Johann Strauss I - Homage to Queen Victoria of Great Britain - Walzer, Op.103

Strauss could soon have enjoyed prolonged success of his achievements in France had the forthcoming coronation of Princess Victoria as Queen of England in April 1837 not drawn him across the channel. His début concert in London was poorly attended owing to the high admission charges, but the enormously favourable critics consequently ensured full houses. In addition, Strauss was admitted to the grand houses of the nobility and finally, on 10 May 1838, was invited to provide the music for the opening state ball on the occasion of Queen Victoria's accession to the throne; this court celebration was also the first major entertainment to be held in the newly renovated Buckingham Palace. Strauss naturally had a new work ready for the occasion, namely the sequence of waltzes: Hommage à la Reine de la Grande Bretagne. The introduction opens with a fanfare which fits the words "Cheer to the Queen -- Victoria!", followed by Thomas Arne's Rule, Britannia; and in conclusion, God Save the Queen played in waltz rhythm crowns the coda. Strauss sent a score of the work to Vienna where it was published one month after the first English edition, with the title Huldigung der Königin Victoria von Grossbritannien.

Conductor: Christian Pollack
Orchestra: Slovak Sinfonietta, Zilina

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Johann
• Strauss
• Homage
• to
• Queen
• Victoria
• of
• Great
• Britain
• Waltz
• Huldigung
• der
• Königin
• von
• Grossbritannien
• Walzer
• Classical
• Music
• Classical Music
• classical music
• Concerto
• Orchestra
• England