Sounds from Boston Waltzes
Sounds from Boston is a waltz of Johann Strauss Jr. is credited. The date and place of the premiere are unknown.
Remarks
As with several works that Johann Strauss wrote or is said to have written during his trip to America in 1872, this waltz is also a mystery. Here, too, the authorship of the Viennese composer is doubtful. Shortly before the arrival of Johann Strauss, the Boston Daily Evening Transcript announced a potpourri of waltzes by Strauss, which was to be performed there under the name Sounds from Boston . The Viennese composer made a guest appearance there on the occasion of the World Peace Anniversary and International Music Festival, where he appeared as a conductor. A work entitled Sound from Boston , however, was not performed in either the US or Europe for reasons unknown. Despite this, three print versions (piano solo, small orchestra, and large orchestra) were published by the Boston publishing house White, Smith & Perry . In 1872 the piano reduction was registered with the Library of Congress . The waltz was only retrieved from the archives in the 20th century and arranged by Jerome D. Cohen for the CD recording mentioned below. The work consists of a compilation of musical motifs from earlier Strauss waltzes. Specifically, these are the waltz electoral voices (op.250), jurists' ball dances (op.177), citizenship (op.295), rhadamantus sounds (op.94), myrtle wreaths (op.154), Spirals (op.209), fairy tales (op.312) and life alarm clock ( op.232). In the introduction the waltz Deutsche Lust or Donau-Lieder without text , op. 127 by Johann Strauss (father) are quoted.
It is conceivable that the work could be a greeting from Johann Strauss to Boston. What is unusual, however, is the stylistic return to the five-part waltz. A style that Strauss had given up in 1870. The alternative German title of the piano edition is also strange. This is Stories from Boston instead of Stories from Boston . That sounds like a failed translation. How this is all connected and how the puzzle is cleared up must remain open at this point in time.
The playing time on the CD listed under individual records is 11 minutes and 34 seconds. Depending on the musical conception of the conductor, this time can change by up to a minute plus or minus.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Source: English version of the booklet (page 122) 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 ninth track on CD 47.