Johann Strauss Sr., the most popular and successful conductor and composer of dance music of his time, discouraged his son's musical ambitions. Despite these objections, Johann Jr. studied with Joseph Dreschler, and, at age 19, conducted a program which included his own compositions, as well as his father's.
He earned the title "The Waltz King" because of his prolific output and frequent international tours with his own orchestra, which usually numbered about twenty-six. He was also an excellent self-promoter.Prof. Franz Mailer of Vienna's Strauss Society tells us that for the private court balls, Strauss was allocated only fourteen musicians. The Emperor wanted no larger ensemble. A thirty-four-man group however played for the larger court balls, and for concerts, 48. 80, or even a hundred musicians were used.
We believe his touring orchestra (he had several auxiliary orchestras which were sent out under his name) consisted of: four first violins; four second violins; two celli; two bass viols; two flutes; two clarinets; one bassoon; one oboe; two trumpets; two horns; one trombone; one bass drum; one tympani; and one harp. Many wind players 'doubled' on several instruments. With this group, and their instruments, he traveled by stagecoach from Vienna to Saint Petersburg, Edinburgh, and points inbetween, as well as making an 1872 tour of the United States. When he was in Vienna, he would rush from gig to gig, conducting his several groups.
His best-known work,The Blue Danube was written in 1867.
Johann Strauss Jr. at DOMMAHER'S CASINO.
Early published orchestrations included strings, double woodwinds, four horns, two trumpets, one trombone, two percussionists, and occasionally, one harp.
From 1870 onwards, three trombones and tuba were usual.
The list of compositions below includes all published ones, we believe that there were many others which were not published. All of the published works, except for about five major waltzes, were published for piano alone. The great waltzes (available from Dover Books) were published in concert, not dance arrangements. We know very little about how the Strauss orchestra actually played for dancing. All of the Strauss 'dance' Strauss' orchestrations were lost.
Today's orchestral performances, are re-orchestrated. from the published-at-the-time, two-handed piano arrangements, which were made for an average pianist on the average 1875 piano.
When we listen to a recording of, say, the Radetzky March, we are hearing the result of a modern-day orchestrator's opinion of what the Strauss Orchestra might have played, as notated for the published solo piano and not necessarily what Strauss had in mind!
When one listens to several recordings by different major orchestras of the same Strauss opus, one can hear the sometime vast differences in the orchestrations. But if you have the time, and can find and listen to them, one can see all the various interpretations of Strauss' image i.e. In seeing all the various drawings, you get an idea of how Strauss must have sounded. For that matter, you can get a better idea of even the most mundane tune, such as 'Mack the Knife', if you can find twenty or thirty recordings of different interpretations, and listen to them consecutively.
By relying on the style of the published orchestral works, orchestrators over the years have arrived at a consensus of a 'Strauss Sound'. I believe that although many of these orchestrations sound great, they could not have been played for dancing with ritards, fermatas, and other tempo changes. Someday, I will record my own interpretations.
MP = Marco Polo records: volume listed at each opus
MS = The Magic of Strauss (Vienna Pops Orchestra / Villinger) Camelot CAMCD
·1003
AB = J Strauss II (Alban Berg Quartett) EMI CDC 7 54881 2 / F PM 518
SG1 = A Strauss Gala (Vienna Symphony/Paul Walter) Philips 422 277-2
SG2 = A Strauss Gala (The Johann Strauss Orchestra / Jack Rothstein) Chandos
·CHAN 8434
GH = Greatest Hits / Strauss ( New York Philharmonic/Bernstein) Sony MLK64063
FW = J.Strauss Jr. vol 2 (various orchestras) Naxos 8.550337 UPC
SW = Strauss Waltzes (Vienna Strrauss Orchestra / Joseph Francek) - Laserlight
·15 005
VP1 = Vienna Premiére Vol 1 (The Johann Strauss Orchestra / Jack
·Rothstein) Chandos CHAN 8381
VP2 = Vienna Premiére Vol 2 (The Johann Strauss Orchestra / Jack
·Rothstein) Chandos CHAN 8527
VS = Voices of Springtime (??) Amsterdam CLS 4041 - 3840412
WP = Walzer & Polkas (Berlin Philharmonic / von Karajan) Polydor/Galleria
·437 255-2 ·
In this painting of a musical evening at the Strauss house, Johannes Brahms is second from the left. Eduard Strauss is on the extreme right, and Strauss' (third) wife, Adele, is leaning over Johann, who is at thepiano.
17 Jux - Polka - MP 8.223203
68 Äolstäne - Walzer - MP 8.223227
96 Viribus Unitis (With United Strength) - Marsch - MP 8.223224 
127 Freudengrüsse - Polka - MP 8.223203
177 Juristenball - Tänze - MP 8.223226
212 Fürst Bariatinsky Marsch - MP 8.223216
Monstre-Quadrille - MP 8.223244
Hinter den Coulissen Quadrille - MP 8.223244
Schützen-Quadrille - MP 8.223244