Spring concert Musikverein from the Golden hall

Josef Strauss
Mysterious Powers of Attraction (Dynamiden) / Waltz
op. 173 (1865)

For the ball of the association of Industrial Companies held on 30 January 1865 in the Redoutensäle rooms in the Hofburg, the imperial palace in Vienna, Josef Strauss composed a waltz to which he gave the title Dynamiden. This is a term coined in 1857 by Ferdinand Jacob Redtenbacher, the founder of the science of mechanical engineering, and by it he meant the basis for the molecular forces which are responsible for keeping together and attracting substances. It is worth mentioning that Josef Strauss was himself a qualified engineer — and also that the reports of the ball that appeared in newspapers made no mention whatsoever of his name.

In fact the Wiener Zeitung even claimed to know that it was Johann Strauss who had conducted the waltz. On the other hand they all agreed that the new waltz had been very well received, although it is not known whether the symphonic introduction, a musical gem, was played then or not until the first concert performance of the work, given at the Volksgarten establishment in Vienna on 5 March 1865. This was the concert at which the three Strauss brothers played all the new dances they had composed for the Carnival season which had just ended.

In the announcements for the concert a phrase in brackets was added to the title, giving a more generally comprehensible and more poetic explanation as well as a perfect characterisation of that introduction: Mysterious Powers of Attraction. In the printed edition of the piano arrangement this finally became the new main title of the work, with the opus number 173.

Someone who was evidently attracted to the work was Richard Strauss (no relation of the Viennese Strausses). He quotes the opening waltz theme with only minor alterations in his opera Der Rosenkavalier. It is not known whether he did so consciously or unconsciously; however, the great similarity makes it virtually impossible to believe this happened by chance.

Synopsis: Dr. Thomas Aigner

Translation: Dr. Leigh H. Bailey

Josef Strauss: Mysterious Powers of Attraction (Dynamiden) / Waltz op. 173 (1865)
© by WienBibliothek im Rathaus (2021)

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Monday, 01. May 202311.00 o' clock
Vienna ⁄ Musikverein ⁄ The Große Musikvereinssaal

Spring concert Musikverein from the Golden hall

Alfred Eschwé conductor

Program
Franz von Suppè : Overture to the operetta "The Beautiful Galathee"
Josef Strauss : Artists's Greeting / Polka française op. 274
Josef Strauss : Carriére / polka fast op. 200
Josef Strauss : Mysterious Powers of Attraction (Dynamiden) / Waltz op. 173
Josef Strauss : Die Emancipirte / Polka-mazurka op. 282
Josef Strauss : Chatterboxes: musical joke / Polka op. 245
Josef Strauss : Transactions / Waltz op. 184
Break Johann Strauss II : March of Rejoicing at the Deliverance of Emperor Franz Joseph I op. 126
Johann Strauss II : Artist’s Life / Waltz op. 316
Johann Strauss II : Fata Morgana / Polka mazurka op. 330
Johann Strauss II : A Masked Ball, Quadrille on Themes from Verdi’s Opera «Un ballo in masquera» op. 272
Giuseppe Verdi : Gallop from the opera «Il trovatore»
Johann & Josef Strauss : Pizzicato Polka
Johann Strauss II : At the Double! / Quick polka op. 348
Johann Strauss II : With Us at Home / Waltz op. 361

Alfred Eschwé
© by WJSO.at / Kurt Pinter

Alfred Eschwé
Resumé
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