Evening star., 1935-01-27

v VIENNA, more than any other
city in the world, is directly
" connected with so much OF
the greatest music that 1t Is
well worth having a Wien
nese" program. 1t always has at
tracted (probably because OF its stu
alton, its climate. its court life, and
the proverbial gayety of its inhabi-
tants) the musical creators OF both
Germany and Italy. Hence, at one
time or another, it was the abode
of Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven, OF
Cherubini and Salieri, Of Schubert
and List, of Bruckner and Brahms,
and last, but not least, Of the waltz
family, Strauss. Surely no other city
can boast of so many distinguished
musical citizens as guests; most OF
the latter, once arrived, never lett
again.
Vienna has yet another claim to
musical distinction. 1t is the birth
place of the most popular OF ali
dances. And the Viennese waltz, al
though non -Viennese composers used
the medium, too, found its highest
development in Vienna itself. The
Strauss family (Johann, ST.; Johann,
ir.. and his brother josef gave 1t,
among all dances, the distinction
which entities it to its high place.
The waltz originated from the old
German dance (in French, the Al
lemande"). It became popular early
in the nineteenth century. Byron (of
all peopleD exclaimed at its I'M
morality" Eventually, it became gen.
orally accepted, and its apotheosS was
reached when the genius OF the
Strauss family found utterance IN ltS
irresistible rhythms.
The entire program of today Is built
on music written in Vienna, some OF
it Gas in the case Of Mozart's over
ture) for the opera and concert halls
of the city.
As is known, the greatest artists
have considered the Strauss waltzes
master works, and it was BranmS
himself, who, when asked by Mrs.
Strauss for an autograph, wrote down
the first measures OF the BeauIiIul
Blue Danube" and underneath, Alas'
not by yours most sincerely Jonann
The spirit of Vienna is more typi-.
callv inherent in the compositions OF
Mozart, Haydn and Schubert tnan II
is in those of Beethoven and Branms'
the reason being probably that the
first three we're from the country
around Vienna, while the two otnerS
,,,ere north Germans, and it is there
fore that for the first hall OF tie
nropram I have selected, first OF an;
THE overture to die Zaubernote',
nv Mozart, which he wrote as MS laSI
and greatest operatic work Tor spe-
ciaI Vienna performances. In 1t ne
breaks the tradition Of the then cur
rent Italian style. and mace tne nlsV
really German opera, an example
which was to be followed oy Dee
thoyen in his "Fidello, Weoer III
"Oberon" and "Frelscnutz, anu
eventually Wagner.
"Allegretto" .........'.'''''' 'K1ayuii
Haydn follows. He was born
croat. but lived most of his life, and
all of the later part, in the capital
city. beloved by the general pubic, as
well as by the aristocracy, with tne
Emperor Francis at its head. The
"AIieeretto" movement on this pro-
gram is simplicity itself, as most OF
Haydn's works are.
symphony No. in B Minor" (the
"Unfinished") ............ .ScnuDert
Nor does the Unfinished Sym
phony" of Schubert need specific COM
nent, as its measures are well known
to every music lover. I want only to
point out that In my opinion this
work, especially in the development
section Of the first movement, is more
dramatic than is ordinarily supposed.
Regardless of individual interpreta-
ton, however, it remains to all of us
one of the great symphonies of all
time and deserved and lasting favor
lite Of artist and layman alike.