Interesting facts about Strauss Is a great opportunity to learn more about great composers. He is the author of numerous works, many of which have become world classics. His works are performed in the world's largest philharmonic societies.
So, here are the most interesting facts about Johann Strauss.
- Johann Baptiste Strauss II (1825-1899) was an Austrian composer, conductor and violinist, nicknamed the "King of the Waltz".
- Father, as well as two brothers of Johann Strauss, were also very famous composers.
- Did you know that as a child, Strauss learned to play the violin secretly from his father, because he saw him as a banker?
- Johann Strauss is the author of 496 works, including 168 waltzes, 117 polka, 73 quadrille, 43 marches, 31 mazurkas and 15 operettas.
- Over the years of his creative activity, Strauss managed to give concerts in almost all European countries, as well as in the USA.
- Refusal to obey the parent in everything and the fact that Johann Strauss was more popular than Strauss Sr. led to a big quarrel. As a result, the son and father did not speak to each other until the end of the latter's life.
- When young Johann wanted to get a musician license, the head of the family did everything possible to prevent this. To prevent him from succeeding, the composer's mother filed for divorce.
- When uprisings broke out in Austria (see interesting facts about Austria), Strauss sided with the protesters. As soon as the riot was suppressed, the composer was arrested, but due to his extraordinary talent, he was soon released.
- At the peak of his popularity, Strauss toured various cities of Russia. Curiously, he was the highest paid composer in the country. In one season, he earned up to 22,000 gold rubles.
- Even during his lifetime, a man possessed tremendous authority, which almost no one could achieve either before or after him. His 70th birthday was celebrated throughout Europe.
- Strauss had his own orchestra, which performed in various cities and performed exclusively his works. At the same time, his father did his best to disrupt concerts, or make them less successful.
- An interesting fact is that Johann Strauss did not leave behind offspring.
- When the Nazis came to power in Germany, they resorted to fabricating a biography of the Jewish composer, because they did not want to give up his work.
- Strauss decided to break the agreement with Russia for a single tour of America.
- In the American city of Boston, Johann conducted an orchestra of almost 1000 musicians!
