> We have music channels on our digital cable, and one of them is "Light > Classical". We tend to put that on to have background music in the > livingroom at times. They've been playing a number of Strauss waltzes > lately, and some of them had names that struck me as odd. > > The two I can most easily bring to mind are "The Leading Article Waltz" > and "The Railway Delight Waltz". There's been at least one other; if I > remember the name (or it comes around again) I'll post that, as well. > > Did Strauss get a lot of commissions to compose waltzes for various > organizations and events, or did he just start running out of titles for > waltzes? I'd be particularly interested if anyone knows offhand the > history of "The Leading Article Waltz", but don't anyone knock yourself > out doing research on this. > > Julia
I'm only answering because it's fun to have high bandwidth and look up random facts like this. No actual information is passed however. I found: http://www.bobjanuary.com/johann2.htm which lists 600+ of his known works. It's in Austrian (German?) but nothing that looks like the titles you wrote. Perhaps you could catch the CD or recording it's on, that would be more helpful. There is: Luxury Train or Procession for Pleasure but it's a polka I'd like to say that it's doubtful he had to be 'commissioned' to write things. He started playing his own waltzes when he was 19 and was an instant success. Plus his father was also a successful musician so he didn't have a life like Mozart, having to write and work just to survive. I'm just trying to equate it to modern music and I'm probably very wrong. Would Pepsi 'commission' Brittney to write a jingle? Yes musicians write movie music, but I don't think it's the same thing. So I'm voting for the 'ran out of titles' theory. Some interesting title translations: The Comitat goes up in the world Dance with the Broomstick Echoes from the Days of Raimund The pretty girls polka Lawsuit polka (was the PMRC around then?) and other gems. Kevin T. A shrill voice makes a wise head polka Cries from hell waltz Elctro magnet or magnetism polka
