The New International Encyclopædia/Strauss, Johann, the Younger

STRAUSS, Johann, the Younger (1825-99). A distinguished Austrian composer, born in Vienna, son of the preceding. His father was averse to his adopting the profession of music, but, aided by his mother, he was enabled to secure instruction on the violin and in composition, and at nineteen years of age severed his home connections and secured an engagement as conductor of an orchestra at a popular restaurant in Ilietzing. He used the opportunity to play his own waltz compositions and soon became widely popular. After his father's death he united both orchestras and began a concert tour through many European countries. From 1855 to 1865 he was the conductor of the Petropaulovski Park summer concerts in Saint Petersburg, and from 1863 to 1870 was also conductor of the Court balls. He composed nearly 500 dance pieces, which for the most part possess the highest merit. Among the best known may be mentioned: The Beautiful Blue Danube; Roses from the South; Artist's Life; Vienna Blood; The One Thousand and One Nights; Wine, Women, and Song. His operettas were entitled as follows: Indigo (1871); Der Carneval in Rom (1873); Die Fledermaus (1874); Cagliostro (1875); Prinz Methusalem (1877); Der lustige Krieg (1881); Eine Nacht in Venedig (1883) Der Zigeunerbaron (1885); Simplicius (1887) Ritter Pasman (1892); Fürstin Ninetta (1893) Jabuka, oder das Apfelfest (1894); Waldmeister (1895); Die Göttin der Vernunft (1897); and a ballet Aschenbrödel. For his biography consult Eisenberg (Leipzig, 1894) and Prochazka (Berlin, 1900).

His brothers, Joseph (1827-70), who became leader of the Vienna orchestra in 1863, and Eduard (1835—), who assumed its direction in 1870, both did creditable work as musical conductors and composers of dance music.