Émile Waldteufel was a French

French people

The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...

 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...

 of dance music

Dance music

Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...

.

Life

Émile Waldteufel (German

German language

German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....

 for forest devil) was born in Strasbourg

Strasbourg

Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...

 to a Jewish Alsatian

Alsace

Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...

 family of musicians.
His father Louis had a respected orchestra

Orchestra

An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...

, and his brother Léon was a successful musician. When Léon won a place to study 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....

 performance at the Conservatoire de Paris

Conservatoire de Paris

The Conservatoire de Paris is a college of music and dance founded in 1795, now situated in the avenue Jean Jaurès in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, France...

, the family followed him there. It was in Paris

Paris

Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

 that Waldteufel spent the rest of his life.

Waldteufel studied the piano

Piano

The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...

 at the Conservatoire de Paris from 1853 to 1857. Among his fellow pupils was Jules Massenet

Jules Massenet

Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet was a French composer best known for his operas. His compositions were very popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and he ranks as one of the greatest melodists of his era. Soon after his death, Massenet's style went out of fashion, and many of his operas...

. During his time at the conservatory, Louis Waldteufel's orchestra became one of the most famous in Paris, and Émile was frequently invited to play at important events.
At the age of 27, Émile became the court pianist of the Empress Eugénie. After the Franco-Prussian War

Franco-Prussian War

The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...

 had dissolved the Second French Empire

Second French Empire

The Second French Empire or French Empire was the Imperial Bonapartist regime of Napoleon III from 1852 to 1870, between the Second Republic and the Third Republic, in France.-Rule of Napoleon III:...

, the orchestra played at Presidential balls at the Élysée

Élysée Palace

The Élysée Palace is the official residence of the President of the French Republic, containing his office, and is where the Council of Ministers meets. It is located near the Champs-Élysées in Paris....

. At this time only a few members of the French high society knew of Émile; he was nearly 40 before he became better known.

In October 1874 Waldteufel played at an event that was attended by the Prince of Wales

Prince of Wales

Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...

 and future King Edward VII of the United Kingdom

Edward VII of the United Kingdom

Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...

. The Prince was enthralled by Waldteufel's "Manolo" 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...

, and was prepared to make Waldteufel's music known in Britain

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

. A long-term contract with the London-based editor Hopwood & Crew followed. Part of the company belonged to Charles Coote, director of the Coote & Tinney’s Band, the first dance orchestra in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

. Through these means, Waldteufel's music was played at Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...

 in front of Queen Victoria

Victoria of the United Kingdom

Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....

. Waldteufel dominated the music scene in London and became world-famous. During this period he composed his best known works, many of which are still heard today around the world. He became best-known for the waltz "Les Patineurs

Les Pâtineurs

Les Patineurs or The Skaters or Die Schlittschuhläufer , Op. 183, is a waltz by Émile Waldteufel.Known in English as The Skaters' Waltz, it was composed in 1882 and was inspired by the Cercle des Patineurs or 'Rink of Skaters' at the Bois de Boulogne in Paris...

" (The Ice Skaters), composed in 1882.

Waldteufel gave concerts in several European cities, such as London in 1885, Berlin

Berlin

Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...

 in 1889 and the Paris Opéra Balls in 1890 and 1891. He continued his career as 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...

 and writing dance music for the Presidential Balls until 1899 when he retired.

In 1915 Waldteufel died in Paris at the age of 77. His wife, Célestine Dufau, a former singer, had died a year earlier. They had two sons and a daughter.

Waldteufel conducted with a stick rather than the then-customary violin bow. His compositions were first created at the piano and later orchestrated. The typical Waldteufel orchestra consisted of strings

String instrument

A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...

 and a doubled woodwind section, two cornet

Cornet

The cornet is a brass instrument very similar to the trumpet, distinguished by its conical bore, compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B. It is not related to the renaissance and early baroque cornett or cornetto.-History:The cornet was...

s, four horn

Horn (instrument)

The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....

s, three trombone

Trombone

The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...

s, and ophicleide

Ophicleide

The ophicleide is a family of conical bore, brass keyed-bugles. It has a similar shape to the sudrophone.- History :The ophicleide was invented in 1817 and patented in 1821 by French instrument maker Jean Hilaire Asté as an extension to the keyed bugle or Royal Kent bugle family...

 or euphonium

Euphonium

The euphonium is a conical-bore, tenor-voiced brass instrument. It derives its name from the Greek word euphonos, meaning "well-sounding" or "sweet-voiced"...

, along with percussion.

Waldteufel's music can be distinguished from Johann Strauss II

Johann 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...

's waltzes and polkas in that he used subtle harmonies and gentle phrases, unlike Strauss's more robust approach. The noted 19th century American bandmaster and dancing instructor Allen Dodworth referred to the long legato melody lines of Waldteufel's compositions as "Hymn-tune waltzes", adding "They are beloved of pianists on account of the great rest they give to the hands, which is why they cling to them with loving laziness." It was considered that Waldteufel's music was not revolutionary, which explained why his waltzes fell out of favor as the age of Impressionism

Impressionism

Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement that originated with a group of Paris-based artists whose independent exhibitions brought them to prominence during the 1870s and 1880s...

 came to Paris.

A biography of the Waldteufel family by Andrew Lamb

Andrew Lamb (writer)

Andrew Martin Lamb is an English writer, musicologist and broadcaster, known for his expertise in light music and musical theatre.-Biography:Lamb was born in Oldham, Lancashire, England, on 23 September 1942, the son of Harry Lamb, a schoolmaster, and his wife Winifred, née Emmott...

 was published in 1995.

(with opus number)

• Kamiesch, March, Op. 5
• Myosotis, Waltz (Vergissmeinnicht), Op. 101
• Jean qui pleure et Jean qui rit, Polka burlesque, Op. 106
• Bella, Polka-mazurka, Op. 113 (1867)
• Dans les bois, Polka-mazurka, op. 119
• Les Lointains, Waltz, op. 121
• Mellow waltz op. 123 (1866)
• Carolinen, Polka, op. 124
• Dans les champs polka-mazurka
  Polka-mazurka
  The polka-mazurek is a dance, musically similar to the mazurek, but danced much like the polka. Many polka-mazurek's were composed by Johann Strauss II and his family. Johann Strauss I did not compose any of this type of music; the first polka-mazurek example written by the Strauss family was in...
  
   op. 125 In the Fields (1868)
• Madeleine, Waltz, Op. 126
• Desiree, Polka Mazurka, Op. 132
• Térésa (Antoinette) waltz op. 133 (1864)
• Joujou-Polka, Op. 135
• Manolo, Waltz, op. 140 (1874?)
• Rose et Marguerites, Waltz, op. 141
• Tout a vous (Yours Very Truly / Dir allein), Valse, Op.142 (1875)
• Bien aimés waltz Op.143 (1875)
• Entre nous waltz op. 144 (1876)
• Flots de joie (Waves of Joy I Auf Glückes Wogen), Valse, Op.145 (1875)
• Grand vitesse (High Speed / Eilgut), Galop, Op. 146 (1876)
• Violettes waltz op. 148 Violets (1876)
• Au revoir (Farewell), Valse, Op.149 (1876)
• A toi, (To Thee / An Dich) waltz, op. 150
• Mon rêve, waltz op. 151 My Dream (1877)
• Prestissimo, Galop, Op. 152 (1877)
• Hommage aux dames, Waltz, op. 153
• Les Sirènes ('The Sirens' / 'Sirenenzauber'), Valse, Op. 154 (1878)
• Pomone waltz op. 155 Pomona (1877)
• Toujours ou jamais ('Ever or Never' / 'Immer oder Nimmer'), Valse, Op. 156 (1877)
• Les Folies (Acts of Folly / Tolle Streiche), Polka, Op. 157 (1878)
• Très Jolie ('Very Pretty' / 'Ganz allerliebst'), Valse, Op. 159 (1878)
• Pluie de diamants / Pluie d'or ('Golden Rain' / 'Goldregen'), Valse, Op.160 (1879)
• La Bercuese, Waltz, Op. 161
• Brune ou blonde (Brunette or Blonde / Braun oder Blond), Valse, Op.162 (1878)
• Bella bocca (Bonne bouche), Polka I Gourmand-Polka, Op. 163 (1879)
• Gaite, Valse (Gaiety, Waltz / Frohsinns-walzer), Op.164 (1878)
• Ma charmante waltz op. 166 My Charming Lady (1879)
• Autresfois, Waltz, Op. 167
• Minuit, Polka, Op. 168
• Toujours fidèle ('Ever Faithful' / 'Treuliebchen'), Valse, Op. 169 (1879)
• Dolorès waltz op. 170 (1880)
• Chantilly, Waltz, Op.171 (1880)
• Solitude, waltz op. 174 (1881)
• Jeunesse doree (Gilded Youth I Jugendtraume), Valse, Op.175 (1881)
• Je t'aime ('I Love You' / 'Ich liebe Dich'), Valse, Op.177 (1882)
• La BarcarolIe, Valse, Op.178 (1882)
• Naples, Waltz, Op. 179
• La Source
  La Source
  La source is a ballet in three acts/four scenes with a score composed by Léo Delibes and Ludwig Minkus which was premiered in 1866 with choreography by Arthur Saint-Léon...
  
   waltz op. 180 (1882)
• Trictrac, Polka, Op. 181
• L'Esprit français ('The French Spirit' "Geistesfunken'), Polka, Op.182 (1882)
• Les Patineurs waltz op. 183 The Skaters (1882)
• Mariana, Waltz, Op. 185
• Les Sourires ('The Smiles' / 'Holdes Lscheln'), Valse, Op. 187 (1883)
• Soirée d'été ('Summer Evening' / 'Ein Sommerabend'), Valse, Op. 188 (1883)
• En Garde! Polka militaire, Op. 189
• Les Fleurs ('The Flowers'), Valse, Op. 190 (1883)
• Estudiantina
  Estudiantina
  The Estudiantina waltz, or Band of Students Waltz is a musical arrangement, made in 1883, by Emile Waldteufel, which would be his Opus 191, No. 4. Its melody was composed earlier in 1881 by Paul Lacome, with lyrics by J. de Lau Lusignan....
  
   waltz op. 191 Band of Students (1883) (arrangement from Paul Lacome http://orchestreugenie.free.fr/articlepaullacome.pdf reputated "Duos")
• Pres de toi, Waltz, Op. 193
• Nid d'Amour, Waltz, Op. 195
• Jeux d'espirit, Polka, op. 196
• Camarade, Polka, op. 197
• Joie envolee, Waltz, Op. 198
• Tresor d'amour (Love- Treasure / Schatzliebchen), Valse, Op. 199 (1885)
• Tout en rose ('Through Rose-Coloured Spectacles' / 'In bester Laune'), Valse, Op. 200 (1885)
• Un premier bouquet (A First Bouquet / Der erste Blumenstrauss), Valse, Op. 201 (1885)
• Reverie, Valse, Op. 202 (1885)
• Retour des champs ('Return from the fields' / 'Heimkehr vom Felde'), Polka, Op. 203 (1885)
• Illusion, Waltz, Op. 204
• Ma Voisine ('My Neighbour' / 'Meine Nachbarin'), Polka, Op. 206 (1886)
• Valse militaire (The Grenadiers
  The Grenadiers
  The Grenadiers are an infantry regiment of the Indian Army, formerly part of the Bombay Army and later the pre-independence Indian Army, when the regiment was known as the 4th Bombay Grenadiers. It has distinguished itself during the two world wars and also since the Independence of India...
  
  ), Waltz, Op. 207
• Dans les nuages ('In the Clouds' / 'In den Wolken'), Valse, Op. 208 (1886)
• Idylle, Waltz, Op. 209
• Tendres baisers, Waltz, Op. 211
• La Cinquantaine / Joyeux Paris ('Merry Paris' / 'Jubel-Polka'), Polka, Op. 215 (1886)
• Les Bohémiens ('The Bohemians' / 'Zigeuner-Polka'), Polka, Op. 216 (1887)
• Tendresse, Waltz, Op. 217
• Coquetterie (Princess May), Valse, Op. 218 (1887)
• Tout ou rien ('All or Nothing' / 'Alles oder Nichts'), Polka, Op. 219 (1887)
• Acclamations (Hoch lebe der Tanz!), Valse, Op. 223 (1888)
• Papilons bleus, Waltz, Op. 224
• Chateau en Espagne (Castles in the Air / Luftschlösser), Polka, Op. 225 (1888)
• Dans tes yeux, Waltz, op. 227
• Hébé ('Hebe'), Valse, Op. 228 (1888)
• Etincelles, Waltz, Op. 229
• Roses de Noel, Waltz, Op. 230
• Rococo-Polka op. 232 (1888)
• Bagatelle, Polka, Op. 233
• Sur la plage, Waltz, Op. 234
• Vision valse op. 235 Visions (1888)
• España, waltz op. 236 (1886) (after Chabrier)
• Par-ci, par-là ('Hither and Thither'), Polka, Op. 239 (1883)
• Tout-Paris ('Fashionable Paris' / 'Pariser-Walzer'), Valse, Op. 240 (1889)
• Ange d'amour ('Angel of Love' / 'Liebesengel'), Valse, Op. 241 (1889)
• Nuee d'oiseaux (Cloud of Birds / Zugvogel), Polka, Op. 243 (1890)
• Retour de Printemps, Waltz, Op. 244
• Invitation à la gavotte ('Invitation to the Gavotte'), Op. 246 (1891)
• Fontaine lumineuse ('Bright Fountain' / 'Uchtfontaine'), Valse, Op. 247 (1891)
• Zig-zag, Polka, Op. 248 (1891)
• Sous la voûte étoilée (Under the Starry Canopy / Himmelsaugen), Valse, Op. 253 (1892)
• Souveraine (Sovereign), Mazurka, Op. 255 (1893)

(without opus number)

• Amour et printemps (Love and Spring / Liebe und Frühling), Valse (1880)
• Fleurs et baisers, Waltz (1904)
• Beobile, Pizzicato (1908?)
• La fauvette du temple, Valse (date unknown)

External links

• Orchestre de salon Eugénie: A Parisian salon orchestra specialized in French and Parisian dance music between 1850 and 1900 (waltz, polka, quadrilles, schottische). An important part of their activities and performances is dedicated to Émile Waldteufel, Léon Waldteufel (the brother) and Louis Waldteufel's music.