Johann Strauss Sohn (1825-1899)

Started by Lisztianwagner, December 16, 2011, 12:15:23 PM

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Lisztianwagner

Johann Strauss' music is quite special for me, and I noticed there wasn't a general topic about the "Waltz King" :)

I started being an extreme fan of classical music listening to Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Haydn, but I was introduced to it for the very first time after listening to some pieces by J. Strauss II at the New Year's Concert 1998 (Rosen aus dem Süden, Nur Fort!-Polka and An der schönen blauen Donau, plus Strauss Father's Radetzky-Marsch); I was rather impressed by the deep beauty, the wonderful harmony and the great brilliance that music bursts out, a music so enjoyable and colourful!
I've never considered Strausses compositions as "light music", but always as an intense, passionate and powerfully emotional expression of the viennese nature: those stunning works (especially the waltzes), with that hauting rythm and amazing orchestration, which create almost descrptive moments, are certainly much more than "dancing music".

Fell free to leave any comment you want about Johann Strauss II, but also the rest of the Strauss Family, the Wiener Philharmoniker and the Wiener Neujahrskonzert.
"Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire." - Gustav Mahler

madaboutmahler

Listening to his music is always a delight and highly enjoyable! Often his melodies are so irresistable and charming that one cannot stop thinking of them continuously! And I certainly agree, his works definitely seem to capture the Viennese spirit, and in a very beautiful way. I enjoy so many of his waltzes, too many to list here. It is rather difficult to find a dull one in the whole lot!
Obviously, his works are not as powerful and passionate as that of some of his contemporaries, such as Brahms and Dvorak etc, but J.Strauss II certainly still is a master of his craft and his music is always wonderful to listen to.
"Music is ... A higher revelation than all Wisdom & Philosophy"
— Ludwig van Beethoven

Lisztianwagner

Nice to see you here Daniel, I'm really glad you like Strauss' compositions :)

Yes, althought his music is very beautiful and enchanting, I admit that Strauss can not be as thrilling, evocative and impressive as Wagner, Beethoven, R. Strauss or Mahler; but comparing waltzes and polkas to symphonies, tone poems and operas would not be right, they're totally different compositions.
But read what his contemporaries thought about Schani:

"How could I forget the laughing genius of Vienna?" - Richard Strauss
"Unfortunately, NOT by Johannes Brahms." - Johannes Brahms about the "Blue Danube"
"The most musical mind of Europe" - Richard Wagner
"That man oozes with music!" - Johannes Brahms
"Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire." - Gustav Mahler

madaboutmahler

Quote from: Lisztianwagner on December 17, 2011, 04:53:33 AM
Nice to see you here Daniel, I'm really glad you like Strauss' compositions :)

Yes, althought his music is very beautiful and enchanting, I admit that Strauss can not be as thrilling, evocative and impressive as Wagner, Beethoven, R. Strauss or Mahler; but comparing waltzes and polkas to symphonies, tone poems and operas would not be right, they're totally different compositions.
But read what his contemporaries thought about Schani:

"How could I forget the laughing genius of Vienna?" - Richard Strauss
"Unfortunately, NOT by Johannes Brahms." - Johannes Brahms about the "Blue Danube"
"The most musical mind of Europe" - Richard Wagner
"That man oozes with music!" - Johannes Brahms

:)

Very true point, waltzes and polkas (etc) are too different to be compared with symphonies, tone poems etc. Both serve different purposes in the world of music. I particularly like the quote from R.Strauss, and completely agree with it! J.Strauss II's music is so enjoyable, and fun! :)
"Music is ... A higher revelation than all Wisdom & Philosophy"
— Ludwig van Beethoven

Lisztianwagner

Quote from: madaboutmahler on December 17, 2011, 05:31:42 AM
:)

Very true point, waltzes and polkas (etc) are too different to be compared with symphonies, tone poems etc. Both serve different purposes in the world of music. I particularly like the quote from R.Strauss, and completely agree with it! J.Strauss II's music is so enjoyable, and fun! :)

:)

I suppose you would change Wagner's quote in this way: "Mahler is the most musical mind of Europe".  ;)
"Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire." - Gustav Mahler

madaboutmahler

Quote from: Lisztianwagner on December 17, 2011, 05:41:29 AM
:)

I suppose you would change Wagner's quote in this way: "Mahler is the most musical mind of Europe".  ;)
I would! ;D
In fact, I would change it even further by saying: "Mahler is the most musical mind of THE WORLD"
;)
I wonder what Wagner would have thought of Mahler's music....
"Music is ... A higher revelation than all Wisdom & Philosophy"
— Ludwig van Beethoven

Lisztianwagner

"Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire." - Gustav Mahler

madaboutmahler

"Music is ... A higher revelation than all Wisdom & Philosophy"
— Ludwig van Beethoven

Mirror Image

Johann Strauss's music bores the living daylights out of me. There's nothing remotely interesting about his music to me. But hey, if you like his music, then that's all that matters. 8)

Mirror Image

Quote from: madaboutmahler on December 17, 2011, 05:58:07 AM
In fact, I would change it even further by saying: "Mahler is the most musical mind of THE WORLD"
;)

Oh, jeez.... ::)

madaboutmahler

Quote from: Mirror Image on December 27, 2011, 09:50:02 AM
Johann Strauss's music bores the living daylights out of me. There's nothing remotely interesting about his music to me. But hey, if you like his music, then that's all that matters. 8)

What wonderful things to say on a thread dedicated to the appreciation of J.Strauss!
Surely John, you must agree that his music is great fun and is a high pleasure to listen to. Always makes me smile!
"Music is ... A higher revelation than all Wisdom & Philosophy"
— Ludwig van Beethoven

Lisztianwagner

Quote from: madaboutmahler on December 27, 2011, 09:03:46 AM
Looks fun - looking forward to watching it! :)

Definitely! :) They're playing a lot of rare compositions this year (even Tchaikovsky's waltzes, how wonderful), that's great to see they don't always restrict choices to the usual thirty/forty pieces :)
But as a matter Janssons has always been a very enlightened conductor ;)
"Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire." - Gustav Mahler

Mirror Image

Quote from: madaboutmahler on December 27, 2011, 09:57:29 AM
What wonderful things to say on a thread dedicated to the appreciation of J.Strauss!
Surely John, you must agree that his music is great fun and is a high pleasure to listen to. Always makes me smile!

Well I had to say it. :) The only Strauss I like is Richard.

madaboutmahler

Quote from: Lisztianwagner on December 27, 2011, 10:43:18 AM
Definitely! :) They're playing a lot of rare compositions this year (even Tchaikovsky's waltzes, how wonderful), that's great to see they don't always restrict choices to the usual thirty/forty pieces :)
But as a matter Janssons has always been a very enlightened conductor ;)

I agree, Janssons is a great conductor! I am sure he will bring delightful performances to this charming repetoire! :)
"Music is ... A higher revelation than all Wisdom & Philosophy"
— Ludwig van Beethoven

Lisztianwagner

Quote from: Mirror Image on December 27, 2011, 09:50:02 AM
Johann Strauss's music bores the living daylights out of me. There's nothing remotely interesting about his music to me. But hey, if you like his music, then that's all that matters. 8)

Unfortunately, Strauss never used the hammer for his music, so I can't strike you with Strauss hammer ;D

Joking aside, I'm sorry to read this, because I've always found Strausses works very powerfully emotional, enchanting and not boring at all; maybe those compositions can't be as deep, haunting and thrilling as Wagner's, Mahler's or Koechlin's one are (Koechlin in your case), but that is the magic of music: it can show its power and its beauty in many different ways.
Anyway I respect your opinion :)
"Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire." - Gustav Mahler

mc ukrneal

Another vote for Strauss!!! Here are a couple interesting ones, a bit off the beaten track...
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And there is plenty more!!
Be kind to your fellow posters!!

Lisztianwagner

Quote from: mc ukrneal on December 27, 2011, 11:13:57 AM
Another vote for Strauss!!! Here are a couple interesting ones, a bit off the beaten track...
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And there is plenty more!!

Welcome and enjoy the thread! ;)

I like both Aschenbrödel and Fürstin Ninetta, agree they're rather interesting works :)
"Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire." - Gustav Mahler

madaboutmahler

Quote from: Lisztianwagner on December 27, 2011, 11:13:06 AM
Unfortunately, Strauss never used the hammer for his music, so I can't strike you with Strauss hammer ;D

Joking aside, I'm sorry to read this, because I've always found Strausses works very powerfully emotional, enchanting and not boring at all; maybe those compositions can't be as deep, haunting and thrilling as Wagner's, Mahler's or Koechlin's one are (Koechlin in your case), but that is the magic of music: it can show its power and its beauty in many different ways.
Anyway I respect your opinion :)

Beautifully expressed, Ilaria. :)
And that first sentence did make me laugh! :D
"Music is ... A higher revelation than all Wisdom & Philosophy"
— Ludwig van Beethoven

Lisztianwagner

Quote from: madaboutmahler on December 27, 2011, 11:35:28 AM
Beautifully expressed, Ilaria. :)
And that first sentence did make me laugh! :D

Thank you Daniel :)
Haha, yes, I have to admit that it was a good witty remark.
"Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire." - Gustav Mahler

Lisztianwagner

Quote from: cilgwyn on December 27, 2011, 06:11:20 PM
Each to his own,I say! I used to listen to allot of operetta when I was younger & 'Die Fledermaus' was played quite allot!
Sadly,these days I find operetta a little too light weight,although I DO like the opera's of Lortzing,which is singspiel,really,or maybe operetta with a little more meat? Indeed,some people might even (do?) class it as operetta.
It Is nice to see Johan Strauss thread here,though.
Incidentally,have our own Gilbert and Sullivan got one? I'm not a huge G & S fan,but for some strange reason I do have allot of the old D'oyly Carte Decca recordings on cd!

Thanks for joining the thread! :)
I like operetta, especially the viennese one (Strauss, Lehar); it's very beautiful, enchanting and with a brilliant, involving rythm...a perfect compromise between waltz and opera I think.
The french composer J. Offenbach was very prolific in that genre as well, but I'm not a great fan of his music, apart from some pieces from La Vie Parisienne and Orphée aux Enfers; that is music I consider a little too light, not deep and passionate enough.
I'm not very familiar with Gilbert and Sullivan, I only know their H.M.S. Pinafore, which is a rather enjoyable work.

QuoteIncidentally,going back to Strauss's 'Fledermaus',does anyone remember the Carlos Kleiber recording of Die Fledermaus with Ivan Rebroff singing the part of Orlofsky in a truly apalling falsetto? Dame Edna Everage,anyone? What a disaster! And Hermann prey & Lucia Popp,two of my favourite singers,amongst an excellent cast. Tut,tut! It could have been so good! :o
  The emi Boskovsky recording was a favourite of mine. No falsetto's there,thank goodness. Also,for some reason,I used to like the Metropolitan Opera recording with Lily Pons! A strange one that,I know! :o

Die Fledermaus is definitely my favourite Strausses operetta along with Der Zigeunerbaron, they are certainly masterpieces!
About Die Fledermaus, I agree the Boskovsky is absolutely one of the most stunning and melodious versions ever recorded; I think also Karajan made amazing perfomances of it, both with the Wiener Phil and the Philharmonia Orchestra.
"Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire." - Gustav Mahler