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Johann Strauss was the eldest son of composer Johann Strauss (the Elder), who did not want his son to pursue a musical career. Hence, Johann Strauss started his career as a bank employee. However, the young Johann Strauss secretly learned how to play the violin and, as early as 1844, directed his own dance music orchestra with 15 ensemble members inside a Viennese restaurant.
After his father passed away in 1849, he merged his orchestra with his father’s and embarked on a concert tour, which took him to Russia (in 1865 - 1866) and to England (1869). His successes made him famous far beyond his native Austria.
In late 1870, he entrusted his brothers Josef and Eduard with leading the orchestra and became the most renowned composer of the golden age of Viennese operettas.
In 1899, Johann Strauss passed away in his native Vienna at the age of 73.
His many melodies and successful waltzes include "Morgenblätter" (1864), "Künstlerleben" (1867), "Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald" (1868), "Wein, Weib und Gesang" (1869), "Wiener Blut" (1871) and the "Kaiserwalzer" (1888).
Without doubt, his most important work is "An der schönen blauen Donau" (1867), which was the most well-known melody of the 19th century.
Of the approximately 500 dance pieces written by Johan Strauss, more than 150 are waltzes. From his stage works, "Die Fledermaus" (1874) is the most classic example of the Viennese operetta. "Der Zigeunerbaron" (1855) was just as successful. His operettas "Karneval in Rom" (1873) and "Eine Nacht in Venedig" (1883) are also very well-known.
