Johann Strauss I

The famous Strauss dynasty began with Johann Strauss I (1804-1849), who was born as the son of an innkeeper in Vienna. Fate hit him early when his mother and father died during his childhood. To make a living he was forced to start an apprenticeship as a bookbinder. In addition, he also took violin and viola lessons and soon joined a popular string quartet. There he became friends with an other member, Joseph Lanner, a well known Austrian dance music composer and later also a concurrent of Johan Strauss I Lanner founded a very successful ensemble, which quickly grew to the size of a small orchester in which Strauss also played.
However, Johann Strauss I soon decided to found his own ensemble and also achieved great success allowing him to finally put an end to the financial struggles that he had been facing as a father of two boys at this time. With his wife he had six children, of which only three survived. The eldest, Johann Strauss II, could even surpass his father's great success as a composer, and he was loyally supported by his mother after his father left the family. Johann Strauss I left his family and wife to live with his new mistress, whom he also had at least six children with, till his death in 1849. He died only aged 45, at the climax of his success, from scarlet fever.
His compositions encompass several polkas, quadrilles, and marches, however, the most popular is the "Radetzky-Marsch". It was dedicated to the victory of the Austrian Field Marshall Joseph Radetzky and is traditionally enjoyed as a celebratory tone with hand clapping and feet stamping: a tradition, which has survived up to the present. The "Radetzky-Marsch" is still played as the last piece of the New Year's concert of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in the well known large orchestra concert version. On this year's Annual Review CD it can be heard in its original and more puristic marching band version.