The Vienna Philharmonic has been one of the greatest promoters of the music of this talented family, going back all the way to 1924. Conductor Clemens Krauss continued the tradition through the New Yearís Eve concerts which he initiated in 1939, and for many people, ushering in the New Year just wouldnít be the same without the Vienna Philharmonic concert of Strauss music. Herbert von Karajan continued this tradition, and the fifteen recordings of Strauss polkas and waltzes on this recording date from 1946-49.
Sprinkled among the ten Johann II compositions and the three Josef pieces are familiar favorites such as An der schonen, blauen Donau op. 314, the Kaiser-Walzer op. 437, and the Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka op. 214, to name a few. Although these recordings were done over fifty years ago, they represent part of the oeuvre of Karajan early in his career, and hence bring back the era when the conductor ruled over the orchestra. Karajanís legacy as a conductor and interpreter of classical music is well represented by this series from EMI, and this particular recording illustrates his wealth of talent at the beginning of his career.
Dr. Brad Eden
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
image=http://www.operatoday.com/content/karajan_strauss_waltzes.jpg
image_description=Johann Strauss II and Josef Strauss: Waltzes & Polkas
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product_title=Johann Strauss II and Josef Strauss: Waltzes & Polkas
The Karajan collection
product_by=Wiener Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan (cond.)
product_id=EMI Classics 7243 4 76879 2 1 [CD]
price=$10.98
product_url=http://www.hbdirect.com/album_detail.php?id=604235&aff=operatoday