Strauss, Johann (The Younger) (1825-1899)

Strauss, Johann (The Younger)

COMPOSER, CONDUCTOR (AUSTRIA)

BORN 25 Oct 1825, Wien - DIED 3 Jun 1899, Wien
GRAVE LOCATION Wien: Zentralfriedhof, Simmeringer Hauptstraße 234, Simmering (Gruppe 32 A, Nummer 27)

Son of composer and conductor Johann Strauss. His father wanted to be a banker, but he secretly studied the violin with Franz Amon, the first violinist of his father's orchestra. Only when his father went to live with his mistress Emilie Trampusch when he was seventeen, he was able to concentrate on music with his mother's support. Joachim Hoffmann and Josef Drechsler taught him harmony.

He debuted at the Dommayer's Casino in Hietzing, Vienna and soon the press wrote about a rivalry between father and son. The titles of his waltzes from around 1848 made clear that he supported the revolution of 1848. This prevented him from becoming Hofballmusikdirektor in later years. In 1849 his father died and he put their orchestras together.

His waltzes became popular and with his orchestra he toured Austria, Germany and Poland. In 1862 he married the singer Jetty Treffz, with whom he performed together in London. She was seven years his senior, but she proved an efficient manager of his household as well as his career. She stimulated him into writing operettas. Not all of them were successful, but "Die Fledermaus" (1874) certainly was.

After Jetty's death in 1878 he married the actress Angelika Dittrich, but their quarrels and her indescretions led him to seek a divorce. After the church wouldn't give him a divorce he gave up the Catholic faith and became a citizen of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. In 1882 he married again and his third wife Adele stimulated his creative powers.

Family
• Father: Strauss, Johann (The Elder)
• Wife: Treffz, Jetty (1862-1878, Wien: Stephansdom)

Related persons
• was a friend of Brahms, Johannes
• was a friend of Grünfeld, Alfred
• cooperated with Léon, Victor

Images
The grave of Johann Strauss (The Younger) at the Zentralfriedhof, Vienna. Picture by Androom (15 Aug 1995)	The house in Vienna where Johann Strauss wrote "Fledermaus". Picture by androom (15 Aug 2006)