- Naxosdirect.com

The Leading Classical Music Label Direct To You

Read reviews, listen to the music, and purchase the

Customer Service Toll Free 866.489.4152

Flash 9 required. Click to download.

Narrow your search
with our Music Browser

Classical Music

        Ballet
        Chamber Music
        Choral
        Concertos
        Film Music
        Folk Legends
        Instrumental
        Musicals
        Opera / Operetta
        Orchestral
        Vocal

Jazz

Jazz Contemporary
Jazz Icons

New Age

Wind Band

World

        Ballad
        Bhuddist
        Chinese Music
        Classical (World)
        Early Music (World)
        Folk
        Gamelan
        Gypsy
        Hindustani
        Jazz (World)
        Klezmer
        Sufi
        Vocal (World)
        World

Special Offers:

Sale on select Chandos titles

Sale on select BBC Legends Items

Naxos Classics Clearance Sale

Sale on select Naxos American Classics

Sale on Charles Dickens DVD Box Set

Sale on select box sets

Clearance on Complete Beethoven Edition

Sale on the Jazz Icons Series

Clearance

Penguin Guide

200 Essential Recordings

Recently Released

Upcoming Releases

SACD

DVD

        Ballet DVD
        Classical Concert
        Classical Documentary
        Dance Documentary
        Opera DVD

Audio Books

        Anthologies / Collections
        Arts
        Biographies
        Children's Classics
        Classic Fiction
        Great Epics and Tales
        History
        Junior Classic Fiction
        Junior History
        Literature
        Music Biographies
        Music Education
        Non-Fiction
        Philosophy
        Plays - Others
        Plays - Shakespeare
        Poetry
        Religion
        Samplers
        Sports
        Wine Guide

NaxosDirect Podcasts

Video Librarian Reviews

Labels

Naxos Label

        Naxos American Classics
        Naxos Best Of...
        Naxos Box Sets
        Naxos Cinema Classics
        Naxos Classics
        Naxos DVD
        Naxos DVD-Audio
        Naxos International
        Naxos Jazz
        Naxos Limited Edition
        Naxos Milken Archives
        Naxos Night Music
        Naxos Opera
        Naxos Orchestral
        Naxos Special Release
        Naxos Wind Band Classics
        Naxos World

Composers

Conductors

Ensembles

Orchestras

Choirs

Artists

Instruments

Producers

Home

Classical Music

Orchestral

$0.00

This item is not currently available.

This item is currently out of print.

Link to this Link to this page

The Johann Strauss Edition Johann Strauss II, the most famous and enduringly successful of 19th-century light music composers, was born in Vienna on 25...

Read more about this recording

The Johann Strauss Edition

Johann Strauss II, the most famous and enduringly successful of 19th-century light music composers, was born in Vienna on 25 October 1825. Building upon the firm musical foundations laid by his father, Johann Strauss I (1804-1849) and Joseph Lanner (1801-1843), the younger Johann (along with his brothers, Josef and Eduard) achieved so high a development of the classical Viennese waltz that it became as much a feature of the concert hall as of the ballroom. For more than half a century Johann II captivated not only Vienna but also the whole of Europe and America with his abundantly tuneful waltzes, polkas, quadrilles and marches. The thrice-married 'Waltz King' later turned his attention to the composition of operetta, and completed 16 stage works besides more than 500 orchestral compositions - including the most famous of all waltzes, The Blue Danube (1867). Johann Strauss II died in Vienna on 3 June 1899.

The Marco Polo Strauss Edition is a milestone in recording history, presenting, for the first time ever, the entire orchestral output of the 'Waltz King'. Despite their supremely high standard of musical invention, the majority of the compositions have never before been commercially recorded and have been painstakingly assembled from archives around the world. All performances featured in this series are complete and, wherever possible, the works are played in their original instrumentation as conceived by the 'master orchestrator' himself, Johann Strauss II.

Carnevalsbilder, Walzer (Carnival Pictures, Waltz) op. 357

Little more than a year before the premi�re of Die Fledermaus, the curtain of Vienna's Theater an der Wien rose on another Johann Strauss operetta. Entitled Der Carneval in Rom

(,Carnival in Rome'), it opened at the theatre on 1 March 1873 to considerable critical and public acclaim. Set in Italy - a location for which the composer had a special affinity - it is a romantic tale about a Swiss peasant-girl's love for a handsome artist.

Johann based his orchestral waltz Garnevalsbilder

on melodies from Der Garneval in Rom, and conducted its first performance on 9 July 1873 at a spectacular scenic festival with illuminations in the grounds of the Blumensale der Gartenbaugesellschaft (Floral Halls of the Horticultural Assocation) in Vienna. The listener's attention is drawn to Waltz No. 2 (using music from the Act 2 Quintet and the Act 1 Introduction) which Oscar Straus was to arrange for his 1935 operetta Drei Walzer (Three Waltzes) as the soprano aria "Ich liebe das Leben" (better known in its French version: "Je t'aime").

Annen-Polka op. 117

It is ironic that a work as delicate as Johann's Annen-Polka should have received its first performance in the garden of an establishment on the Vienna Prater called 'Zum wilden Mann' (The Wild Man). The polka was occasioned by the Name Day celebrations for St Anna on 26 July 1852 - one of the most popular red-letter days in the Viennese calendar - although Johann presented his new work two days earlier, on 24 July, at an open-air festival. One press reporter commented: "Johann Strauss has given a lovely present to all the Annas, Ninas, Nanys, Nettchens etc, etc, with his latest polka, which he has entitled 'Annen Polka' in their honour. It pleased so much because of its charming, melodious and inviting dance tunes, that again and again there were demands for it to be repeated".

Indigo-Marsch op. 349

Johann's swaggering Indigo-Marsch

draws its themes from the score of his first operetta, Indigo und die vierzig Rauber (Indigo and the Forty Thieves), first seen at the Theater an der Wien, Vienna, on 10 February 1871. Strauss's theatrical debut had been eagerly awaited by the Viennese ever since the mid-1860s when he began making some early abortive attempts at composing for the stage. The critics, as ever, were divided in their opinions about Indigo, a re-working of a tale from The Arabian Nights, but the record takings at the box-office registered a unanimous verdict from the public.

With Indigo und die vierzig Rauber Johann adopted a practice he was to continue for the rest of his life, namely that of arranging melodies from his stage works as separate orchestral numbers. Thus, besides his new-found preoccupation with operetta composition he could, with minimum effort, still maintain a presence in ballrooms and concert halls around the world. It was, however, Johann's brother Eduard who first introduced the Viennese to the Indigo-Marsch, when he conducted it during his concert in the Musikverein on 9 April 1871. The work is based on melodies from the Act 1 Finale and from Act 3.

Albion-Polka op. 102

Johann Strauss dedicated his Albion-Polka to Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg (1819-61), the Consortof Queen Victoria.

However, the work predates by some sixteen years those dance pieces which the composer wrote for his sole London visit in 1867, and was intended instead to honour the Queen's newly accredited emissary and minister plenipotentiary to the Imperial Court in Vienna, John Fane, 11th Earl of Westmorland (1784-1859), recently arrived from Great Britain. The diplomat's presence in Vienna reflected British concern over numerous Hungarian emigrants who had fled the revolution in their own country and who were now seeking asylum in London.

The Earl and his wife, Priscilla, were both accomplished musicians and composers, and they gave several balls, concerts and other entertainments during their stay in Vienna. On several occasions Johann Strauss performed with his orchestra at the Earl's residence in the Palais Coburg, and for one of these festivities in autumn 1851 he wrote his Albion-Polka. The work takes its title from the old Roman name for Britain.

Gedanken auf den Alpen, Walzer (Thoughts in the Alps, Waltz) op. 172

Solo horn and clarinet in the opening of this waltz immediately establish the tranquil setting with its alpine echoes, inspired by the scenic mountainous surroundings of Bad Gastein.

At the beginning of August 1855 Johann Strauss, on doctors' orders, again travelled to the spa resort of Bad Gastein, south of Salzburg. Together with his servant, Johann stayed at the newly-built Hotel Straubinger for some six weeks, returning to Vienna in late September. He brought with him a new waltz, Gedanken auf den Alpen, which he had composed in Bad Gastein, and which he presented for the first time at the 'Sperl' dance hall on 15 October 1855 on the occasion of a grand St Theresia Name Day festival. Strauss dedicated his 'Gastein Waltz' to the music-loving father of the Ernpress Elisabeth of Austria, Duke Maximilian in Bavaria (1808-88).

Festival-Quadrille nach englischen Motiven

(Festival Quadrille on English thernes) op. 341

The 'Waltz King' paid only one visit to Great Britain - in 1867 - when he conducted the dance music at all 63 Promenade Concerts at London's Royal Italian Opera House, Covent Garden, from 15 August to 26 October. Among a number of new works specifically written, or arranged, for his London audiences was the Promenade Quadrille, on Popular Airs, first played on 7 October and encored. Some of the tunes are frorn American minstrel songs, popularised by the London visits of the Christy Minstrels, while others were taken frorn the music-hall repertoires of George Leybourne and 'The Great Vance'. The quadrille quotes frorn "Pull, pull together boys", "One a penny swells", "Any ornaments for your firestoves", "Jog along, boys", "I'll go no more on the Ohio" (known as "Pretty Jemima"), "Costermonger Joe", "Come along boys, let's make a noise", "The Dancing Swell", "Cool Burgundy Ben", "Going to the Derby in a four-in-hand" and "Just before the battle, mother" (perhaps now more familiar in the guise of "Jesus wants me for a sunbeam" or "Kiss me goodnight, Sergeant Major!"). The original version of the quadrille comprised just five sections, in accordance with English practice, but for its Viennese publication (rnisleadingly entitled Festival-Quadrille nach englischen Motiven) Strauss added newly-composed material for the missing 'Trenis' (Figure 4) section.

Habsburg Hoch! Marsch (Hail Habsburg! March) op. 408

In 1273 Count Rudolph of Habsburg acceded to the throne of Germany. Through force of arms he acquired certain territories including Austria and Styria and, seeking to strengthen his own 'Hausmacht' (dynastic power), as Emperor he bestowed these territories upon his two sons, Albert and Rudolph, on 27 Oecernber 1282. Thus began the association between the House of Habsburg and Austria, which was to exist until 1918.

27 Oecernber 1882 - 'Habsburg Day' - was marked by celebrations throughout Austria, including a festive evening in Vienna's Carl-Theater. Between a prologue by Josef Weyl and the premi�re of Ludwig Anzengruber's comedy, Die umkehrte Freit, Johann Strauss conducted the first performance of his march Habsburg Hoch! The work, written to mark 'the 600 years Commernoration of the most Illustrious House of Habsburg', features snatches from Haydn's Austrian Hymn, the Prinz Eugen-Lied and Strauss Father's Radetzky-Marsch.

Nachtveilchen, Polka-Mazur (Damne's Violet, Polka-mazurka) op. 170

The world of nature was a ready and constant source of inspiration to the Strauss family when seeking to name their innumerable pieces of dance music. Thus, on 1 July 1855 at Unger's Casino in Hernals, Johann presented his polka-mazurka Nachtveilchen - a plant known to English-speaking countries as dame's violet or dame's rocket (Hesperis matronalis) with attractive white, mauve or lilac flowers which give off a scent in the evening.

Lucifer-Polka op. 266

The first piano edition title-page of Strauss's polka depicts a peacful wooded park-landscape. In the sky is Lucifer, the 'light-bringer' - as the planet Venus is sometimes known when, as the Morning Star, it rises above the eastern horizon before sunrise. Yet there is a double-meaning in the title of Strauss's quick polka: the piano edition's illustrator opted for the astronomical interpretation, while the composer himself clearly had in mind Satan hirnself! This exciting work was especially composed for the ball of the Vienna Artists' Association, "Hesperus", held in the Dianabad-Saal on 22 February 1862, and is the companion piece to Johann's Hesperus-Polka ('Evening Star', which appears in Volume 5), written for the 1861 Hesperus-Ball.

Kaiser-Walzer (Emperor Waltz) op. 437

In the autumn of 1889 Johann Strauss conducted five concerts in Berlin at the newly-opened Konigsbau concert hall.

Prior to the composer's departure for Germany the Viennese press reported that he had sent his Berlin publisher a new waltz, entitled Hand in Hand.

This title referred to a toast made in August 1889 by the Austrian Emperor, Franz Joseph I, on the occasion of his visit to the German Kaiser, Wilhelm II, in which Austria had extended 'the hand of friendship' to Germany. The astute publisher, Fritz Simrock, suggested to Johann that Kaiser-Walzer might prove a more suitable title since, by not dedicating the work to either monarch, the vanity of both would be satisfied. It was under this, now familiar, title that the Waltz King's magnificent composition was first performed in Berlin on 21 October 1889 - though it should be noted thatthe illustrated title page of the original piano edition is emblazoned with the Austrian Imperial crown!

Programme notes � 1989 Peter Kemp. The Johann Strauss Society of Great Britain.

The author is indebted to Professor Franz Mailer for his assistance in the preparation of these notes.

Polish State Philharmonic

The Polish State Philharmonic was formed in the Silesian city of Katowicze in 1945, one of the first orchestras to be established in the post-war period. Since then it has assumed an important position giving concerts in Katowicze and the principal cities of this heavily industrialised region of Poland. The orchestra has visited England, Austria, West Germany, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, France, Italy and the Soviet Union and has taken part in a number of major music festivals.

Conductors appearing with the orchestra include Kyril Kondrashin, Hermann Abendroth. Gennady Rozhdestvensky and Carlo Zecchi, and soloists of the eminence of Sviatoslav Richter, Emil Gilels, Artur Rubinstein, Maurizio Pollini, Henryk Szeryng and David Oistrakh.

Johannes Wildner

Johannes Wildner was born in the Austrian resort of M�rzzuschlag in 1956 and studied violin and conducting, taking his diploma at the Vienna Musilhochschule and proceeding to a doctorate in musicology. A member of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Johannes Wildner has toured widely as leader of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra Johann Strauss Ensemble and of the Vienna Mozart Academy. As a conductor he has directed the Orchestra Sinfonica dell'Emilia Romagna Arturo Toscanini, the Budapest State Opera Orchestra, the Silesian Philharmonic and the Malmo Symphony Orchestra. He conducted performances of the Vienna Volksoper in the autumn of 1989 and has been invited to Japan, China, Denmark, Sweden, Poland and Italy.

Disc 1

Carnevalsbilder, Op. 357

(more info)

Performed by: Polish State Philharmonic Orchestra, Katowice
Composed by: Johann Strauss II
Conducted by: Johannes Wildner

Carnevalsbilder (Waltz), Op. 357 - 9:00

Annen Polka, Op. 117

(more info)

Performed by: Vienna State Opera Orchestra Polish State Philharmonic Orchestra, Katowice Johann Strauss Orchestra
Composed by: Johann Strauss II
Conducted by: Jascha Horenstein Istvan Bogar Johannes Wildner Jack Rothstein

Annen-Polka, Op. 117 - 4:31

Indigo, Op. 349

(more info)

Performed by: Polish State Philharmonic Orchestra, Katowice
Composed by: Johann Strauss II
Conducted by: Johannes Wildner

Indigo-Marsch, Op. 349 - 2:23

Albion, Op. 102

(more info)

Performed by: Polish State Philharmonic Orchestra, Katowice
Composed by: Johann Strauss II
Conducted by: Johannes Wildner

Albion-Polka, Op. 102 - 3:35

Gedanken auf den Alpen, Op. 172

(more info)

Performed by: Polish State Philharmonic Orchestra, Katowice
Composed by: Johann Strauss II
Conducted by: Johannes Wildner

Gedanken auf den Alpen (Waltz), Op. 172 - 13:10

Festival, Op. 341

(more info)

Performed by: Polish State Philharmonic Orchestra, Katowice
Composed by: Johann Strauss II
Conducted by: Johannes Wildner

Festival-Quadrille, Op. 341 - 6:13

Habsburg Hoch!, Op. 408

(more info)

Performed by: Polish State Philharmonic Orchestra, Katowice
Composed by: Johann Strauss II
Conducted by: Johannes Wildner

Habsburg Hoch! (March), Op. 408 - 3:12

Nachtveilchen (Polka Mazur), Op. 170

(more info)

Performed by: Polish State Philharmonic Orchestra, Katowice
Composed by: Johann Strauss II
Conducted by: Johannes Wildner

Nachtveilchen (Polka Mazur), Op. 170 - 4:01

Luzifer, Op. 266

(more info)

Performed by: Polish State Philharmonic Orchestra, Katowice
Composed by: Johann Strauss II
Conducted by: Johannes Wildner

Luzifer-Polka, Op. 266 - 2:51

Kaiser (Emperor), Op. 437

(more info)

Performed by: Vienna Symphony Orchestra Vienna State Opera Orchestra Polish State Philharmonic Orchestra, Katowice CSR Symphony Orchestra, Bratislava Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra Strauss Festival Orchestra Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra Vienna Strauss Orchestra
Composed by: Johann Strauss II
Conducted by: Jascha Horenstein Yakov Kreizberg Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos Istvan Bogar Ondrej Lenard Martin Sieghart Johannes Wildner Joseph Francek
Recording date: 11-21 January 1988

Kaiserwalzer, Op. 437 - 12:56

Reviews

Be the first to review this title

FREE SHIPPING on orders
of 5 items or more!

Earn Naxos Rewards Points by opening an account and buying your favorite music today! Create your account here.

See all of our great site features here.

Composer(s):
Strauss II, Johann

Conductor(s):
Wildner, Johannes

Orchestra(s):
Polish State Philharmonic Orchestra, Katowice

Strauss Ii, J.: Edition - Vol. 9

STRAUSS II, J.: Edition - Vol. 14

.................................................................

148

Your name:
Your email:
Friend's Name:
Friend's Email:
Write a personalized message:

Your name:
Rating:
Title:
Review: