Johann Strauss II

J. Strauss II (1825-1899)

   Johann Strauss II was an Austrian composer and orchestral conductor, son of Johann Strauss, born in Vienna, and educated there at the Gymnasium and the Polytechnic Institute. Because his father did not wish him to have a musical career, he worked for a period after completing his formal education
as a bank clerk. However, he secretly studied the violin and musical composition. In 1844 he organized and appeared as conductor of his own orchestra. His repertoire included many of his own waltz compositions, and the orches­tra soon rivaled his father's in popularity.
   After the death (1849) of his father the younger Strauss, uniting the two musical organizations, began a series of successful European tours. Relinquishing leadership of the orchestra in 1862 to his brothers Josef (1827-70) and Eduard (1835-1916), he devoted most of his energy thereafter to composing. He took up the baton again in 1867, when he appeared as a guest conductor in England, France, and Italy; in 1872 he conducted concerts in Boston, Mass., and in New York City. Strauss' many beautiful waltzes earned him the title "Waltz King". Among the best-known are "The Blue Danube" (1867) and "Tales from the Vienna Woods" (1868). His com­positions, totaling more than 400, include a number of operettas, of which Die Fledermaus (1874; Eng., The Bat) and Der Zigeunerbaron (1885 ; Eng., The Gypsy Baron) achieved lasting popularity.