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Wiener Johann Strauss Orchester

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

The Wiener Johann Strauss Orchester is an Austrian orchestra from Vienna. It was founded in 1966 under the direction of Professor Oskar Goger and with the support of the Austrian broadcaster ORF. Its first conductor was Eduard Strauss II, a nephew of Johann Strauss III, who continued the musical tradition of the Strauss family in the twentieth century.

Music and breakthrough

The aim of the orchestra was to emulate the travelling Strauss orchestra of the time of Johann Strauss I, the founder of the dynasty. The musicians came from the best Viennese orchestras, such as the Wiener Symphoniker and the Vienna radio orchestra, so that the quality would be high. In October 1966 Eduard Strauss II took the orchestra on tour through North America, which was a great success. He remained associated with the orchestra until his death in 1969.

Influence

Afterwards Willi Boskovsky became principal conductor. With him the orchestra recorded a large part of the music of the Strauss family for the EMI label, on albums such as The Magic of Vienna and Strauss, Willi Boskovsky Conducts Lehár Waltzes and Kaiser-Walzer. Later the orchestra was conducted by, among others, Franz Bauer-Theussl, Alfred Eschwé and Martin Sieghart, and Johannes Wildner has led the concert in the Musikverein on the Austrian national holiday since 2008. The orchestra preserves the Viennese waltz tradition as light, danceable concert music and made it known on record.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Kaiser-Walzer and notice the typically Viennese waltz rhythm, with a slight delay on the second beat. Can you hear how the orchestra makes the dance sway?

Discography

Studio albums

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