!!!Strauß, Johann, Sohn

Strauss, Johann, the Younger, b. Vienna, Oct. 25, 1825, 
d. Vienna, June 3, 1899, composer, musical director. "Waltz King 
of Vienna", son of Johann  Strauss the Elder, brother of Josef  
Strauss and Eduard  Strauss. Though his father wished him to pursue a 
non-musical profession, his mother Anna (nee Streim) promoted his 
talent emphatically. After theoretical and composition studies with 
the musical director of St. Stephen´s Cathedral, J.  
Drechsler, he acquired a "musical license" allowing him to establish 
his own orchestra. On Oct. 15, 1844 successful debut with his 
orchestra at the Viennese restaurant "Dommayers Casino"; soon became 
his father´s most significant rival. Merged the two orchestras 
after his father´s death 1849. Despite his great popularity it 
was a long time before he was awarded the title "Director of the 
Imperial Court Balls" (1863) because of alleged subversive activities 
in the revolutionary period. He was succeeded in this function by his 
brother Eduard Strauss. An extensive concert tour across Europe (from 
1856) triggered outbursts of enthusiasm, which were to be repeated on 
his tour through the USA 1872. S. was married 3 times (Henriette 
Treffz, Ernestine Henriette Angelika Dittrich, Adele Strauss, nee 
Deutsch); was a close friend of J.  Brahms.

\\
Impressed by the performances of Offenbach´s operettas at the 
Vienna "Carltheater", he began to compose stage works, calling them 
"comic operas", not "operettas". His first operetta was premiered in 
1871. "The Bat" ("Fledermaus"), 1874 and "The Gypsy Baron" 
("Zigeunerbaron"), 1885 mark the peak of the golden age of  operetta 
with S. as its principal composer. S. based his operettas on popular 
dance melodies ( waltz, galop, polka, march, csárdás); 
the poor quality of his librettos and growing competition, however, 
frequently prevented their immediate success. S. raised Biedermeier 
dance music to the level of high art - not only the Viennese waltz, 
which was often difficult, if not impossible to dance because of their 
slow introductions and excessive length, but also other dances such as 
the polka, the galop, the quadrille and the march. The rapid spread of 
Strauss´s Viennese waltzes is largely responsible for the fact 
that Austria has been directly associated with this kind of music to 
this day (the  "Blue Danube Waltz", 1867, is considered 
Austria´s "unofficial anthem").

!Further works
waltzes: Artist´s Life (Kuenstlerleben), 1867; 
Tales from the Vienna Woods (Gschichten aus dem Wienerwald), 1868; 
Vienna Blood (Wiener Blut), around 1872; Rosen aus dem Sueden, 1880; 
Fruehlingsstimmen, 1883; Kaiserwalzer, 1889. - Polkas, marches and 
quadrilles. - 18 operettas (e.g.): Indigo, 1871; Cagliostro in Wien, 
1875;; Das Spitzentuch der Koenigin, 1880; A Night in Venice (Eine 
Nacht in Venedig), 1883; Vienna Blood (Wiener Blut), 1899.

!Literature
A. Witeschnik, Die Dynastie Strauss, 1958; J. Eduard, 
Johann Strauss Vater und Sohn, 1960; F. Endler, Das Walzer-Buch, 1975; 
M. Prawy, Johann Strauss, 1975 and 1991; F. Mailer, Johann Strauss, 
1977; Johann Strauss Sohn, Leben und Werk in Briefen und Dokumenten, 
1983ff; O. Brusatti, Johann Strauss, exhibition catalogue, 
Historisches Museum der Stadt Wien, 1999; R. Dachs, Johann Strauss. 
"Was geh´ ich mich an?!", 1999; W. Sinkowicz and H. 
Knaus, Johann Strauss, 1999.


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