Konzert zum Nationalfeiertag (Konzert abgesagt)

Josef Strauss
Allegro fantastique / Orchestral Fantasy*
(1862)

The orchestral fantasy Allegro fantastique was composed by Josef Strauss in Pavlosk in 1862. Its lively character and the virtuosity it demands from the performers make it a counterpart to Johann Strauss’s Perpetuum mobile, which he had written the year before and which had become an absolute favourite with audiences in Pavlovsk.

Unlike its model, which offers a kaleidoscopic wealth of melodies, the Allegro fantastique is strictly monothematic. The work is in ternary form, with the two outside sections being characterized by an agitated theme in C minor, which appears in the contrasting middle section at a slower tempo and in C major. A copy of the score made by the violinist A. Leonoff gives as a subtitle Bravura Piece for Bow Instrument[s]. ‘Bow instruments’ means, of course, strings, which in this work, which is scored for a full symphony orchestra, are treated in a decidedly virtuoso manner. This suggests that the work was intended for performance at one of the traditional benefit concerts for the orchestra. For such events the Strauss brothers always put together a programme that allowed the individual groups of instruments and their leading players to show off their skills.

According to the programme notes made by F.A. Zimmermann, who played in the orchestra, the Allegro fantastique was, however, not given its first performance until the day after the benefit concert, on 16 [28 NS] August. ‘With every day more appreciation. Very full — a lot of applause. A lot of problems with the orchestra over their benefit concert,’ Josef Strauss wrote to his wife Caroline directly after the concert. His last comment strengthens the supposition that the premier had to be postponed at the last minute because of adverse circumstances. Nevertheless, the new piece did not get such a bad place on the programme. It received its first performance on a Thursday, the day of the week when the so-called ‘music evenings’ took place, which were placed high up in the hierarchy of concerts in Pavlovsk. These evenings were characterized by a programme consisting of three sections and were announced in advance by means of posters. There were five more performances of the Allegro fantastique before the end of the season.

Synopsis: Dr. Thomas Aigner

Translation: Dr. Leigh H. Bailey

* Austrian first performance on May 15, 2016 in the Wiener Musikverein by the Vienna Johann Strauss Orchestra.

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Tuesday, 25. October 202218.30 o' clock
Graz ⁄ Congress ⁄ Stefaniensaal

Konzert zum Nationalfeiertag (Konzert abgesagt)

Johannes Wildner conductor

Program
Johann Strauss II : Overture to the operetta «Waldmeister» (Woodruff)
Joseph Lanner : Steyerische Tänze op. 165
Josef Strauss : The Dancing Muse / Polka mazurka op. 266
Josef Strauss : On Holiday Travels! / Quick polka op. 133
Josef Strauss : Allegro fantastique / Orchestral Fantasy*
Josef Strauss : Watercolours / Waltz op. 258
Break Franz von Suppè : Fatinitza March
Franz von Suppè : Ouverture zu «Ein Morgen, ein Mittag, ein Abend in Wien»
Franz Lehár : Gold and Silver / Waltz op. 79
Franz Lehár : Zwanzinetta based on motifs from the operetta «Eva»
Johann Strauss II : Cuckoo Polka / Polka française op. 336
Eduard Strauss I : By Express Post / Quick polka op. 259
Johann Strauss II : The Blue Danube / Waltz op. 314

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