Josef Strauss, like Eduard, is a younger brother of Johann Strauss II,
and son of Johann Strauss I. He was born in Vienna on August 22, 1827.
He was an extremely talented young man not only in music but even as
architect and inventor. Of more serious and sober disposition than
either of his two brothers, he long regarded café-house music
condescendingly, his musical preference being for the classics. His
famous brother, Johann Strauss II, needing someone to help him direct
his orchestra, finally prevailed on Josef to turn to café-house music.
Josef made his debut as café-house conductor and composer simultaneously
on July 23, 1853, his first waltz being _Die Ersten_. After that he
often substituted for brother Johann in directing the latter’s orchestra
in Vienna and on extended tours of Europe and Russia. Josef died in
Vienna on July 21, 1870.
Josef Strauss wrote almost three hundred dance compositions. Though
certainly less inspired than his brother, Johann, he was also far more
important than Eduard. Josef’s best waltzes have much of the lyrical
invention, and the harmonic and instrumental invention of those by
Johann Strauss II. Perhaps his greatest waltz is the _Dorfschwalben aus
Oesterreich_ (_Swallows from Austria_), op. 164, a nature portrait often
interrupted by the chirping of birds. Here Josef’s outpouring of the
most sensitive lyricism and delicate moods is hardly less wondrous than
that of Johann Strauss II. H. E. Jacob went so far as to say that “since
Schubert’s death there has been no such melody. It is in the realm of
the Impromptus and Moments Musicaux. It breathes the sweet blue from
which the swallows come.”
Another Josef Strauss classic in three-quarter time is _Sphaerenklaenge_
(_Music of the Spheres_), op. 285, equally remarkable for its
spontaneous flow of unforgettable waltz tunes. Among Strauss’ other
delightful waltzes are the _Aquarellen_, op. 258; _Delirien_, op. 212;
_Dynamiden_, op. 173; _Marienklaenge_, op. 214. A theme from _Dynamiden_
waltzes was used by Richard Strauss in his famous opera _Der
Rosenkavalier_.
In collaboration with his brother, Johann, Josef wrote the famous
_Pizzicato Polka_ and several other pieces including the
_Monstrequadrille_ and _Vaterlandischer March_. With Johann and Eduard
he wrote the _Schuetzenquadrille_ and the _Trifolienwalzer_.