German Johann Strauss Society
The German Johann Strauss Society (DJSG) is a music-historical association founded in Hamburg in 1975 , which has been based in Coburg since 1991 . According to its own information, the association has around 220 members, mostly in Germany, but also in Switzerland, Austria, Great Britain, Sweden, the Netherlands and the USA. The first chairman has been Ingolf Roßberg since 2012 , who already took over this executive function in 2011.
History and activities
The Austrian composer Johann Strauss (son) became a citizen of the Duchy of Saxony-Coburg-Gotha through naturalization in 1887 and thus a German citizen, when he died in Vienna in 1899 (his wife, who also became German, died in Vienna in 1930).
The German Johann Strauss Society is committed to the performance of the original, unprocessed, music by Johann Strauss (son), his family and his contemporaries. Members of the society, including the former first chairman of the society, Norbert Linke , honorary member of the society since 2013, dedicate themselves to research and publication on the original sources of music. Others, on the other hand, are active in researching cultural-historical contexts, including the Graz music researcher Helmut Reichenauer .
Her field of activity includes the co-organization of the annual "Bad Reichenhaller Johann Strauss Days", which are mainly organized by the chief conductor of the Bad Reichenhaller Philharmonic , Christian Simonis (member of the board of directors), and the appearance as organizer of the " Johann Strauss Days ”in Coburg (most recently in 2018). Exhibitions on Strauss (son) and his family were also organized.
There is a close connection to the Dresden State Operetta , but also to numerous other theaters and orchestras, and the association and its members also supported and supports the establishment and operation of the Museum of the Johann Strauss Dynasty in Vienna. Internationally she has contacts to friendly companies in Austria, Great Britain, Sweden and Japan.
In 1991, the association initiated the re-establishment of the Johann Strauss (Sohn) Foundation in Coburg, which historically is based on legacies donated by Johann Strauss (Son) in Coburg in 1887, but which had become worthless over time. It was founded in 1992 and has been administered in trust by the City of Coburg as a fiduciary foundation since 1993 . The foundation's assets are just under 100,000 euros (2015).
The association publishes a regular magazine: in 1975 the first number of the pamphlets appeared (named after a waltz, op.300, by Strauss (Sohn)), with the relocation of the company's headquarters to Coburg, the magazine was renamed Neues Leben (after der Polka francaise, op. 278). After appearing usually once a year alongside a newsletter Telegramme (also based on a waltz by Strauss (Sohn), op. 318), which was last published in 2013, Neues Leben has been published since 2012 with usually three issues per year. In addition to numerous specialist articles, it contains reviews of stage works, concerts and literature as well as information on club activities.
The archive holdings, which have been built up since 1978 and are constantly being updated, have been in the rooms of the Coburg State Library since 1994 and are accessible to the public.
At irregular intervals it awards the scholarship of the German Johann Strauss Society to talented music students, preferably from the Upper Franconian region.
Chairpersons were or are (not fully):
- Joachim Viedebantt (1975–1978)
- Prof. Norbert Linke (1985–1991)
- Arthur Kulling (1991-2006)
- Ralph Braun (2007-2011)
- Ingolf Roßberg (since 2012 (officiating 2011–2012))
literature
- German Johann Strauss Society (ed.): Commemorative publication for the 40th anniversary. As: Neues Leben - The magazine for Strauss lovers and friends of the Viennese operetta , issue 50 (2015 / No. 3). ISSN 1438-065X