense.


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## neoshredder

The Blue Danube is amazing. Looney Tunes had an episode with 2 Strauss waltzes way back. I'll see if I can find it.
Here it is.


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## campy

Johann's younger brother Josef also wrote some fine waltzes with his own 'twist' on the family style: e.g. Aquarellen, Delirien, Sphärenklänge, and others.


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## StlukesguildOhio

I love Johann Strauss II. Sometimes you are just in the mood for musical bon-bons, and almost no one does them better. Unfortunately, there are those who have the mistaken idea that a work of art lacking tragedy and angst-laden drama must inherently be "lightweight"... as if it takes less skill to express a _joie de vivre_ than it does to wallow in suffering. I suspect that such a thinking is at the heart of the underestimation afforded to Strauss, Lehar, Offenbach, Bellini, Donizetti... even Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Mozart.

I love the old Willi Boskovsky recordings of Strauss' waltzes, Polkas, Marches... but even more-so (as to be expected of the opera lover I am) I am enamored of his operas/operettas.

Anyone ever heard/seen The Gypsy Baron operetta? I am looking for a good recording.

EMI recorded the so-called "Champagne Operettas" of Franz Lehar (_Die lustige Witwe_ and _Das Land des Lächelns_); Friederich von Flotow (_Martha_), and Johann Strauss II's _A Night in Venice_, _Weiner Blut_, _Die Fledermaus_ and _Der Zigeunerbaron_ ("The Gypsy Baron") shortly after WWII (between 1953-55) and ALL of them, have yet to be bettered. The magic of these recordings lies in the fact that a great many of the conductors, musicians, and singers involved were essentially raised upon this music. I should mention that among the singers involved one might count Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Rita Streich, Nicolai Gedda, Erich Kunz, Eberhard Wächter and Hermann Prey:


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## Ravndal

I love die fledermaus overture!






its actually my all-time favorite piece


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## Sid James

Interesting reading my first post here in 2009 and also moira's review of the Rieu concert. My opinion has changed about him, I like listening to his stuff now, esp. as a break from the more 'heavy' stuff.

So too with J. Strauss II. Naxos has been bringing out some of his less known operettas. I have 'Jabuka' (The Apple Festival), which is a delightful work, showing influence of Smetana, whose 'Bartered Bride' Strauss admired a great deal. An earlier review of mine of this cd here: http://www.talkclassical.com/1005-current-listening-1303.html#post325819.


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## DavidDorsey

So Strauss wrote On the Beautiful Blue Danube and Artist's Life right around the same time. Both are considered two of his best pieces. Is there any debate between the two as to which is the best? I'm going to go out on a limb and proclaim Artist's Life the better of the two.


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## CypressWillow

There was a silly, schmaltzy, sentimental, and ultimately senseless movie made about a commoner from the USA and a Countess from the old Austro-Hungarian empire. The plot revolved about the romance between their respective dogs. The Countess's dog was an aristocratic poodle destined to be the consort of the Emperor's champion dog. The American's dog was cute and smart, the model for the old RCA Victor Gramophone adverts, but clearly not suitable for the fancy poodle. Naturally, the dogs and their respective guardians, fall for each other, a shocking pair of scandals.

The film was released in 1948. Frankly, coming so soon after WWII, the emphasis on the pedigree, or lack thereof, makes me slightly sick to my stomach. Perhaps that why, of all the directors in Hollywood at the time, Billy Wilder had a point to make in doing this absurd film.

I saw this film as a tiny toddler and loved it for the dogs. I was also imprinted with the Kaiser-Walzer and it remains to this day my favorite of all the Strauss waltzes.


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## Dirge

Johann STRAUSS II (tr. Schoenberg): _Kaiserwalzer_ (1889)
:: Boston Symphony Chamber Players [DG]
https://play.spotify.com/album/0uiNjS4L59Ko5bMnd7xdQ6 (track 1)

Schoenberg's wonderfully deft, smile-inducing look back on the Old World. The Boston players _OOM-pah-pah_ with the best of them in this 1925 transcription for flute, clarinet, piano & string quartet.


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## Pugg

Wonderful music and such a great performance. 
Worth it's price for Orlofsky's guests alone :tiphat:


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## hpowders

He was brilliant at composing waltzes. Why the heck didn't he compose symphonies and the like?


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## Abraham Lincoln

Happy Birthday to His Majesty the King of Waltzes! 

*proceeds to micspam the Blue Danube in multiplayer FPS games*


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## anthonycwein

My all time favorite composer as his music just plain makes me happy - if he is considered the Waltz King, from my recent efforts playing arrangements of Die Fledermaus overture and the Emperor Waltz, I should now be considered the Waltz Pauper.


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## moon0080

does anyone know which strauss waltz this theme comes from?


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## danj

I found it!

I absolutely *love* Johann Strauss II. His work is absolutely a joy to listen to. My favorites include Tristch-Tratsch, Unter Donner und Blitz, Bitte schön!, Accelerations, and of course.. of his operettas: Der Zigeunerbaron.

To be fair, I could keep going and going. I could listen to him all day. Truly, I could. But that's the thing about classical music, there's just so much of it.


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## Pugg

danj said:


> I found it!
> 
> I absolutely *love* Johann Strauss II. His work is absolutely a joy to listen to. My favorites include Tristch-Tratsch, Unter Donner und Blitz, Bitte schön!, Accelerations, and of course.. of his operettas: Der Zigeunerbaron.
> 
> To be fair, I could keep going and going. I could listen to him all day. Truly, I could. But that's the thing about classical music, there's just so much of it.


How high / low do you rate the Fledermaus or the Voices of spring waltz ?


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## danj

Pugg said:


> How high / low do you rate the Fledermaus or the Voices of spring waltz ?


I rate them both high. Fledermaus even higher. I don't think I'm able to give a score. I don't have a degree, for one...

Voices of Spring is smooth and constant.

Fledermaus, from time to time, doesn't seem constant (like its starting and stopping). Tempo changes and so does the decibel in the music. Expected but my ears enjoy a constant note. But this doesn't happen all over. But I absolutely love this piece. Especially the Overture, near the end, when it gets fast.


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## danj

Today, in 1899, classical music lost a great.


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## Pugg

danj said:


> Today, in 1899, classical music lost a great.


Ah, bless you, I do have another question, did or do you collect the whole series from Naxos and Maroc Polo with Strauss music.


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## Annied

When the sun finally starts to have some warmth in it here in the frozen northeast of England, I always reach for my Strauss waltzes CD. The music and the sunshine seem to work perfectly together.

As a side note, it was actually the Mel Gibson film "Gallipoli" that introduced me to "Roses from the South", which is one of my favourites. (It was also his "Year of Living Dangerously" that introduced me to another all time favourite, albeit by Richard Strauss, "Beim Schlafengehen" from "Four Last Songs".)


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## danj

Pugg said:


> Ah, bless you, I do have another question, did or do you collect the whole series from Naxos and Maroc Polo with Strauss music.


Funny you should mention that. I am actually going to be starting to collect the CDs. It's on my to-purchase list.


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## Pugg

danj said:


> Funny you should mention that. I am actually going to be starting to collect the CDs. It's on my to-purchase list.


Then I have good news, the whole shebang is in a box now:
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Naxos/8505226

Do not be scared of the price, if you use the barcode in BookButler.com you can find them in very low prices.


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## KenOC

More Strauss family music than anybody really wants (5+ hours) for a buck, and good reviews.

https://www.amazon.com/50-Must-Have...&qid=1496633589&sr=1-1-mp3-albums-bar-strip-0


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