NOSPR / Arming / In the Realm of the Waltz King - NOSPR

The music of Johann Strauss the Younger is often regarded as pure entertainment. Quite rightly so. It is worth remembering, however, that his works reflect almost the entirety of the rapidly changing nineteenth-century world. Much has been written about their extra-musical dimensions – social, political, and national – as well as about the significance of the waltz for the increasingly influential bourgeoisie. The Strauss family’s artistic enterprise has also been the subject of extensive study. Yet the music itself remains extraordinarily fascinating and, quite simply, superbly conceived. ‘[…] Strauss is an artist,’ wrote Hector Berlioz. ‘The influence he has exercised on the musical sensibility of the whole of Europe is underestimated. By introducing into his waltzes a play of contrasting rhythms whose effect is so piquant, he has inspired even the dancers themselves to imitate it and to create a two-step waltz, although the dance retained its triple metre.’ Let us also take note of the imaginative orchestration, the original melodies, and the intriguing harmonies; let us appreciate the consistently impeccable form. One should remember that a Strauss ‘waltz’ is typically not a single dance at all, but a sequence of several waltzes framed by an introduction in duple metre and rounded off with a coda. These are, in effect, symphonic dance poems that can last for several minutes each! Strauss possessed a rare gift for balancing public taste with innovation, Classical elegance with Romantic ardour, and sparkling vitality with moments of genuine tenderness. No wonder this music remains so beloved, even in an age when few people still waltz.

Piotr Matwiejczuk (Polskie Radio)

Concert duration: approximately 70 minutes

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