Vienna Johann Strauss Orchestra - Emperor-Waltz Live in Concert (2019)

Already in 1954 an attempt was made to found a Strauss orchestra. - This year, a part of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra under Eduard Strauss II had joined together to form a "Johann Strauss Orchestra".

A repeated, satisfying collaboration of the Symphoniker with Eduard Strauss preceded this action. In order not to install a new orchestra within the Wiener Symphoniker, it remained at a half-hearted thing. The first concerts in Vienna and Graz at the turn of the year 1954/1955 again played the orchestra under its original name »Wiener Symphoniker«, but in a much smaller cast.

Oskar Goger, violinist in the "Kleiner Wiener Rundfunkorchester", had long had plans to put together an ensemble with his colleagues in the cast of the historic Strauss Capelle. On January 2, 1966, about half of the musicians of the Wiener Rundfunkorchester met in the Moccastube coffee shop to prepare a club. However, a crucial difficulty had to be overcome: as the "Kleine Rundfunkorchester" only consisted of 21, the traditional Strauss Capelle consisted of 42 musicians, yet more musicians had to be found for this project. On the one hand, it should be very good musicians who liked to play Strauss music to meet the high quality requirements, on the other hand, the human values ​​were not missing, as common, weeks-long tours had to be mastered. Oskar Goger was able to convince musicians from all major orchestras in Vienna to join forces with his colleagues from the radio orchestra to form a Strauss orchestra. The happy circumstance that Eduard Strauss II had distinguished himself as the conductor of Strauss music since 1949, and that the Austrian ambassador to Canada, dr. Leitner, for him a tour through Canada and the US planned, Eduard Strauss II but no orchestra was available for the tour, eventually led to the founding of the Association "Vienna Johann Strauss Orchestra". He joined Eduard Strauss II as the artistic director of the legitimate successor to the original Strausscapelle. The organizational structure and the statute of the Vienna Philharmonic were chosen as the organizational form.

It would eventually have been possible just to put together an orchestra for the planned North American tour, and ask him only after the end of the journey the question of whether it would stay together. The success or failure of this first tour would certainly have strongly influenced the answer to the question. But Oskar Goger immediately chose the structure of a club, because he wanted the orchestra to last for a longer period of time.

Right at the beginning, the orchestra had great patrons and sponsors: the then Program Director of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation. Alfons Übelhör, Ministerialrat Dr. Harald Langer-Hansel, Head of Austrian Tourism Promotion, Dr. Ing. Theo Cieplik, the owner of a major Austrian artist agency - who also managed the newly founded orchestra - and dr. Soul Hurok, the world-famous impresario, a friend of Austria and organizing manager of the North American tour. Being looked after by him was an honor and almost a guarantee of success, as he had extensive connections.

A loan from the City of Vienna made it possible for all members of the orchestra to play in the Grand Hall of the Konzerthaus on October 3, 1966, at 7.30 pm, in front of the first North American tour in a tailcoat concert. This "fracking loan" was then paid in installments by each member. The concert was held in aid of flood disaster relief and was under the patronage of Vice-Chancellor Dr. Fritz Bock, Federal Minister dr. Theodor Piffl-Percevic, Mayor Bruno Marek, Ambassador James Riddleberger (USA) and President Ing. Sallinger. The music was made this evening under the "regular conductor" of the "Kleine Wiener Rundfunkorchester" Heinz Sandauer and Fritz Zelwecker, who also rehearsed the programs for the forthcoming tour. In addition to the choir "Jung Wien" under Leo Lehner, the soloists Lucia Popp, Dagmar Koller, Friedrich Nidetzky and Walter Kräutler also participated. Eduard Strauss was in London that evening and came to the rehearsals for the tour.

Now the orchestra was ready for its first major trip to Canada and the United States to present the loveable sides of Vienna and Austria - the music of the Strauss dynasty.

The Boskovsky era: After the untimely death of Eduard Strauss II, the last musical representative of the dynasty in 1969, a man took over the management of the orchestra, whose name is associated with the tradition of New Year's concerts until today: Willi Boskovsky. Under his baton and bow leadership began a busy touring activity, which continues to this day and the orchestra not only across Europe but led to the US, South America, Korea, China and especially to Japan, where the Vienna Johann Strauss Orchestra in 2002 already completed his 22st tour.

With the era Boskovsky began an increased recording activity, which culminated in the fact that for the Austrian Broadcasting Company in the 70s almost the entire oeuvre of the dynasty Strauss was recorded.

It was three conductors who, after Boskovsky's death, mainly accompanied the orchestra on their travels and concerts: Walter Goldschmid, Rudolf Bibl and above all Kurt Wöss. In the recent past, it has been increasingly influenced by personalities such as Alfred Eschwé, Ola Rudner, Franz Bauer-Theussl, Martin Sieghart and not least Johannes Wildner. In the golden Musikvereinssaal in Vienna, the orchestra has had its own concert cycle for some years.

Vienna Johann Strauss Orchestra
Alfred Eschwe, conductor