Yoga nn Strauß (son) (Johann Strauß Jr., 1825–1899) - Austrian composer, violinist, conductor. Eldest son of Johann Strauss (father). In 1844 he organized his own concert ensemble, which then grew into an orchestra and soon brought fame to Strauss the conductor and composer. After the death of his father, Strauss united his father's orchestra and his own and made concert tours in European cities; in 1856–65 and 1869 he visited Russia, led summer concert seasons in Pavlovsk, where he performed works by Western European and Russian composers and his own music. In 1872 and 1886 he performed in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and in 1872 he toured the USA. In 1863–70 he was the conductor of the Viennese court balls. Strauss - greatest master Viennese waltz and Viennese operetta. He wrote about 500 pieces of dance music (waltzes, polkas, mazurkas, etc.), which he raised to a high artistic level . He relied on the traditions of F. Schubert, K. M. Weber, I. Lanner, as well as his father (including developing the form of a 5-part waltz cycle with an introduction and coda), symphonized the waltz and gave it an individual imagery. Romantic spirituality, melodic flexibility and beauty, reliance on Austrian urban folklore, and the practice of everyday music-making determined the popularity of Strauss's waltzes "Farewell to Petersburg" (1858), "The Life of an Artist", "On the Beautiful Blue Danube" (both 1867), "Fairy Tales of Vienna" forests" (1868), "Viennese Blood" (1873), "Voices of Spring" (1883), "Imperial Waltz" (1890) both in Austria and in other countries. Strauss began writing operettas under the influence of J. Offenbach in the 1870s. However, in contrast to the dramaturgically rich French operetta, the element of dance dominates in Strauss's operetta (mainly the waltz is involved, as well as czardas, gallop, mazurka, quadrille, polka, etc.). The peaks of Strauss's creativity in this genre are “"(1874), "The Gypsy Baron" (1885). Strauss had a strong influence on the work of Oscar Strauss, F. Lehár, J. Kalman, as well as Richard Strauss (the opera Der Rosenkavalier). Strauss's music was appreciated by J. Brahms, N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, P. I. Tchaikovsky and others. His brothers: Joseph Strauss (1827–70) - author of popular orchestral pieces; conductor in the Strauss orchestra from 1853, with whom he toured European cities (in 1862 in Pavlovsk), and Eduard Strauss (1835–1916) - author of dance compositions; violinist and conductor in the Strauss orchestra, with whom he performed concerts in St. Petersburg and Pavlovsk in 1865 and 1894; in 1870 he succeeded Johann Strauss as conductor of the Viennese court balls.

Essays: Comic opera Knight Pasman (1892, Vienna); ballet Cinderella (modified by J. Bayer, 1901, Berlin); operettas (16) - Roman Carnival (1873), The Bat (1874), The Merry War (1881; all - Vienna), Night in Venice (1883, Berlin), The Gypsy Baron (1885, Vienna), etc.; For orchestra - waltzes (about 160), polkas (117), quadrilles (over 70), gallops (32), mazurkas (31), marches (43), etc.

For almost 10 years, Johann Strauss's family wandered from one Viennese apartment to another, and in almost each of them a child was born - a son or daughter. The children grew up in an atmosphere rich in music, and everyone was musical. His father's orchestra often rehearsed at home, and little Johann closely followed what was happening. He began to study the piano early, sang in church choir. Already at the age of six he was playing his own dances. However, neither father nor mother wanted a musical future for their children.

Meanwhile, the cheerful father began to live with two families, and to the seven children from his first marriage, he added seven more. His father was an idol for Johann, and yet the young man cherished the dream of someday rising even higher. Officially, he was enrolled in the Polytechnic School, but secretly continued to study music: earning money by teaching piano, he gave it away for violin lessons. His parents' attempts to get him involved in banking were unsuccessful.

Finally, at the age of nineteen, Johann Strauss assembled a small ensemble and received the official right to earn a living as a conductor from the Viennese magistrate. His debut took place on October 15, 1844 as a conductor and composer in the famous casino on the outskirts of Vienna. Public speaking young Strauss with his own orchestra became a real sensation for the Viennese public. It goes without saying that everyone saw the ambitious son as a competitor to his father.

The next morning the newspapers wrote: “Good evening, Father Strauss. Good morning, Strauss the Son." The father was only forty years old at that time. His son’s act infuriated him, and soon for the son, still reveling in his triumph, cruel everyday life began - the struggle for survival. The father still played at social balls and at court, the son had only two small establishments left in all of Vienna - a casino and a cafe. In addition, the father started divorce proceedings with his first wife - this story was relished in every possible way by the press, and the offended son could not resist public attacks. This story had a sad ending - the father, using his connections, won the lawsuit, depriving his first family of rights to inheritance and leaving them without a livelihood. The father won on the concert stage, and his son’s orchestra eked out a rather miserable existence. In addition, the son was in bad standing with the Viennese police, having a reputation as a frivolous, immoral and wasteful person. However, in the fall of 1849, the father unexpectedly died, and everything changed for the son. The famous orchestra of Strauss the father, without further ado, chose Strauss the son as their own. conductor, and almost all entertainment establishments in the capital renewed their contracts with him. Showing remarkable diplomatic skills, knowing how to flatter strong of the world This, Strauss the son soon quickly went uphill. In 1852 he was already playing at the court of the young emperor.

In the summer of 1854, representatives of a Russian railway company that owned a suburban line connecting St. Petersburg with Tsarskoe Selo and Pavlovsk came to I. Strauss with a business proposal. The maestro received an invitation to perform with his orchestra at the luxurious Pavlovsky station and in the park where the palaces of the Tsar and Grand Duke Constantine were located. The money offered was considerable, and Strauss immediately agreed. On May 18, 1856, his first season began under the Russian sky. The audience was immediately captivated by his waltzes and polkas. At his concerts there were members imperial family. In Vienna, Strauss was replaced, not without success, by his brother, Joseph, also a talented conductor and composer.

In Russia, Strauss experienced many affairs, but found marital happiness in Vienna, marrying in August 1862 Etti Trefz, who already had three daughters and four sons before him. This did not stop her from becoming not only his lover, but also his muse, nurse, secretary, and business adviser. Under her, Strauss rose even higher and became even stronger in spirit. On summer season In 1863, Yetty went to Russia with her husband... Trying to keep up with Joseph, who by that time had become a famous composer in Vienna, Johann Strauss created his masterpieces - the Blue Danube waltz and Tales of the Vienna Woods, in which he expressed musical soul Veins woven from the melodies of the most different nations, its inhabitants. With his brother, Johann performs in Russia in the summer of 1869, but his days are numbered - extreme overwork leads to an incurable illness, and in July 1870, forty-three-year-old Joseph dies. Like his father, it was as if he had handed over to Johann a wreath of his own glory.

In 1870, Viennese newspapers reported that Strauss was working on an operetta. His ambitious wife prompted him to do this. Indeed, Strauss was tired of the “squealing” of waltzes and he refused the position of “conductor of court balls.” This position will be taken by his third brother, Eduard Strauss. The public received Strauss's first operetta, entitled "Indigo and the Forty Thieves", with a bang. The composer's third operetta was the famous "Die Fledermaus". Delivered in the spring of 1874, the Viennese immediately fell in love with it. The composer conquered another Olympus. Now he was recognized in everything musical world, however, he continued to work at a feverish pace and with enormous stress. Success and fame never freed him from the fear that one day his muse would leave him and he would no longer be able to write anything. This darling of fate was always dissatisfied with himself and full of doubts.

Refusal from court conducting did not prevent Strauss from continuing to tour countries and villages, performing successfully in St. Petersburg and Moscow, Paris and London, New York and Boston. His income is growing, he is among the elite of Viennese society, is building his own “city palace”, and lives in luxury. The death of his wife and an unsuccessful second marriage for some time knocked Strauss out of his usual rut of success, but a few years later, already in his third marriage, he was back on horseback.

After the operetta "Nights in Venice" he wrote his "Gypsy Baron". The premiere of this operetta on October 24, 1885, on the eve of the composer’s sixtieth birthday, was a real holiday for the Viennese, and then its triumphal procession began throughout all major theaters Germany and Austria. But even this was not enough for Strauss - his soul demanded another musical space, another stage - the opera. He closely followed the musical trends of his time, studied with the classics, and was friends with such maestros as Johann Brahms and Franz Liszt. Their laurels haunted him, and he decided to conquer another Olympus - the opera one. It was not without difficulty that Brahms dissuaded him from this idea and, perhaps, he was right. But something else follows from this - Johann Strauss, as a real artist, could not help but look for new ways for himself, new points of application of his remarkable talent.

Still, for Strauss it was the collapse of a certain dream. After this, the composer’s creativity began to sharply decline. His new operetta "Vienna Blood" was not liked by the public and lasted only a few performances. In October 1894, Vienna solemnly celebrated the 50th anniversary of the “King of Waltzes” as a conductor. Strauss himself understood perfectly well that this was just nostalgia for the old good times, of which almost nothing remains in the air. The harsh twentieth century was knocking on the door.

Strauss spent the last years of his life in solitude, hiding in his mansion, where from time to time he played billiard balls with friends. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the operetta Die Fledermaus, he was persuaded to conduct the overture. Last performance Strauss's life turned out to be fatal for him - he caught a cold and fell ill. Pneumonia began. On June 30, 1899, Strauss died. As it once did for his father, Vienna gave him a grand funeral.

On October 25, 1825, a boy was born into the family of the violinist and orchestra leader Strauss, who received his father’s name - Johann. Before becoming a violinist, Johann's father tried many professions, but it turned out that it was the musical field that allowed him to earn enough even to support his family. When Strauss Sr. got married, he began to compose music on his own, because the demand for entertainment among the rich people of Vienna was high, and holidays followed one another. After some time, Strauss Sr. became not only famous, but received the well-deserved title “King of the Waltz” among the people. With his orchestra, he toured extensively throughout Europe, performing in Paris, Berlin, Brussels and even London. According to contemporaries, the waltzes of Strauss the Father literally bewitched the public, and even such outstanding composers, like Berlioz and Liszt, considered it an honor to express their admiration for him.

Strauss Sr. decided to make Johann, his eldest son, a businessman. The second son, Joseph, was destined military service. The boys did not object, and at first there were no signs of problems, but after some time it became clear that the sons were much closer not to the activities predetermined by their father, but to music. Strauss the father was literally enraged by this, and only the boys' mother, Anna Strauss, managed to somehow calm him down and get consent to allow her sons to play the piano. My father reassured himself that without this skill secular education cannot be considered complete.

Meanwhile, the eldest son, Johann, mastered the game so much that he literally amazed acquaintances and friends with his bold improvisations. And then it turned out that he had been secretly studying the violin for a long time, moreover, the boy’s teacher turned out to be Franz Amon, the best violin virtuoso of Strauss’s father’s orchestra, and the boy paid for his lessons by tutoring the neighboring children of a tailor. There was nothing surprising in this - all the Strauss children grew up in a musical atmosphere, because their father often rehearsed with his orchestra at home.

But by and large, Strauss the father did not care about family troubles - he became seriously interested in Emilia Trumpbush, a young milliner and his fan. When Johann turned eighteen, his father left the family, and Strauss Jr. faced a big problem– maintenance of numerous brothers and sisters. Despite his busy schedule - the young man gave private lessons - he enthusiastically improved his violin playing with Kelman, who was rehearsing ballet opera house Vienna, and with the best teacher at the conservatory, Gofmad. His mother supported Johann in every possible way. It seemed to her that her son could surpass his father in the musical field. Later it turned out that Anna Strauss, like a relic, kept the first waltz written by Johann - then the boy was only six years old.

One more strict teacher Johann became the church bandmaster, Abbot Drechsler, a great expert in harmony and counterpoint. He insisted that the aspiring composer write sacred works, and it must be said that Johann was so successful in this matter that one of his cantatas was performed publicly in one of the Viennese churches. In order to stimulate in Johann the desire to compose precisely church music, Drechsler allowed him to rehearse his works on organ and violin in the church where he was regent. But one day, in an empty church, the abbot heard his student playing a waltz on the organ...

Secular music, of course, was closer to Johann, and he had long ago firmly decided to lead a dance choir and perform music of his own composition. The only issue was to find qualified and worthy musicians - after all, Johann’s orchestra had to compete with his father’s. And in October 1844, messages about a concert of an orchestra conducted by Johann Strauss Jr. appeared on poster stands and in newspapers. This literally amazed Vienna - yet another Strauss boldly announced his own music! The intrigue was that Strauss the father was barely forty years old, his work was in demand, and his fame was well known. Can a nineteen-year-old boy really surpass his father's success?

Johann Strauss Jr. finally drew up official documents with the Vienna magistrate for the right to earn money by conducting, and on October 15, 1844, music began to play in a casino located near Vienna young composer. This performance became a real sensation for the Vienna public. On the one side younger Strauss acted as a competitor to his father, but on the other hand, his music was strikingly different from the performances of Strauss Sr. The morning newspapers came out with headlines that Johann's father perceived as mockery: “Good evening, Father Strauss! Good morning, Strauss son! It is no wonder that Strauss Sr. became furious and, instead of supporting his son, began to actively take his “musical bread” away from him. Speaking modern language, my father literally captured the entire concert “market” of Vienna. His son has only two loopholes left, and very unpresentable ones at that - a cafe and a casino. To complete the picture, the elder Strauss started proceedings for a divorce from his wife, and the indignant Johann could not resist attacks in the press against his father, which backfired on him - dad used all his connections, won the case in court and left the first family (seven children) without inheritance and livelihood. He also won the battle on the stage - his son, along with his orchestra, dragged miserable life, and even got noticed by the police as a frivolous, wasteful and immoral person.

In 1848, revolutionary uprisings of the people began, and Johann the Younger did not guess the situation, creating bright musical works calling for struggle and even writing “The March of the Rebels.” People called this music the “Viennese Marseillaise.” But the uprising in Vienna was brutally suppressed, and the authorities well remembered the passions of Johann the Younger during the revolution - for a long time his waltzes were not played at the emperor’s balls, and many were simply afraid to invite him to their place. At the same time, Strauss Sr. correctly identified strong point, but lost the popularity of his music among the people. In the fall of 1849, he fell ill with a then terrible disease - scarlet fever - and died on September 25. The funeral of Strauss the Father became a grandiose event in Vienna, but his orchestra was left without a leader. At the insistence of Franz Amon, a friend of the Strauss family, Johann Jr. was invited to take the place of leader. In order to persuade him, all the musicians came to Johann and solemnly presented his father with the baton. In 1852, Strauss's orchestra began to flourish again, and they began to invite him to the court of the young emperor.

Everyday intense concert and composer activity very quickly affected my health young musician. At twenty-eight years old, he began to feel so bad that local medical luminaries gave him a diagnosis that everyone understood - extreme fatigue. During his brother’s illness, his brother Joseph took over the management of the orchestra, but he also fell ill very quickly. The time has come for the younger brother - Eduard Strauss. Such a change in orchestra leaders made the entire Strauss family idols of Vienna. Satirical leaflets and feuilletons referred to the family as a “company” and claimed that the Strauss sold music at retail and wholesale. True, all the Viennese recognized Johann's primacy - as a conductor and composer he was head and shoulders above his brothers.

The first compositions of Johann Strauss the Younger were very reminiscent of the waltzes of his father during the heyday of his creativity. But soon Johann had the feeling that the framework of the Viennese waltz had outlived its usefulness and was literally holding back the flight musical fantasy. And when the young composer set to work on a new Viennese waltz, he created a melody of a completely different, original type. In fact, Strauss doubled the volume by changing the very form of the dance. He reconstructed the classic eight and sixteen bars of the waltz into sixteen and thirty-two. The music in Strauss's works began to sound completely different, becoming more full-blooded and logically complete. Thanks to Strauss dance music has grown into an independent genre and has become the property of not only ballrooms, but also the concert stage.

In the summer of 1854, Johann Strauss received business offer, which he could not refuse - he was invited to perform his music in the hall of the luxurious Pavlovsky station and on the territory of the palaces of the emperor and the grand duke. This was done to improve the image railways, especially the new line connecting St. Petersburg with Pavlovsk and Tsarskoe Selo. The proposed fee - twenty-two thousand per season - was so high that Strauss agreed. On May 18, 1856, Strauss's orchestra began to conquer Russia. The public instantly appreciated Strauss's polkas and waltzes, and his concerts were attended by the emperor and members of his family.

For five years, Strauss performed in Russia and during this time he even experienced a passionate love for a Russian young lady, Olga Smirnitskaya. He met her in the summer of 1858 and was fascinated inner beauty this slender and serious girl. However, Olga’s parents spoke out against such a groom, and Strauss could only dedicate his magnificent music to his beloved. In 1862, Johann learned from a letter from his beloved that she was marrying a Russian officer. At the end of the summer of the same year, Strauss himself married Henrietta Chalupetskaya, opera singer, very similar in appearance to Olga Smirnitskaya. Strauss's wife was seven years older and already had a very extensive experience - seven children born out of wedlock from different men. True, this did not stop Henrietta from becoming not only Strauss’s lover, but also becoming his secretary, muse, business advisor, impresario, and when necessary, his nurse. The marriage became happy.

The period of the late sixties and early seventies of the 19th century became extremely fruitful for Strauss's work. He created such famous waltzes as “Tales of the Vienna Woods”, “Blue Danube”, expressing the very soul of Vienna in music. A tender and ambitious wife inspired Strauss to write operettas, as reported in Viennese newspapers in 1870. That same year, Strauss refused the conducting position, giving it to his younger brother Eduard. In the summer of 1870, Joseph Strauss died. Not long before this, two Strauss brothers, Joseph and Johann, performed successfully in Russia.

Strauss's first operetta, Indigo and the Forty Thieves, was enthusiastically received by the Viennese public. The second one, “Carnival in Rome,” also achieved considerable success. But the true triumph was given to the composer by his “Die Fledermaus,” performed on stage in 1874. This work elevated Strauss to musical Olympus, giving him recognition around the world. Strauss continued to feverishly write music - he was overwhelmed by the fear that the now so supportive muse might suddenly leave him, depriving him of the opportunity to create new beautiful works. He gives tours in different countries and performs with great success in Moscow, St. Petersburg, London, Paris, Boston and New York. A life of poverty finally left behind, Strauss builds in Vienna own house, basking in luxury, but constantly remaining dissatisfied with himself in creative life.

At the end of the seventies, Strauss lost his wife and faithful friend - Henrietta died. Throughout his life, Strauss felt an overwhelming disgust and fear in the face of death. He asked his relatives to take care of the funeral, and he himself went to Italy. Returning from abroad, Johann met Angelina Dietrich, German singer th, and through a short time got married. Angelina was young, spectacular, experienced in intrigue and love pleasures, but completely mediocre as an actress. It ended with her getting together with Strauss's friend, Steiner, and leaving with him.

Only hard work helped Strauss survive this betrayal of his beloved woman. Strauss's next work, The Queen's Lace Handkerchief, was staged at the Theater an der Wien on October 1, 1880. The operetta brought in such fees that the theater had not seen for many years. The next success in the composer’s work was the operetta “The Merry Widow” in 1881. At the same time, Strauss became interested in the widow of banker Anton Strauss, his namesake and friend, Adele. Adele was Jewish by nationality and did not recognize a Catholic wedding, just as she saw no reason to go to Christian faith. Strauss himself had to accept German citizenship and become an evangelical Protestant in order to marry his beloved. The marriage took place only in 1887. This time the choice of the composer was successful. However, his three marriages did not bring him a single heir.

Just before his sixtieth birthday, Strauss saw his operetta “The Gypsy Baron” on stage. It happened on October 24, 1885 and became an unforgettable event for all music lovers. It is possible that a Strauss opera would have appeared, but the composer was dissuaded from this step by his close friend, Brahms. “The Gypsy Baron” became the pinnacle of Strauss’s work, but the composer’s new operetta “Vienna Blood” was received by the public without enthusiasm, having lasted only a few performances. However, this did not detract from Strauss’s popularity - in the October days of 1894, almost all of Vienna danced, celebrating the fifty years of glorious conducting of their idol, the waltz king Johann Strauss, and a year later they celebrated the composer’s seventieth birthday.

IN last years During his life, Strauss gave up concerts and almost never left his home. Only once, on the day of the celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the release of “Die Fledermaus” on stage, he agreed to conduct during the performance of the overture. On the way home from the theater, Strauss caught a cold and contracted pneumonia. A cruel joke The composer's age also played a role - Strauss was unable to cope with his illness. Seventy-three year old musical genius died on June 3, 1899 in his Vienna home, without having time to complete the music for the ballet Cinderella.

Johann Strauss was buried throughout Vienna. People mourned a great man who created amazing music, and did not yet know that his name would survive the centuries.

Strauss Waltzes

"King Viennese Waltz"sounds proud! This is how the great composer, whose name was Johann Strauss the Son, was majestically named. He inspired this genre new life, gave him a “poem interpretation.” Much interesting and surprising lies in Strauss's waltzes. So let's take a look into the mysterious world Viennese music, the door to which the king himself opened for us!

History of Waltzes by Johann Strauss, content and variety interesting facts read on our page.

The history of the creation of Strauss Waltzes

Few people know, but the composer Johann Strauss, the father, was categorically against his son continuing the work and becoming a musician. If it were not for the stubbornness and wild desire of the young man, we would never have been able to listen to waltzes Strauss , filled with lyrics and poetry.

Already at the age of nineteen, the aspiring composer taught a lesson to my own father. Together with the orchestra he performed own compositions, the main of which was the waltz. As sweet revenge for the ban on making music, at the end of the concert one of the the most famous waltzes father. Of course, society could not leave this kind of prank without comment, and all the newspapers in the morning wrote that it was time for the old generation of composers to step aside in front of young talents. The father was furious.

Meanwhile, the popularity of the young composer only increased. Not a single evening in the highest circle passed without the performance of Strauss waltzes. Thanks to his charm, the public adored Johann; his appearance at the conductor’s stand was accompanied by exquisite statements on behalf of the High Viennese Society. The maestro behaved at ease, forcing the orchestra to play at a glance. Every gesture evoked applause from the audience. When the last final chord sounded, the conductor slowly lowered his hand and, as if by magic, disappeared from the hall. He was a great master not only of music, but also of theatrical staging.

The mastery of composing waltz compositions was achieved already in 1860. This period in life can be considered the most fruitful. One after another, the composer composed hits of his time, such as:

• Songs of love;
• Farewell to St. Petersburg;
• On the beautiful blue Danube.

Thanks to waltz, they began to talk and write about the composer, his works were sold in millions of copies, both in the form of sheet music and on records. The entire biography of the composer resembles a graceful whirling in a three-beat rhythm. His waltzes are his life, his sorrows and joys, victories and failures. History has preserved each of them. Strauss's waltzes are diamonds that sparkle regardless of the conductor's skill. The author himself adored his own works, but among them there were those that Strauss especially liked. Let's take a closer look at these works and their history.

The work was written in 1882. In the same year, the composer met his future wife and creative muse Adele Deutsch. Subsequently, for her he will compose another composition bearing her name. It is worth noting that the composer originally intended to write this work with the inclusion of a coloratura soprano part.

The work was performed only a year later at one of the charity concerts that time. The event took place in the An der Wien theater building. The product was received with a bang. It sold millions of copies throughout Europe, and began to be considered one of the author’s most popular works.
The smoothness of the rhythm is outlined by the line of the double bass from the first note. The theme is filled with a lot of decorations. They are visual means to fully display the pictures of nature awakened from a long hibernation. Everything is recovering from winter sleep, a great time is coming. Of course this work appealed to many: from amateurs to real connoisseurs of professional musical language.

"On the beautiful blue Danube"

Order for this dance came from the main and most famous manager of the choral society in the capital of Austria, he needed a choral waltz. At that time, the creator’s place of residence was located not far from the bank of this majestic river, so there was no need to think long about the name. The premiere in the Austrian capital was modest. Strauss, accustomed to fame and universal approval, only joked that he didn’t feel sorry for the waltz itself, but that she didn’t achieve success, that’s what really saddens him.

Then Strauss decided to orchestrate this work so that the coda would not be lost. It was first performed at the Paris World Exhibition. The audience rejoiced, and the waltz took pride of place on the list. Subsequently, music will become a symbol of Vienna.

The music enchants and captivates own world already from the first bars. Like a magical and changeable river flow is the melody of the composition. The mood is gentle, but timid, like small and exciting water ripples.

listen to “On the beautiful blue Danube”

"Tales of the Vienna Woods"

One of the most fabulous and magical works in the work of Johann Strauss the Son. It should be noted that the composition received the title of the longest waltz ever written by the composer.

Listening to the work, you will notice that the fabulous and mysterious atmosphere is conveyed using special musical techniques. These include the incredibly pleasant sound of the zither instrument, and inclusion in the melodic and thematic line folklore motifs. Yes, they are clearly visible character traits Landler. The work has won the hearts of many romantic people who believe in a real miracle.

listen to “Tales of the Vienna Woods”

One of the most famous operetta numbers. Infinitely fresh and graceful in character. It seems to be a vivid illustration of the concept theatrical production. It is noteworthy that one of the most famous newspapers of that time published a more than laudatory article regarding the success of this composition. In it, the author pointed out wealth musical themes composer, adding ironically that such musical imagination is enough for several young French composers.

The harmony of the waltz is quite mobile, and it creates a special mood. At the same time, the instrumentation creates the effect of melodiousness and melody. Incredible beauty lies behind the melodic line. It is impossible not to remember this work.

listen to a waltz from an operetta "Bat"

Interesting Facts

• For the whole creative career the composer composed almost 170 musical works in this genre.
• Within two days, register for vinyl records“Blue Danube” sold 140 thousand copies. Music lovers stood in the store for hours to get the audio recording.
• Everyone knows that Wagner was a difficult person and had a bad attitude towards the work of other composers. Richard, picky to the point of madness, adored Strauss’s work, which was called “Wine, Women, Songs.” Sometimes, if an opera classic was in the hall, he would ask for a given composition to be repeated especially for him.
• "Spring Voices" is favorite piece Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy. The writer loved listening to Strauss waltzes, but especially often played a record with this composition.
• The work “Farewell to St. Petersburg” is dedicated to Olga Smirnitskaya, with whom, while living in northern capital The composer had a long affair with Russia. Strauss wanted to marry the girl, but her mother was against such a marriage. They corresponded for a long time until Strauss learned that Olga was marrying composer Anton Rubinstein.
• A fragment of “Spring Voices” can be heard at legendary group Queen. In the album "A day at the Races".

• Banking education played its own role in organizing the composer’s concerts. In order not to miss out on lucrative offers, the genius of composition gathered several orchestral groups and practiced with them the most popular works. Then the orchestras performed the works at the same time, in different places, and as a result, the profits only increased. The composer himself only managed to conduct one piece, after which he left for the evening in another house.
• The waltz “The Life of an Artist” is a kind of autobiography of the composer; it reveals the rapture of life.
• In Boston, the waltz “On the Beautiful Blue Danube” was performed by an orchestra of two thousand people.
• In Europe, the “Voices of Spring” waltz is a symbol of celebration New Year .

According to a short biography of Johann Strauss, the composer was born in 1825 in Vienna into the family famous composer. Johann Strauss Sr. did not encourage musical hobbies youngest son(besides Johann the younger, there were three more sons in the family). He wanted to see him as a banker. But, secret from his father, the future composer studied at music school violin class, and upon completion of training received excellent recommendations from teachers.

Beginning of professional activity

In 1844, Johann completed his education and tried to obtain a license to conduct an orchestra. Mother young man, fearing that her father, Johann Sr., would in every possible way interfere with the issuance of a license, she divorced him. After the divorce, the father of the future composer refused an inheritance to his children from his first marriage and bequeathed all the property to the seven children from his mistress (after the divorce, to his second wife).

The conflict with his father continued, expressed in the fact that Johann and his small orchestra could not perform at large venues. But, despite this, the young man’s talent was noticed, and he was appointed chief conductor of the military orchestra.

In 1848, after the revolution, relations with his father became even more complicated due to the fact that Johann, the elder, supported the monarchy, and the younger, the revolution.

In 1849, the father died, and the son forgave him everything: he wrote several works in his honor, published all his works at his own expense. My father’s musicians joined his orchestra and went on joint tours around Europe. Johann Jr. was a resounding success.

Career peak

From 1852, after the young composer was reconciled with Emperor Franz Joseph, Strauss became the official court composer. In his work he was often helped by his brothers, with whom he had excellent relations.

From 1856 to 1861, Strauss traveled with the orchestra to Russia every summer, as he was invited to the position of permanent conductor at the Pavlovsky railway station in Pavlovsk.

The years 60-70 are the peak of the composer’s creativity. He wrote his best works - “On the Beautiful Blue Danube” and “Tales of the Vienna Woods”, musical content which can be considered truly patriotic. In the 70s, he resigned from the position of court composer (he transferred his powers to his brother) and went on tour in France, Great Britain and the USA. At the same time he began writing operettas. From 1874 to 1895 he will create his own best works: “The Bat”, “The Gypsy Baron” and others. In 1895, the composer celebrated his 70th birthday on a grand scale. Everyone wanted to congratulate him the brightest representatives European aristocracy and bohemia.

Death

The composer died in 1899 (at age 73) from pneumonia. Buried in Vienna.

Personal life

For a long time, Strauss was in love with Olga Smirnitskaya. But the girl’s parents refused his matchmaking. In 1862, after Olga got married, Strauss married opera singer Yetty Chalupetskaya, who was 7 years older than him and had 7 illegitimate children. But despite her scandalous reputation, she became a faithful wife, and the marriage, on the whole, was successful.

In 1878, Chalupetskaya died and Strauss married the German singer Angelica Dietrich, but quickly divorced and married the young German widow Adele Deutsch, for whose sake he changed his faith and citizenship.

Other biography options

• In total, Strauss wrote about 500 works. Moreover, he wrote not only waltzes and operettas, but also music for ballets and perfect operas.
• Strauss's grandfather was a Jew who converted to Catholicism. In Nazi Germany they tried to present Strauss truly German composer, hiding his Jewish roots.