During the annual carnival in Austria, Johann Strauss the elder employed around 200 musicians in the 1840s to fulfill numerous commissions, often conducting at multiple balls in one night.
Cultural Impact
The music of the Strauss family, including waltzes, galops, polkas, and quadrilles, permeated all social classes and age groups, a novelty for its time.
Composer Biography
Josef Strauss, another composer on this album, was almost an engineer before taking up the baton in 1853 due to his elder brother's illness, saving the family orchestra.
Historical Context
Johann Strauss the elder's orchestra, founded in 1827, grew into a small symphony orchestra and became a major tourist attraction in Vienna.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Many prominent composers, including Richard Wagner and Johannes Brahms, admired Johann Strauss the younger's music, with Wagner calling him 'the most musical head'.
Critical Reception
Johann Strauss the younger's only opera, Ritter Pasman, premiered in 1892 but was not a success, being taken off after only nine performances despite a brilliant execution.
Composer Biography
Johann Strauss the elder, a composer on this album, abandoned his work in book printing and glue-brushing in the 1820s to pursue a career in music.
