Omaha daily bee., 1901-01-13
MUSIC.
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Under the beaming moon is there TO be
found civilized place where the fascinating
movements OF the gliding waltz are not
known? Is there a place where the poetry
OF motion is set a-going by music and the
dreamy, love-lit waltz is not seized upon
as the one dance in which a tender sym
pathy Of sense and soul can be experienced?
And yet the many young people who so
enjoy that amusement (by some deemed
so harmful and by some so innocenD, are
not all aware that the Strauss family of
Vienna created and developed to its present
stage that dance which today stands as the
great cosmopolitan dance movement. The
origin Of the waltz Is by some attributed
to Schubert, and, whether this is so or not,
1t is true that the elder Johann Strauss
imbued his work with the characteristic
classic simplicity and graceful naivete of
the sweet-souled Franz Peter whose last
name was Schubert. The elder Strauss who
Is called the Father of the Waltz, was a
contemporary OF Joseph Lanner and played
viola in his quartet. Later. when Lanner
increased his forces Johann Strauss, the
elder, became assistant and conducted one
of the two sections of the large orchestra,
which was the natural outgrowth OF
multiplicity of engagements. 1t was but a
short time until Johann formed an organiza-
tion OF his own and. while he and Lanner
remained good friends there were Lam
nertes and Straussites among the people,
each faction worshipping its own ideal. Be-
tween these two men the waltz orig mated,
the waltz as we understand 1t, useful for
concert or ball room.
In view of the fact that one OF the sons
OF this Johann Strauss is at present in this
country and with his Viennese orchestra
will appear here at the Boyd theater on
Friday night of this week this family
sketch may not be uninteresting. The son
alluded to is Eduard, who Is one of the
three great sons of great father. Eduard
has conducted that magnetic orchestra,
whose fame is world-renowned, ever since
the year 1870, at all OF the court balls and
In the Volksgarten. He is a good con-
ductor and while he has not made the
great and lasting name of his brother,
Johann. the younger, who died but short
time ago. yet his compositions are not, by
any means, to be thought lightly of.
The great and prolific Johann, who wrote
the Blue Danube" (although this Is not
representative Of his best works., was born
In October, 1925, and was married TO lefty
Trenz, well known actress and singer, and
through her Influence, II is said, Johann
turned his attention from the ball room
and the court dance to the stage and laid
the foundation for what we know TODAY as
comic opera. For he chose to write waltzes
polkas and sketches and to string them to-
gether on a libretto, making thereby an
"operetta." This was foreshadowed by his
Blue Danube" which was written for male
chorus and orchestra. Though not always
fortunate in his librettists, these chaplets
OF songs, words, dances and Jolly rhythmic
scenes developed into the production OF
operettas, or light operas, which today are
sung in various languages and are popular
the world over, such for instance as the
"Gipsy Baron the Queens Lace Handker-
chief the Merry War" etc.
But in future generations Johann Strauss
the younger, will be remembered as the
waltz King" just as his father was the
Father OF the Waltz" The greatness of
his work in that line consists in the fact
that he brought the classic beauty of the
highest music to the development of the
iowiy form OF the humble waltz and clothed
II thereby with rich and beautiful ap-
narel.
Theodore Thomas has done much to
further the Strauss movement In America.
his programs frequently containing one OF
the inner waltzes of Strauss, written with
more design for concert use than otherwise.
Johann Strauss was a genius. He was also
master in selecting material for his in
strumentation. His colorings are full of
piquancy and delicacy and no one should
miss hearing the great Vienna organization.
when possible, for 1t is revelation, pure and
simple. 1t is the ideal form OF musical en-
joyment for the people generally. One does