Grand Duchess Alexandra (waltz)
Grand Duchess Alexandra is a waltz by Johann Strauss Sohn (op. 181). The work was first performed on June 26, 1856 in Pavlovsk , Russia.
Remarks
In the summer of 1856, Johann Strauss stayed in Pavlovsk near St. Petersburg at the invitation of the Russian railway company . Pavlovsk was on an important railway line. For this reason Strauss was asked to play there. With it, people were supposed to travel by train from St. Petersburg to attend the composer's concerts. These took place in a pavilion known as Vauxhall . Strauss stayed in Russia between May and October 1856 and composed various works there, including this waltz. His concerts were also attended by high-ranking Russian nobles. Among them were Grand Duke Konstantin (1827-1892) and his wife Alexandra von Sachsen-Altenburg (1830-1911). Both were enthusiastic and talented musicians. Alexandra has also composed her own works. Johann Strauss took up some of her compositions and used them in various of his works. The waltz discussed here is named after and dedicated to the Grand Duchess. Musically, Strauss interwoven and combined Russian motifs and stylistic elements with the familiar Viennese style. The waltz was very well received in Russia, but also in Vienna, where it was premiered on November 8, 1856 in the Tanzlokal zum Sperl under the direction of Josef Strauss , the composer's brother.
The playing time on the CD listed under individual records is 7 minutes and 20 seconds. Depending on the musical conception of the conductor, this time can vary by up to about a minute plus or minus.
Web links
literature
- Peter Kemp: The Strauss Family: History of a Musician Dynasty. Heyne Biographien, ISBN 3-453-04621-8 , p. 109.
Individual proof
- ↑ Source: English version of the booklet (page 53) in the 52 CD complete edition of the orchestral works by Johann Strauss (son), published by Naxos (label) . The work can be heard as the fifth track on the 18th CD.