[naar literatuurlijst]

inhoud:

• The kings of Walz
• The Strauß- Dynasty
• Joseph Lanner
• Johann Strauß Father

THE KINGS OF WALT

Today the composer Johann Strauss Son is primarily associated with the notion "Viennese waltz". Johann Strauss Father is considered at best as the "trailblazer" of his famous son, but he as well as Joseph Lanner are in his shadow without good reason, for they both contributed decisively towards the development of the dance music in the first half of the 19th century:

The "Hofball" (Aquarell, 1900)

 The emancipated Viennese bourgeoisie of the 19th century endeavored to adapt the formalities of the imperial court for its situation. Balls were no longer the privilege of the nobility: In dance halls, pubs and public gardens large dances were performed which gave also the lower classes the opportunity of amusement. At carnival time, any larger tavern organized at least one ball and the crush was so great that more and more new establishments with large dancing rooms were built.

Dances had to be registered officially (they were prohibited in principle on Sundays and holidays). Such festivities yielded considerable tax returns to the state and also the music publishers, which offered the dance music in innumerable arrangements, profited from them. The public longed always for new compositions. The pieces were just played throughout one season. Most of the freelance composers seized their opportunity to make some money on the side with dance music, even Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Schubert did not refuse to compose for this genre.

The bourgeois Vienna danced most of all the traditional folk dances ländler, waltz, polka, gallopade. In the houses of the nobility the Baroque court dances were kept up for some time, but minuet, gavotte or saraband were soon supplanted by the waltz.

 In the 18th century the folk dances were not yet clearly differentiated from one another. Joseph Lanner and Johann Strauß Father gave to the genres waltz and ländler, march and gallopade an own musical character and a more or less homogeneous form with introduction, a sequence of five or six dances and finale. The individual parts are often linked to each other by motive and thematic relation. The Strauss sons, Johann, Josef and Eduard, referred to this form pattern and developed it further. Johann gave different extensions to the individual parts and putted them in thematic relation to one another. Josef composed even symphonic concert waltzes, atmospheric descriptions which had often nothing in common with cheerful dances and leaned on Liszt and Wagner in form and content. Eduard was the least gifted of the brothers for composition, but he was an excellent conductor. He cultivated the music of Lanner, his brothers and his father till after the turn of the century.

The Strauss sons, Johann, Josef and Eduard, referred to this form pattern and developed it further. Johann gave different extensions to the individual parts and putted them in thematic relation to one another. Josef composed even symphonic concert waltzes, atmospheric descriptions which had often nothing in common with cheerful dances and leaned on Liszt and Wagner in form and content. Eduard was the least gifted of the brothers for composition, but he was an excellent conductor. He cultivated the music of Lanner, his brothers and his father till after the turn of the century.

Her father, Josef Streim, was the owner of the beer tavern "Zum goldenen Brunnen" (today Wien 9., Thurygasse 3). The young couple lived first in St. Ulrich No. 76 (Wien 7., Lerchenfelder Straße 15), here Johann Strauss junior was born. A year later, they moved to Mariahilf No. 865 "beim Kreuz und beim Ritter" (Wien 6., Mariahilfer Straße 65 / Nelkengasse 8), where Josef Strauss was born.

Vienna 7th district, Lerchenfelderstr.15

In 1828/29, the family settled in the Leopoldstadt. Within four years, the Strauss family moved two times: In February 1830, they had to leave the house "Zum weißen Wolfen" in the Donaustraße as a result of an inundation and moved in the house "Zum Einhorn" (Wien 2., Karmelitergasse 7). From 1832/33 on, they lived in the house "Zum goldenen Hirschen", also called "Hirschenhaus" (Wien 2., Taborstraße 17), where nearly the whole first floor (13 rooms and 3 kitchens) was at their disposal. Here, the children Ferdinand (1834) and Eduard (1835) were born.

From 1828 till 1834, Johann Strauss spent the summer months in the house of the parents-in-law in Salmannsdorf (Wien 19., Dreimarksteingasse 13).
Johann Strauss and his wife had six children: Johann (1825-1899), Josef (1827-1870), Anna (1829-1903), Therese (1831-1915), Ferdinand (1834) and Eduard (1835-1916).
 
 

The three sons: Eduard, Johann, Josef

Although the father neglected more and more his children and finally parted from the family, he took the decision on the scholastic education of the three sons. Father and mother agreed that they would not enter the career of professional musicians despite their outstanding talent, but practice music only in the family circle.

From 1837 till 1841, Johann and Josef went to the reputed Schottengymnasium. Then, they were supposed to attend an university. The Moravian teacher and organist Wenzel Plachy gave them piano lessons. Unknown to his fateher, Johann took also violin lessons, which he financed himself by piano lessons. In 1841/42, both brothers began their vocational training at the commercial department of the k.k. Polytechnisches Institut (Imperial and Royal polytechnic institute today Technische Universität, Wien 4., Karlsplatz 13).

By and by, Johann Strauss became estranged from his family. He met the milliner Emelie Trampusch (1814-1857) and led with her a double life. They had seven children. After the definitive rupture with his wife Anna, Johann Strauss left the Hirschenhaus in 1843 and moved with his second family into the house Leopoldstadt No. 245 (Wien 2., Lilienbrunngasse 18). Anna Strauss fought three years for the divorce, which was granted in January 1846.

In 1848, Johann Strauss moved with the Trampusch family to the Innere Stadt No. 817/829 (Wien 1., Kupfgasse 11). He died of scarlet fever there on September 25th 1849. As Joseph Lanner, he was interred at the old Döblinger cemetery. Today, his tomb is at the Zentralfriedhof (Ehrengräber-Gruppe 32 A, No. 15).

As early as 1830, the Viennese public, fond of dancing, was split in two factions: The "Straussians" enjoyed the pointed rhythmic of the waltzes by Strauss, the "Lannerians" were enthusiastic about the ingenuity of their favorite. During his lifetime, Joseph Lanner was at least as famous as his fellow combatant and rival Johann Strauss, but his fame waned soon because of his early death, the coming in of the operetta and the growing popularity of Johann Strauss Son.

Today, his extensive works are known just in fragments. 209 compositions were published: waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, ländlers (Styrians), marches, gallopades and potpourris. Numerous works were preserved as autographs, in addition to dances also arrangements of operatic arias and overtures as well as a string quartet. His compositions bear sometimes romantic imaginative titles, sometimes titles aimed at concrete events and occasions emphasizing the topicality of his works. This topicality, often provoked by innkeepers or publishers, also contributed to label Lanner as fashionable composer fated to be replaced by other fashionable complaints.

Even about the beginnings of his musical career we do not know more than that he is supposed to have played after 1820 in pubs in the environs of Vienna and in urban inner courts with two violinists and the violist Johann Strauss.

Johann Strauss became acquainted with the contemporary light music as a little child at the tavern of his father, when he listened, sitting under a table, to the musicians. After the death of his father, he became an apprentice with a bookbinder and passed his final examination in 1822. The facts about his musical education are lacking, but we know that he opted deliberately for the career as musician.