Flagellated polka
The Geisselhiebe polka is a polka by Johann Strauss Sohn (op. 60). The work was first performed in December 1848. The location of the premiere is not known.
Remarks
The work was created against the backdrop of the revolution of 1848 . At that time, Johann Strauss sympathized with this movement without, however, joining it. The title name goes back to a then young newspaper called Die Geissel . This newspaper had criticized Johann Strauss because, in their opinion, he played pro-revolutionary pieces. Strauss rejected the allegations and stated that he had only complied with the public's wishes. As a result, he wrote the Polka Geisselhiebe in response to the aforementioned newspaper criticism. In the work he quotes his compositions , which the newspaper complained about, and briefly also the Marseillaise , which he had also performed in the summer of 1848. With the quotation of the mock song from the opera Der Freischütz by Carl Maria von Weber , Strauss made it unmistakably clear that he could only laugh at these scourge lashes (the attacks of the newspaper). The polka was originally very successful. With the further political development and the suppression of the revolution, the political attitudes of Johann Strauss also changed. The former sympathizer of the revolution now sided with the government and wanted to forget about his previous attitude. This earned him the title of court ball music director in 1863. Accordingly, the whip polka was no longer played.
The playing time on the CD listed under individual records is 3 minutes and 50 seconds. This time can vary somewhat depending on the conductor's musical conception.
Web links
Individual proof
- ↑ Source: English version of the booklet (page 43) in the 52 CD complete edition of the orchestral works by Johann Strauss (son), publisher Naxos (label) . The work can be heard as the first track on CD 14.