not apt to have any clue how our polka is connected to it
Don't expect him to smile -- polka-writing is serious business!
Hey, everyone, it's polka time! (But then, isn't it always?)
Vienna Philharmonic, Willi Boskovsky, cond. Decca, recorded in the 1960s-70s
London Symphony Orchestra, Stanley Black, cond. Decca Phase-4, recorded in the 1960s
BBC Symphony Orchestra, John Pritchard, cond. BBC Classics, recorded live at "Viennese Night at the Proms," Royal Albert Hall, Aug. 12, 1972
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Peter Guth, cond. RPO-Intersound, recorded May 1994
by Ken
Mind you, I'm not saying there's a simple, direct connection between our polka and this year's Vienna New Year's Concert. Some of you no doubt recognized it immediately, and some of you may be wringing your hands, saying, "I know that damn polka, which damn one is it?" And some of you may be hearing it for the first time -- I hope you enjoyed it.
If you click through to the continuation of this post tease, it will:
(a) not only clear up the tiny bit of confusion surrounding the identity of our famous polka, but --
(b) provide a more direct link to the 2021 Vienna New Year's Concert -- though as it says above, even if you watched the PBS telecast this is most unlikely to help you at all in establishing the link.
UPDATE: (c) not that it was planned, but we've wound up with a virtual tribute to our polka master, whom we'll regreet in a moment.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE OLD SAYING "ONE GOOD POLKA
DESERVES ANOTHER"? SAY HELLO TO OUR POLKA MASTER!
Josef Strauss (1827-1870)
Now I acknowledge that I may have been a little tricky there, perhaps impying with my reference to "this famous Strauss polka" that the Strauss in question is the most famous of the Viennese Strausses, Johann Strauss Jr. (1825-1899), aka "The Waltz King, son of Johann Strauss Sr., aka the father of the Waltz King. Rather, this is, I'm a tad sorry to say, the most famous composition of Johann Jr.'s slightly younger brother Josef -- in turn not to be confused with their more significantly younger brother Eduard (1835-1916)
In a kinder, fairer world, Josef Strauss, who died less than a month shy of his 47th birthday, would be better known for, say, this beautiful waltz --
JOSEF STRAUSS: Sphären-Klänge (Music of the Spheres), Waltz, Op. 235
Vienna Philharmonic, Daniel Barenboim, cond. Decca, recorded live at the 2009 Vienna New Year's Concert
Vienna Philharmonic, Riccardo Muti, cond. DG, recorded live at the 2004 Vienna New Year's Concert
CSR Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava), Ondrej Lenard, cond. Enigma Classics, recorded Jan. 11-21, 1988
Or maybe this beautiful waltz --
JOSEF STRAUSS: Mein Lebenslauf ist Lieb' und Lust (My Life's Path Is Love and Pleasure), Waltz, Op. 263
Vienna Philharmonic, Zubin Mehta, cond. Sony, recorded live at the 1995 Vienna New Year's Concert
BBC Symphony Orchestra, John Pritchard, cond. BBC Classics, recorded live at "Viennese Night at the Proms," Royal Albert Hall, Aug. 12, 1972
(arr. for woodwinds, brass, and percussion by Anton Othmar Sollfelner) Ensemble "11" (members of the Vienna Philharmonic). Camerata, recorded May 30-June 4, 1999
Or, while we're at it, this one --
JOSEF STRAUSS: Dorfschwalben aus Österreich (Village Swallows from Austria), Op. 164
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Fritz Reiner, cond. RCA, recorded Apr. 15-16, 1957
Vienna Philharmonic, Willi Boskovsky, cond. Decca, recorded in the 1960s-70s
Berlin Philharmonic, Erich Kleiber, cond. Telefunken, recorded June 23, 1933
Instead of this polka that just happens to set the body irresistibly in motion --
JOSEF STRAUSS: Feuerfest! (Fireproof!), Polka française, Op. 271
London Symphony Orchestra, John Georgiadis, violin and cond. Sanctuary Classics, recorded c1978
Johann Strauss Orchestra of Vienna, Willi Boskovsky, cond. EMI, recorded 1980-85
Well, what're ya gonna do? How many composers are as well remembered for anything as our Josef S. is for Feuerfest!, which by the way takes its name from the circumstances of its commission, by a company that manufactured safes, and wished to celebrate their product's indestructibility.
WHICH BRINGS US NO CLOSER TO FRIDAY'S CONCERT.
BUT WAIT, WE'VE GOT ANOTHER POLKA COMING UP!
Ah, but I promised you another polka. It's also by our Josef, and it was written in the very same year, 1869, as Feuerfest. This is a polka of the "schnell," or fast, variety, of which the archetype might be Johann Jr.'s Amid Thunder and Lightning (and perhaps also littler brother Eduard's Bahn frei! (Clear Track) -- as opposed to what we might call the "lumbering-type" polka represented by Feuerfest, officially designated a "French polka," you'll note. (By the way, I love Karl Böhm's less overtly frenetic but soul-satisfyingly decisive Unter Donner und Blitz, from his altogether wonderful 1972 DG Johann Jr. LP.)
JOSEF STRAUSS: Ohne Sorgen (Without Cares), Polka-schnell, Op. 271
London Symphony Orchestra, John Georgiadis, violin and cond. Sanctuary Classics, recorded c1978
Johann Strauss Orchestra of Vienna, Willi Boskovsky, cond. EMI, recorded 1980-85
JOHANN STRAUSS Jr.: Unter Donner und Blitz (Amid Thunder and Lightning), Polka-schnell, Op. 324
Vienna Philharmonic, Lorin Maazel, cond. RCA, recorded live at the 1999 Vienna New Year's Concert
Berlin Philharmonic, Herbert von Karajan, cond. DG, recorded December 1966
Vienna Philharmonic, Karl Böhm, cond. DG, recorded c1972
EDUARD STRAUSS: Bahn frei! (Clear Track!), Polka-schnell, Op. 45
Vienna Philharmonic, Willi Boskovsky, cond. Decca, recorded in the 1960s-70s
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Peter Guth, cond. RPO-Intersound, recorded May 1994
CSR Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava), Ondrej Lenard, cond. Enigma Classics, recorded January 1988
(arr. for woodwinds, brass, and percussion by Anton Othmar Sollfelner) Ensemble "11" (members of the Vienna Philharmonic). Camerata, recorded May 30-June 4, 1999
"Aha!" you say? I mean, now that you've heard our "new" polka, Ohne Sorgen. "Aha," followed quickly by "Or wait --." Especially if you saw the PBS telecast Friday night. "What," you may well ask, "does this snappy little polka have to do with it? I'm pretty sure I didn't hear it Friday night."
And that's where we have to leave it for now -- which is what makes this post a "tease." Perhaps, though, a thought has occurred to you about Ohne Sorgen and the 2021 New Year's Concert?
I'LL HAVE THE MAIN POST UP (IT'S LARGELY DONE)
ASAP TO CONNECT ALL THESE DOTS CONNECTED
(But first I have some performances, and maybe another whole waltz, to add to our little Josef Strauss remembrance.)
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