Austrian Music: the Strauss Family Legacy

FAIN: FT-56737-09

Zoe Alexis Lang
University of South Florida (Tampa, FL 33620-9951)

My project, Austrian Music: the Strauss Family Legacy, examines the history of waltzes by the Strauss family, a repertoire that remains a key part of Austrian, and particularly Viennese, culture. During the 1820s, Johann Strauss Sr. (1804-1849) and colleague Joseph Lanner (1801-1843) emerged as the two most successful composers of Viennese dance music; Strauss Sr.'s touring during the 1830s brought the Viennese waltz to international audiences. The second generation of Strausses, Johann Jr. (1825-1899), Josef (1827-1870) and Eduard (1835-1916), replicated the success of their father. During the twentieth century, the concept of Austria was fervently debated as the country experienced considerable political turmoil. The Strauss waltz remained a crucial cultural symbol during this time even though no one definition of Austrian culture prevailed. My study presents new documents that show how important the Strauss family was for artists and politicians alike in twentieth-century Austria.