Johann Strauss (1825-1899)
Waltzes
Florian Zwiauer, concertmaster
Wilfried Scharf, Zither (in “Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald”)
Wiener Symphoniker
Vienna Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by
Yakov Kreizberg

PTC 5186 052

DSD recorded

Waltzes in a Symphonic Format

“He´s got the devil in him”. Hyppolite de Villemessant, the head of the daily newspaper ”Figaro”, became an ardent admirer of Johann Strauss jr. after hearing a concert by the “King of the Waltz” during the World Fair in Paris in 1867. And the influential publicist recommended French musicians and public to listen to the ingenious composer Johann Strauss and his devilish waltzes. But surprisingly Johann Strauss, as he explained to his third wife Adele, was no dancer.

In those days this intimate dance for two caused a scandal: bodily contact, public displays of sensuality, lasciviousness and eroticism were frowned upon. The waltz, due to these attributes and its suburban origins earned a dubious name; particularly it’s intoxicating effect would, evidently, lead to a loosening of good morals: “The waltz is an invention of the devil”, wrote a Viennese newspaper in 1869. Ballrooms will pave the way for the conception of illegitimate children, or so feared guardians of Christian morality.

What pleased Hyppolite de Villemessant was not necessarily the ecstatic bodily experience but instead a principally new rhythmic feeling in the music and the inspired wide rolling melodies. In Paris Johann Strauss conducted concert waltzes, one being “An der schönen blauen Donau” which through it’s phenomenal success became a “musical symbol for Vienna” (Marcel Prawy), even, or so others thought, an alternative Austrian national anthem. Actually the “An der schönen blauen Donau” (op. 314) was originally composed for the Viennese Men’s Choral Society for a Society celebration and was commissioned by it’s conductor Johann Herbeck, who later became orchestral director to the Royal Court. But when premiered in the Diana Hall on the Obere Donaustrasse, the response was only lukewarm. It was the orchestral version that became a best seller, selling millions of copies in Johann Strauss´s lifetime. Later generations have also been fascinated by the melancholic grace of this unintentional “requiem” for the Austrian monarchy. A century later in the science fiction film classic “2001” made by the British director, Stanley Kubrick, the spaceship revolved to the three quarter time of the Danube waltz.

Despite his popularity Johann Strauss avoided, when ever possible, the pleasures of society, he dedicated himself to his passion for composing. He strived for the recognition due to a composer of serious music, although this lead to carping by some authorities including the music critic Eduard Hanslick. Non the less Strauss famous collegue, Johannes Brahms wrote about the Danube waltz, “Unfortunately not by me”, an unmistakable sign of respect. And maybe because of this Johann Strauss tried to expand the waltz into a symphonic form, for example the prominent oboe solo introduction to the “Künstlerleben” (op. 316) composed for the Hespurus Ball, three days after the Choral Festival.

The compositions became more complex, furnished with refined arrangements. Now long preludes create static atmospheres or specific expectations, which lead into a cycle of original themes and are finally defused by a coda. The “Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald“ (op.325), which received it’s premier in 1868 in the Austrian Volksgarten, begins with an idyllic country-dance for the zither. This was a portrayal of the poetic local colour, and the Viennese pastime of strolling in the woods on the city outskirts. These peaceful impressions are suddenly interrupted by a pompous horn theme; it’s drive having, at the same time, a melancholic effect. Here life and death have an oppressive nearness, “a special melody high in the spheres shortly before death”. Ödön von Horvath based his dialect folk play “Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald“ literally on the waltz by Johann Strauss.
Privately Johann Strauss evidently was in need of quick consolation after the death of his first wife, Henriette, because he married the 24 years younger Angelika “Lily” Dittrich just 7 weeks later. To avoid potentially uncomfortable situations they had their honeymoon in 1878 in Wyk on the north sea island of Föhr, far removed from wagging tongues in Vienna. Johann Strauss liked Wyk so much that he returned the following summer, this time alone. According to the towns chronicle it was during this sojourn that he composed “Nordseebilder” (op. 390) on the promenade, transforming the sea’s noise into a waltz.

Operettas were the second genre with which Johann Strauss gained world fame. Though not all were as brilliant as “Die Fledermaus”. Even “Das Spitzentuch der Königin” first performed in 1880 in theatres in Vienna, despite a mediocre libretto contained remarkable music. A number of charming melodies which under the name of “Rosen aus dem Süden” (op. 388) still evoke pleasant memories.

Eventually Johann Strauss had measured all dimensions of the waltz and had developed it into a universal format. As a mature man he neither “had the devil in him” privately or as a composer. He had become an icon of Vienna and he even aggrandised himself with the “Kaiserwalzer” (op. 437) composed in 1889 whilst taking the waters in Franzenbad. His personal homage to Kaiser Franz Joseph the first, which amusingly was premiered in Berlin, is not a dance but a subtle suite containing dynamic contrasts. First a quiet march evoking a passing parade then a wide all embracing waltz part using classic instrumentation with “authentic Viennese pep”. The famous conductor Robert Stolz was sure “that one emperor had paid homage to another”. But the “Kaiserwalzer” was no longer a traditional dance, more it was endless variation in three quarter time dressed in sensual, secret melodies, which sound like Champaign for the ears.

Yakov Kreizberg

The Russian-born American conductor Yakov Kreizberg currently holds the posts of Chief Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Netherlands Philharmonic and Netherlands Chamber Orchestras, and Principal Guest Conductor of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. From 1995 to 2000 he was Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and he relinquished the post of Generalmusikdirector of the Komische Oper Berlin at the end of the 2000/01 season.

In demand across the globe, Yakov Kreizberg has conducted orchestras such as the Royal Concertgebouw, Leipzig Gewandhaus, Berlin Philharmonic, WDR Köln, NDR Hamburg, Staatskapelle Dresden and BBC Symphony, London Philharmonic, Philharmonia Orchestra, Deutsches Sinfonie-Orchester Berlin, Bayerische Rundfunk, Tonhalle Orchestra Zürich, and he has been a frequent guest at the BBC Proms.

Within North America, Yakov Kreizberg regularly works with prestigious orchestras including Philadelphia Orchestra (with whom he toured the Americas in 2003), Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, the Minnesota Orchestra and he has also conducted the Los Angeles and New York Philharmonics and Chicago and Boston Symphony Orchestras.

As well as having recorded for Decca and Oehms Classics, Yakov Kreizberg’s collaboration with Pentatone Classics and the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra has been extremely successful - their fourth release, Tour de France was issued in June 2005. Also with Pentatone Classics, Mr Kreizberg has recorded an award winning disc with Julia Fischer and the Russian National Orchestra, whilst his first recording with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Bruckner’s Symphony no. 7 was released in July 2005.

Mr Kreizberg established a fine reputation at the Komische Oper in a wide variety of repertoire. Elsewhere, he has conducted for Canadian Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, English National Opera and on a number of occasions with Glyndebourne Festival Opera. He has recently conducted Iolanthe with Netherlands Opera and will return in 2007/08 for Katya Kabanova. As part of the 2004 Bregenz FestivaI, he conducted Weill’s Der Protagonist and Royal Palace with Vienna Symphony Orchestra and in 2006 will conduct Macbeth at the Royal Opera House.

Born in St Petersburg, Yakov Kreizberg studied conducting privately with Ilya A. Musin, (the renowned Professor of Conducting from the St. Petersburg Conservatory) before emigrating to the United States in 1976. There he was awarded conducting fellowships at Tanglewood with Bernstein, Ozawa, Leinsdorf and at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute. In 1986 he won first prize in the Leopold Stokowski Conducting Competition in New York.

Künstlerische Qualität:10
Klangqualität:10
Gesamteindruck:10
Klassik-heute.com

“I cannot recommend this disc too highly. It is simply smashing”.
J. Scott Morrison, Amazon.com

“Everything from the lilting second beat to the lush sonorities and melting strings is in apple pie order.  Wilfried Scharf's zither is a match for that of Anton Karas, the latter of whom played for Carol Reed's film The Third Man.  The warmth of the oboe and the surrounding strings for the opening of Artists' Life proves potently effective, as are the ensuing, tripping figures in strings and winds. Wonderful sonic separation of the antiphons in the development section of this marvellous waltz.”
--Gary Lemco, audiophile audition

“CD-Tipp”
--AttilaCsampai Bayern 4 Klassik

 “Artistic quality: 10; Soundquality: 10; Total impression: 10.”
--Clemens Höslinger, Klassik-Heute.de

“Kreizbergs readings are spacious, precise, elegant, warm, and regal. His musicians play with wonderful tone and technique; I have never heard this orchestra sound so thoroughly world-class. Moreover, these are the best-recorded versions available. The sound is rich and full yet totally transparent. One can hear a myriad of detail in every passage. The surround channels are perfectly balanced to the front and create a palpable sense of space.”
--Rad Bennet, Soundstage.com

 

The Vienna Symphony Orchestra

At the close of the nineteenth century the time seemed right for the founding of a new Viennese orchestra. Its function was to be two-fold; to present orchestral concerts of a popular kind and, in addition, to provide a platform for the world premieres of the contemporary music of the time. In October 1900, the newly formed orchestra, with the name Vienna Concert Society, gave its first public performance at the Musikverein under the direction of Ferdinand Löwe.

During the First World War, the orchestra was saved from being disbanded only by a fusion with the Vienna Tonkünstler Orchestra, founded in 1913. In 1944 however, the orchestra’s activities came to a halt for eight months.

In the years following 1945, thanks to the efforts of the Principal Conductor Hans Swarowsky and Josef Krips, the orchestra was rebuilt. In the past, renowned personalities such as Bruno Walter, Richard Strauss, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Oswald Kabasta, George Szell and Hans Knappertsbusch left decisive imprints on the orchestra. In later years it was mainly the Principal Conductors
Herbert von Karajan (1950-1960) and Wolfgang Sawallisch (1960-1970) who formed the tone quality of the orchestra. Following them, the position was filled - after the brief return of Josef Krips - by Carlo Maria Giulini and Gennadij Roshdestvenskij. George Prêtre followed until 1991, preferring to describe his post as “Principal Guest Conductor”. His successor was Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos.
During these years, guest stars such as Leonard Bernstein, Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, Claudio Abbado and Sergiu Celibidache celebrated their many notable successes. From 1997 until the end of 2004, the Principal Conductor was Vladimir Fedosejev, and commencing with the 2005/2006 season, the post has been filled by Fabio Luisi. Additionally, Yakov Kreizberg has been Principal Guest Conductor since October 2003.

The Vienna Symphony Orchestra is the concert orchestra of the City of Vienna, being responsible for the greater part of the musical life of the capital city. Its activities are diverse, whereby the traditional cultivation of the Viennese sound quality combined with new forms of music and their presentation occupy a central position.

Furthermore, the orchestra has been “Orchestra in Residence” at the Bregenz since 1946, where it performs in a majority of opera and concert productions at the Bregenz Festival. In 2006, a new challenge arises as the orchestra will perform in many productions at the Theater an der Wien which is to resume its former function as an opera house.