IIRC some of the titles reflected special dancemoves used in the dances.

Sonja

vze3xykq wrote:

> > 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

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