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This album represents the most popular music of the Strauss family.
Johann Strauss I (Senior) begged his three sons to refrain from becoming
composers and conductors. His pleas were not heard: all three
- Johann II (Junior; the elder son), Joseph and Edvard continued the
family business.
They contributed in different ways: Johann II
competed with his father for many years. Both had their own orchestras
and worked in the same style of 'light Viennese music' until the death
of Johann I in 1849 allowed the two orchestras to merge.
Joseph, the second son, was the most versatile.
He studied mechanical engineering and worked as a draftsman and foreman. Joseph
invented a horse-drawn street-sweeping vehicle and published two textbooks on mathematical subjects. When
Johann II fell sick, Joseph took over the family orchestra and devoted
the remainder of his life to music.
Edvard, the youngest one ...
He is best remembered as the person who, to fulfill
his promise to his brothers, burned the entire Strauss orchestra library
and the original manuscripts of the whole Strauss family in 1906.
Johann I and his sons composed hundreds of waltzes
each.
Since 1835 Johann I had provided the dance music
for the Austrian Imperial Court and Edvard became 'the Imperial-Royal Music Director for Celebration Dances
in Vienna'.
Though Johann I along with Joseph Lanner is considered
the founder of Viennese Waltz, the most popular of the Strauss family was
Johann II, the 'Waltz King'.
Tsar Alexander II invited him to Russia and between
1856 and 1865, also in 1869, Johann II conducted summer concerts (May to
October) in Pavlovsk at the Tsar's residence. He performed almost every
day, occasionally being substituted by his brothers Joseph and Edvard.
The concerts took place in the Vauxhall Pavilion.
Many famous works by Johann II were premiered here. "Pizzicato
Polka" is among them.
Pavel Kogan, son of celebrated Russian artists
Leonid Kogan and Elizabeth Gilels, began his musical studies at the Moscow Central Music School and continued at
the Moscow Conservatory, in the class of Jury Yankelevich.
In 1970, at the age of eighteen, he won the First
Prize and Golden Medal at the Sibelius International Violin Competition in Helsinki.
After touring for many years as a concert violinist
Kogan decided to dedicate more time to direct an orchestra. His debut
as a conductor took place in 1974 with the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra.
From 1988 to 1990, Kogan served as the Principal
Conductor at the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra.
Since 1990, he is the Music Director of the Moscow
State Symphony Orchestra. Since 1998 - the Principal Guest Conductor at
the Utah Symphony Orchestra.
The program of this album was recorded with the
USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra in 1987.
©2003 Evgeni Kostitsyn
"Old Vienna Melodies"
1. Johann Strauss II. Entrance March from the operetta "Zigeunerbaron" - 2:47
2. Joseph Strauss. Waltz "Aquarellen". Op. 258 - 7:45
3. Johann Strauss II. Polka-mazurka "Fata Morgana". Op. 330 - 3:35
4. Edvard Strauss. Fast Polka "Bahn frei". Op. 45 - 2:07
5. Johann Strauss II. French Polka "Im Krapfenwald's". Op. 336 (Arranged by Schönherr) - 4:00
6. Johann Strauss II. Egiptischer March. Op. 335 - 3:47
7. Johann Strauss II. Waltz "Morgenblätter". Op. 279 - 9:21
8. Johann Strauss II. Polka "Unter Donner und Blitz" - 2:57
9. Joseph Sturass. Polka-mazurka "Frauenherz". Op. 116 - 4:01
10. Johann Strauss II & Joseph Strauss. Pizzicato Polka - 2:22
11. Joseph Strauss. Polka "Feuerfest". Op. 269 (Arranged by Hartmann) - 2:53
12. Johann Strauss I. Radetzky March. Op. 228 - 3:13
13. Johann Strauss II. Polka "Aut der Jagd". Op. 229 - 2:07
Total time: 51:58
Pavel Kogan, conductor
The USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra
recorded in 1987
recording engineer, Kondrashin
© 1995 Gramzapis
© 2002 CDK Music
Cover painting "Death and Life" by Gustav Klimt
Design by Evgeni Kostitsyn