Johann Strauss

Johann Strauss Jr., scion of a famous Austrian musical family, made the waltz world-famous. While his father, together with Joseph Lanner, created the characteristic 19th century form of the Viennese waltz, it was Johann Strauss’s specific contribution that made it the most popular entertainment of its time. Musical director of the imperial court ball from 1863, he spread the fame of his works with his own orchestra and on concert tours to the United States. The significant features of his waltzes like "Wiener Blut" ("Viennese Spirit"), "Kaiserwalzer" ("The Emperor Waltz") or "An der schönen blauen Donau" ("On The Beautiful Blue Danube") are their verve, their wealth of beautiful melody and their individualistic, charming "Viennese” accent. Today, the Vienna Philharmonic’s annual New Year’s Concert is the most celebrated occasion for the performance Strauss’s waltzes, polkas, marches, quadrilles or gallops. Honored by the nickname, "The Waltz King”, Strauss also achieved world renown with such operettas as "Die Fledermaus", "Der Zigeunerbaron" ("The Gypsy Baron") or "Eine Nacht in Venedig" ("A Night in Venice").