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Josef Strauss (August 20, 1827 - July 22, 1870) was an Austrian composer. He
was fondly referred to as 'Pepi' by his family and close friends.
The son of Johann Strauss I and brother of Johann Strauss II and Eduard
Strauss, he was born in Vienna. He worked initially as an engineer and
designer before joining the family orchestra in the 1850s. His academic
achievements at an early age do not point to him being a composer as he was
also destined by his father for a career in the Austrian Habsburg military
although he flourished as an architect for the Vienna City Council in 1853
and even presented to the Vienna Municipal Council with detailed plans for
astreet-cleaning machine.
He was clearly reluctant to deputise for his brother Johann Strauss II when
his elder brother was taken seriously ill in 1853 as his first ever
published work "Die Ersten und Letzten" (The First and the Last) of which
the title tangibly displayed signs that he was not intending to maintain
that position for long. The waltz-loving Viennese, however, were
appreciative of his early waltzes and polkas and he decided to continue
plying his trade in the family craft of composing waltzes and other dance
music. He married Caroline Pruckmayer at the church of St Johann Nepomuk in
Vienna on 8 June 1857 and had only one daughter, Karoline Anna, who was born
on 27 March 1858.
Josef Strauss never enjoyed good health throughout his life and during a
tour to Poland in 1870, he fell unconscious from the conductor's podium
while conducting his 'Musical Potpourri' and was hastened back to his home
in Vienna by his distraught wife. It was back home in the 'Hirschenhaus'
that Josef died on 22 July of 1870. A final diagnosis only reported a
decomposition of blood which led to many rumors that he was beaten by
drunken Russian soldiers after he allegedly refused to perform music for
them one night although his death would not be ascertained as his widow even
forbade an autopsy. His grave is on St. Marx cemetery.
He wrote many waltzes, many of them still in the classical repertoire
including "Sphären-Klänge" (Music of the Spheres), "Delirien" (Deliriums),
"Transaktionen" (Transactions), "Mein Lebenslauf ist Lieb und Lust" (My
Character is Love and Joy) and "Dorfschwalben aus Osterreich" (Village
Swallows from Austria), polkas (most famously the "Pizzicato Polka" with his
brother Johann II), quadrilles and other dance music. His pieces tend to be
of a more serious character than those of his siblings. This was reflected
in the waltz "Dynamiden" where his use of minor keys imparted an almost
wistful quality and invariably distinguished his waltzes from that of his
more popular elder brother.
He most probably stamped his personal mark on the polka-mazurka where he
wrote many imperishable examples like "Die Emancipirte" and "Die Libelle".
His amazing output of dance pieces would have surpassed that of his elder
brother, had he survived, as Johann was by then concentrating on writing
music for operettas and other stage works.
Works of Josef Strauss
* Die Ersten und Letzten ('The First and the Last') waltz op. 1 (1853)
* Die Ersten nach den Letzten ('The First after the Last') waltz op. 12
(1854)
* Die Guten, Alten Zeiten ('The Good Old Times') waltz op. 26 (1856)
* Perlen der Liebe ('Pearls of Love') concert-waltz op. 39 (1857)
* Moulinet ('Little Mill Pond') polka-mazurka op. 57 (1858)
* Sympathie ('Sympathy') polka-mazurka op. 73 (1859)
* Lustschwärmer ('Joy Seeker') waltz op. 91 (1860)
* Wiener Bonmots ('Viennese Bon-mots') waltz op. 108 (1861)
* Winterlust ('Winter Joy') polka op. 121 (1862)
* Auf Ferienreisen! ('On a Holiday!') polka op. 133 (1863)
* Die Schwätzerin ('The Gossip') polka-mazurka op. 144 (1863)
* Wiener Couplets ('Viennese Couplets') waltz op. 150 (1863)
* Dorfschwalben aus Österreich ('Village Swallows from Austria') waltz op.
164 (1864)
* Frauenherz ('A Woman's Heart') polka-mazurka op. 166 (1864)
* Sport-Polka op. 170 (1864)
* Geheimne Anziehungskräfte (Dynamiden) ('Mysterious Powers of Magnetism')
waltz op. 173 (1865)
* Stiefmütterchen ('Pansies') polka-mazurka op. 183 (1865)
* Transaktionen ('Transactions') waltz op. 184 (1865)
* Die Marketenderin ('The Camp Follower') polka op. 202 (1866)
* Die Libelle ('The Dragonfly') polka-mazurka op. 204 (1866)
* Delirien ('Deliriums') waltz op. 212 (1867)
* Sphären-Klänge ('Music of the Spheres') op. 235 (1868)
* Eingesendet ('Letters to the Editor') polka op. 240 (1868)
* Plappermäulchen ('Chatterboxes') polka op. 245 (1868)
* Aquarellen ('Watercolours') waltz op. 258 (1869)
* Eislauf ('Ice-Skating') polka op. 261 (1869)
* Mein Lebenslauf Ist Lieb` Und Lust! ('My Character is Love and Joy') waltz
op. 263 (1869)
* Die Tanzende Muse ('The Dancing Muse') polka-mazurka op. 266 (1869)
* Feuerfest! ('Fire-Proof!') polka op. 269 (1869)
* Ohne Sorgen! ('Without a Care!') polka op. 271 (1869)
* Nilfluthen ('Nile's Waters') waltz op. 275 (1870)
* Jokey ('Jockey') polka op. 278 (1870)
* Die Emancipierte ('The Emancipated Woman') polka-mazurka op. 282 (1870)
Works with Strauss brothers
* Hinter den Coulissen quadrille (Behind the Scenes) (with Johann Strauss
II) (1859)
* Monstre quadrille (with Johann Strauss II) (1861)
* Pizzicato-Polka (with Johann Strauss II) (1869)
* Trifoilen waltz, ('Trifles') (with Johann II and Eduard Strauss) (1865)
* Schützen quadrille, ('Sharpshooter') (with Johann II and Eduard Strauss)
(1866)
Text Source: Wikipedia
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