Download "Rosen aus dem Süden - Johann Strauss II" MP3 or MP4 for free

"It was an eventful evening; the house was filled to the gables in order to hear a new work by our Strauss, for Strauss enjoys the increasingly rare title 'our' which is the ultimate superlative for an artist: Positive = Herr Strauss Comparative = Strauss Superlative = Our Strauss!" So wrote the Fremdenblatt newspaper (3 October) in its review of the highly successful première of Johann Strauss's operetta Das Spitzentuch der Königin ('The Queen's Lace Handkerchief'), which opened at Vienna's Theater an der Wien on 1 October 1880. The composer himself, though delighted by the reception accorded his latest stage work, was unconvinced that it would enjoy a lasting success. But he had no such doubts about the magnificent orchestral waltz, Rosen aus dem Süden, which he had hurriedly assembled from themes in his operetta, and whose piano edition his publisher, Cranz, was able to advertise in the press (together with the first Spitzentuch potpourri) just four days after the theatrical première! The honour of conducting the first performance of Rosen aus dem Süden fell to Johann's brother, Eduard, who was still on a concert tour of Germany when Spitzentuch received its première. Not until 7 November, therefore, at Eduard's Sunday afternoon concert in the Musikverein, did the waltz begin its triumphant conquest of the world, comprising, as it did, many of the musical highlights from the operetta. Two numbers which had drawn especial praise from the Spitzentuch first-night ...