Johann Strauss I
Encyclopedia
Johann Strauss I born in Vienna, was an Austrian Romantic
composer
famous for his waltz
es, and for popularizing them alongside Joseph Lanner, thereby setting the foundations for his sons to carry on his musical dynasty. His most famous piece is probably the Radetzky March
(named after Joseph Radetzky von Radetz
), while his most famous waltz is probably the Lorelei Rheinklänge, Op. 154.
, Josef Strauss
and Eduard Strauss
, the last of whom had a son called Johann Strauss III
, born in 1866. He also had two daughters, Anna, who was born in 1829, and Therese, who was born in 1831. His youngest son, Ferdinand, born in 1834, lived only ten months. Strauss's parents, Franz Borgias Strauss (October 10, 1764 – April 5, 1816) and Barbara Dollmann (December 3, 1770 – August 28, 1811), were innkeepers . Strauss had a Jewish grandfather, Johann Michael Strauss (1720–1800), who converted to Catholicism.
Tragedy struck his family as his mother died of 'creeping fever' when he was seven. When he was 12, his father Franz Borgias Strauss was discovered drowned, possibly by suicide, in the Danube
river. His guardian, the tailor Anton Müller, placed him as an apprentice to a bookbinder
Johann Lichtscheidl; Strauss took lessons in the violin
and viola
in addition to fulfilling his apprenticeship. Contrary to a story later told by his son, Johann jun., he never ran away from his bookbinder apprenticeship and in fact successfully completed it in 1822. He also studied music with Johann Polischansky during his apprenticeship and eventually managed to secure a place in a local orchestra of Michael Pamer which he eventually left in order to join a popular string quartet known as the Lanner Quartet formed by his would-be rival Joseph Lanner and the Drahanek brothers, Karl and Johann. This string quartet playing Viennese waltzes and rustic German dances expanded into a small string orchestra in 1824.
He eventually became deputy conductor
of the orchestra to assist Lanner in commissions after it became so popular during the Fasching
of 1824 and Strauss was soon placed in command of a second smaller orchestra which was formed as a result of the success of the parent orchestra. In 1825, he decided to form his own band and began to write music (chiefly, dance music) for it to play after he realized that he could also possibly emulate the success of Lanner in addition to putting an end to his financial struggles. By so doing, he would have made Lanner a serious rival although the rivalry did not entail hostile consequences as the musical competition was very productive for the development of the waltz as well as other dance music in Vienna. He soon became one of the best-known and well loved dance composers in Vienna, and he toured with his band to Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Britain. The conducting reins and management of this 'Strauss Orchestra' would eventually be passed over to the hands of his sons variously until its disbandment by Eduard Strauss in 1901.
On a trip to France in 1837 he heard the quadrille
and began to compose them himself, becoming largely responsible for introducing that dance to Austria in the 1840 Fasching, where it became very popular. It was this very trip (in 1837) which has proved Strauss' popularity with audiences from different social backgrounds and this paved the way to forming an ambitious plan to perform his music in England for the coronation of Queen Victoria in 1838. Strauss also adapted various popular melodies of his day into his works so as to ensure a wider audience, as evidenced in the incorporation of the Oberon
overture
into his early waltz, "Wiener Carneval
", Op. 3, and also the French national anthem
"La Marseillaise
" into his "Paris-Walzer", Op. 101.
Strauss married Maria Anna Streim in 1825 in the parish church of Liechtenthal in Vienna. The marriage was relatively unhappy due to his prolonged absences caused by frequent tours abroad which led to a gradual alienation.
The family home was called 'Hirschenhaus' but was better better known in Vienna as the 'Goldener Hirsch' (The Golden Stag). Strauss was a strict disciplinarian and demanded that none of his sons pursue careers in music, despite them displaying musical talent. Johann Junior was to study banking, likewise his brother Josef Strauss
was destined for a military career, whereas the youngest Eduard Strauss
was expected to join the Austrian consulate
.
By 1834 Strauss had taken a mistress, Emilie Trampusch, with whom he had six children. When her husband openly acknowledged his paternity of a daughter born to Emilie in 1844, Maria Anna sued for divorce. With the ending of the marriage Anna Strauss determined to further Johann Strauss II's musical career, allowing him to develop his skills as a composer.
Despite family problems, Strauss senior continued to tour frequently and was always prepared to write novelty pieces for numerous charitable organizations. His waltzes were gradually developed from a rustic peasant dance into one which posterity would recognize as the Viennese Waltz
. They were written in three-quarter time with a short introduction; often with little or no reference to the later chain of five two-part waltz structure; usually appended with a short coda and concluded in a stirring finish, although his son Johann Strauss II expanded the waltz structure and utilized more instruments than his father. While he did not possess a musical talent as rich as his eldest son's, nor a business mind as astute, he was among the handful of early waltz composers along with Joseph Lanner to actively write pieces with individual titles — with the view to boost sales of their sheet music — which enabled music enthusiasts to easily recognize those pieces. In fact, during his performances at the Sperl-Ballroom in Vienna, where he established his name, he actively pursued the concept of collecting a fixed entrance fee from the patrons of the ballroom instead of the old practice of passing around a collection plate where income was reliant on the goodwill of the patrons.
Johann Strauss II often played his father's works and openly declared his admiration of them, although it was no secret to the Viennese that their rivalry was intense, with the press at that time fueling it. Johann Strauss I himself refused to play ever again at the Dommayer's Casino, which offered his son his conducting debut, and was to tower over his son during his lifetime in terms of career advancement, although Strauss II was to eclipse him in terms of popularity in the classical repertoire. In 1846, Johann Strauss I was awarded the honorary title of K.K. Hofballmusikdirektor (Director of Music for the Imperial and Royal Court Balls) by Emperor Ferdinand I
.
Strauss died in Vienna in 1849 from scarlet fever
contracted from one of his illegitimate children. He was buried at the Döblinger cemetery beside his friend Joseph Lanner. In 1904, both of their remains were transferred to the graves of honour at the Zentralfriedhof
. The former Döbling Cemetery
is now a Strauss-Lanner Park. Hector Berlioz
himself paid tribute to the 'Father of the Viennese Waltz' by commenting that 'Vienna without Strauss is like Austria without the Danube'.
Romantic music
Romantic music or music in the Romantic Period is a musicological and artistic term referring to a particular period, theory, compositional practice, and canon in Western music history, from 1810 to 1900....
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
famous for his waltz
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
es, and for popularizing them alongside Joseph Lanner, thereby setting the foundations for his sons to carry on his musical dynasty. His most famous piece is probably the Radetzky March
Radetzky March
Radetzky March, Op. 228, is a march composed by Johann Strauss Sr. in 1848. It was dedicated to the Austrian Field Marshal Joseph Radetzky von Radetz, and became quite a popular march among soldiers....
(named after Joseph Radetzky von Radetz
Joseph Radetzky von Radetz
Johann Josef Wenzel Graf Radetzky von Radetz was a Czech nobleman and Austrian general, immortalised by Johann Strauss I's Radetzky March...
), while his most famous waltz is probably the Lorelei Rheinklänge, Op. 154.
Life and work
Johann Strauss was the father of Johann Strauss IIJohann Strauss II
Johann Strauss II , also known as Johann Baptist Strauss or Johann Strauss, Jr., the Younger, or the Son , was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other types of dance music, as well as several operettas...
, Josef Strauss
Josef Strauss
Josef Strauss was an Austrian composer.He was born in Vienna, the son of Johann Strauss I and Maria Anna Streim, and brother of Johann Strauss II and Eduard Strauss. His father wanted him to choose a career in the Austrian Habsburg military...
and Eduard Strauss
Eduard Strauss
Eduard Strauss was an Austrian composer who, together with brothers Johann Strauss II and Josef Strauss made up the Strauss musical dynasty. The family dominated the Viennese light music world for decades, creating many waltzes and polkas for many Austrian nobility as well as dance-music...
, the last of whom had a son called Johann Strauss III
Johann Strauss III
Johann Strauss III was an Austrian composer whose father was Eduard Strauss, whose uncles were Johann Strauss II & Josef Strauss, and whose grandfather was Johann Strauss I...
, born in 1866. He also had two daughters, Anna, who was born in 1829, and Therese, who was born in 1831. His youngest son, Ferdinand, born in 1834, lived only ten months. Strauss's parents, Franz Borgias Strauss (October 10, 1764 – April 5, 1816) and Barbara Dollmann (December 3, 1770 – August 28, 1811), were innkeepers . Strauss had a Jewish grandfather, Johann Michael Strauss (1720–1800), who converted to Catholicism.
Tragedy struck his family as his mother died of 'creeping fever' when he was seven. When he was 12, his father Franz Borgias Strauss was discovered drowned, possibly by suicide, in the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
river. His guardian, the tailor Anton Müller, placed him as an apprentice to a bookbinder
Bookbinding
Bookbinding is the process of physically assembling a book from a number of folded or unfolded sheets of paper or other material. It usually involves attaching covers to the resulting text-block.-Origins of the book:...
Johann Lichtscheidl; Strauss took lessons in the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
and viola
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
in addition to fulfilling his apprenticeship. Contrary to a story later told by his son, Johann jun., he never ran away from his bookbinder apprenticeship and in fact successfully completed it in 1822. He also studied music with Johann Polischansky during his apprenticeship and eventually managed to secure a place in a local orchestra of Michael Pamer which he eventually left in order to join a popular string quartet known as the Lanner Quartet formed by his would-be rival Joseph Lanner and the Drahanek brothers, Karl and Johann. This string quartet playing Viennese waltzes and rustic German dances expanded into a small string orchestra in 1824.
He eventually became deputy conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
of the orchestra to assist Lanner in commissions after it became so popular during the Fasching
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
of 1824 and Strauss was soon placed in command of a second smaller orchestra which was formed as a result of the success of the parent orchestra. In 1825, he decided to form his own band and began to write music (chiefly, dance music) for it to play after he realized that he could also possibly emulate the success of Lanner in addition to putting an end to his financial struggles. By so doing, he would have made Lanner a serious rival although the rivalry did not entail hostile consequences as the musical competition was very productive for the development of the waltz as well as other dance music in Vienna. He soon became one of the best-known and well loved dance composers in Vienna, and he toured with his band to Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Britain. The conducting reins and management of this 'Strauss Orchestra' would eventually be passed over to the hands of his sons variously until its disbandment by Eduard Strauss in 1901.
On a trip to France in 1837 he heard the quadrille
Quadrille
Quadrille is a historic dance performed by four couples in a square formation, a precursor to traditional square dancing. It is also a style of music...
and began to compose them himself, becoming largely responsible for introducing that dance to Austria in the 1840 Fasching, where it became very popular. It was this very trip (in 1837) which has proved Strauss' popularity with audiences from different social backgrounds and this paved the way to forming an ambitious plan to perform his music in England for the coronation of Queen Victoria in 1838. Strauss also adapted various popular melodies of his day into his works so as to ensure a wider audience, as evidenced in the incorporation of the Oberon
Oberon (opera)
Oberon, or The Elf King's Oath is a 3-act romantic opera in English with spoken dialogue and music by Carl Maria von Weber. The libretto by James Robinson Planche was based on a German poem, Oberon, by Christoph Martin Wieland, which itself was based on the epic romance Huon de Bordeaux, a French...
overture
Overture
Overture in music is the term originally applied to the instrumental introduction to an opera...
into his early waltz, "Wiener Carneval
Wiener Carneval
Wiener Carneval , opus 3, is a waltz composed by Johann Strauss I in 1828. The waltz was intended as a contribution to the carnival of 1828 Johann Strauss appeared as leader of a group of musicians at the balls at the Kettenbrücke in Leopoldstadt...
", Op. 3, and also the French national anthem
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
"La Marseillaise
La Marseillaise
"La Marseillaise" is the national anthem of France. The song, originally titled "Chant de guerre pour l'Armée du Rhin" was written and composed by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in 1792. The French National Convention adopted it as the Republic's anthem in 1795...
" into his "Paris-Walzer", Op. 101.
Strauss married Maria Anna Streim in 1825 in the parish church of Liechtenthal in Vienna. The marriage was relatively unhappy due to his prolonged absences caused by frequent tours abroad which led to a gradual alienation.
The family home was called 'Hirschenhaus' but was better better known in Vienna as the 'Goldener Hirsch' (The Golden Stag). Strauss was a strict disciplinarian and demanded that none of his sons pursue careers in music, despite them displaying musical talent. Johann Junior was to study banking, likewise his brother Josef Strauss
Josef Strauss
Josef Strauss was an Austrian composer.He was born in Vienna, the son of Johann Strauss I and Maria Anna Streim, and brother of Johann Strauss II and Eduard Strauss. His father wanted him to choose a career in the Austrian Habsburg military...
was destined for a military career, whereas the youngest Eduard Strauss
Eduard Strauss
Eduard Strauss was an Austrian composer who, together with brothers Johann Strauss II and Josef Strauss made up the Strauss musical dynasty. The family dominated the Viennese light music world for decades, creating many waltzes and polkas for many Austrian nobility as well as dance-music...
was expected to join the Austrian consulate
Consul (representative)
The political title Consul is used for the official representatives of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, and to facilitate trade and friendship between the peoples of the two countries...
.
By 1834 Strauss had taken a mistress, Emilie Trampusch, with whom he had six children. When her husband openly acknowledged his paternity of a daughter born to Emilie in 1844, Maria Anna sued for divorce. With the ending of the marriage Anna Strauss determined to further Johann Strauss II's musical career, allowing him to develop his skills as a composer.
Despite family problems, Strauss senior continued to tour frequently and was always prepared to write novelty pieces for numerous charitable organizations. His waltzes were gradually developed from a rustic peasant dance into one which posterity would recognize as the Viennese Waltz
Viennese Waltz
Viennese Waltz is the genre of a ballroom dance. At least three different meanings are recognized. In the historically first sense, the name may refer to several versions of the waltz, including the earliest waltzes done in ballroom dancing, danced to the music of Viennese Waltz.What is now called...
. They were written in three-quarter time with a short introduction; often with little or no reference to the later chain of five two-part waltz structure; usually appended with a short coda and concluded in a stirring finish, although his son Johann Strauss II expanded the waltz structure and utilized more instruments than his father. While he did not possess a musical talent as rich as his eldest son's, nor a business mind as astute, he was among the handful of early waltz composers along with Joseph Lanner to actively write pieces with individual titles — with the view to boost sales of their sheet music — which enabled music enthusiasts to easily recognize those pieces. In fact, during his performances at the Sperl-Ballroom in Vienna, where he established his name, he actively pursued the concept of collecting a fixed entrance fee from the patrons of the ballroom instead of the old practice of passing around a collection plate where income was reliant on the goodwill of the patrons.
Johann Strauss II often played his father's works and openly declared his admiration of them, although it was no secret to the Viennese that their rivalry was intense, with the press at that time fueling it. Johann Strauss I himself refused to play ever again at the Dommayer's Casino, which offered his son his conducting debut, and was to tower over his son during his lifetime in terms of career advancement, although Strauss II was to eclipse him in terms of popularity in the classical repertoire. In 1846, Johann Strauss I was awarded the honorary title of K.K. Hofballmusikdirektor (Director of Music for the Imperial and Royal Court Balls) by Emperor Ferdinand I
Ferdinand I of Austria
Ferdinand I was Emperor of Austria, President of the German Confederation, King of Hungary and Bohemia , as well as associated dominions from the death of his father, Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor, until his abdication after the Revolutions of 1848.He married Maria Anna of Savoy, the sixth child...
.
Strauss died in Vienna in 1849 from scarlet fever
Scarlet fever
Scarlet fever is a disease caused by exotoxin released by Streptococcus pyogenes. Once a major cause of death, it is now effectively treated with antibiotics...
contracted from one of his illegitimate children. He was buried at the Döblinger cemetery beside his friend Joseph Lanner. In 1904, both of their remains were transferred to the graves of honour at the Zentralfriedhof
Zentralfriedhof
The Zentralfriedhof is one of the largest cemeteries in the world, largest by number of interred in Europe and most famous cemetery among Vienna's nearly 50 cemeteries.-Name and location:...
. The former Döbling Cemetery
Döbling Cemetery
The Döbling Cemetery is a cemetery in the 19th district of Vienna, Döbling.- Location :The cemetery lies in the south of Döbling on the border to Währing in the Katastralgemeinde of Oberdöbling, in the Hartäckerstraße...
is now a Strauss-Lanner Park. Hector Berlioz
Hector Berlioz
Hector Berlioz was a French Romantic composer, best known for his compositions Symphonie fantastique and Grande messe des morts . Berlioz made significant contributions to the modern orchestra with his Treatise on Instrumentation. He specified huge orchestral forces for some of his works; as a...
himself paid tribute to the 'Father of the Viennese Waltz' by commenting that 'Vienna without Strauss is like Austria without the Danube'.
Waltzes
- Täuberln-WalzerTäuberln-WalzerTäuberln-Walzer , opus 1, is a waltz composed by Johann Strauss I. The work is very simple in form, containing seven melodies without an introduction or coda...
, Op. 1 Little Doves (1827) - Döblinger Réunion-WalzerDöblinger Réunion-WalzerDöblinger Réunion-Walzer , opus 2, is a waltz composed by Johann Strauss I in 1826. The orchestral arrangement of the work was for 1 flute, 2 clarinets, 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 1st and 2nd violins, viola , double bass and percussion. The composition was first performed at the Ober-Döbling, not far from...
, Op. 2 Dobling Reunion Waltz - Wiener CarnevalWiener CarnevalWiener Carneval , opus 3, is a waltz composed by Johann Strauss I in 1828. The waltz was intended as a contribution to the carnival of 1828 Johann Strauss appeared as leader of a group of musicians at the balls at the Kettenbrücke in Leopoldstadt...
, Op. 3 Viennese Carnival (1828) - Kettenbrücke-WalzerKettenbrücke-WalzerKettenbrücke-Walzer , opus 4, is a waltz composed by Johann Strauss I in 1828. Its title commemorated the construction of the first chain bridge over the branch of the Danube through the inner city of Sophiebrücke in Vienna. The composition employed the instrumentation of: one flute, two clarinets,...
, Op. 4 Suspension Bridge (1828) - Gesellschafts-WalzerGesellschafts-WalzerGesellschafts-Walzer , opus 5, is a waltz composed by Johann Strauss I. The work had been composed during the period of Strauss’ service in Josef Lanner’s small orchestra, and premiered at one of the balls at the Zum weissen Schwan in Rossau, Vienna, after Strauss had been appointed as music...
, Op. 5 Association’s Waltz - Wiener Launen-WalzerWiener Launen-WalzerWiener Launen-Walzer , opus 6, is a waltz composed by Johann Strauss I. It premiered in the ballroom of the Weisser Schwan on the 26th November 1827. The evening marked the beginning of the first Katharinen-Ball, the last dance celebration before the beginning of Advent...
, Op. 6 Vienna Fancies Waltz - Tivoli-Rutsch Walzer, Op. 39 Tivoli-Slide (1830)
- Das Leben ein Tanz oder Der Tanz ein Leben! Walzer, Op. 49 Life is a Dance
- Elisabethen-Walzer, Op. 71
- Philomelen-Walzer, Op. 82
- Paris-Walzer, Op. 101 (1838)
- Huldigung der Königin Victoria von Grossbritannien, Op. 103 Homage to Queen Victoria of Great Britain
- Wiener Gemüths-Walzer, Op. 116 Viennese Sentiments (1840)
- Lorelei Rhein Klänge, Op. 154 Echoes of the Rhine Loreley (1843)
Polkas
- Seufzer-GaloppSeufzer-GaloppSeufzer-Galopp , opus 9, is a galop composed by Johann Strauss I. It first appeared in print in December of 1828. It was written during the years in which Josef Lanner and Strauss for the moment competed with each other with an ensemble of a handful of musicians, each at the head of a small band....
, Op. 9 Sighing - Chineser-Galopp, Op. 20 Chinese
- Einzugs-galopp, Op. 35 Entrance Galopp
- Sperl-Galopp, Op. 42
- Fortuna-Galopp, Op. 69
- Jugendfeuer-Galopp, Op. 90 Young Spirit
- Cachucha-Galopp, Op. 97
- Indianer-Galopp, Op. 111 Red Indian Galopp
- Sperl-Polka, Op. 133
- Beliebte Annen-Polka, Op. 137 Beloved Anna
- Piefke und Pufke Polka, Op. 235
See also
- The Strauss FamilyThe Strauss FamilyThe Strauss Family is a 1972 Associated Television series, made in England, of eight episodes, about the family of composers of that name, including Johann Strauss I and his sons Johann Strauss II, Eduard Strauss and Josef Strauss....
, TV drama - List of Austrians
- List of Austrians in music
External links
- Norbert Rubey, “Johann Strauss, Sr. — ‘A Musician by the Grace of God’?,” tr. Jeroen H.C. Tempelman, Vienna Music, no. 100 (Spring 2011), pp. 16–19
- Johann Strauss Sr. — Biography
- Complete list of Johann Strauss' Works