Concert in Puebla

Johann Strauss II
Thunder and Lightning / Quick polka
op. 324 (1868)

‘Dear Sirs / Herewith I have the honour to submit to the esteemed committee the title “Shooting Star” for a composition – to be precise a quick polka – for the Hesperus Ball.’ This brief announcement was sent by Jetty Strauss to Hesperus, an association of actors and musicians, and the letter was signed ‘Yours faithfully’ by her husband Johann. The date for the Hesperus Ball had already been advertised as 16 February in the Wiener Zeitung, a Vienna daily, on 10 January 1868. Jetty’s letter is undated.

Hesperos – the evening star of Greek mythology – is the planet Venus, seen sometimes in the evening, sometimes in the early morning (Hesperus had a sister society named Aurora). So how did the polka get the title “Shooting Star”? On the evening of 30 January 1868 a meteor was observed in towns to the north of Vienna. It must have been an impressive event, as from 1 February it was reported in many newspapers, both in Austria and abroad, ‘The phenomenon, a ball of blue flame […] disappeared with a crash like thunder’ (Neue Freie Presse, 1 February); ‘The luminous phenomenon was one of splendour and magnificence […] a meteor moving slowly forward in an easterly direction […] The speed of the luminous body increased unusually rapidly and with it the phenomenon grew bigger […] almost the diameter of the sun […].’ (Neue Freie Presse, 3 February).

This means that Jetty’s letter was written at the beginning of February 1868, not earlier, but not later either, because from 6 February there were already announcements that Johann Strauss was preparing a quick polka with the title “Shooting Star” for the Hesperus Ball. He thus had ten days to complete a composition which is orchestrated so as illustrate in music dazzling flashes of light and thunder.

Johann Strauss II. Thunder and Lightning op. 324
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Monday, 18. November 201319.00 o' clock
Puebla ⁄ Cathedral

Concert in Puebla
First Mexico tour

Johannes Wildner conductor

Konzertberichterstattung:
Konzert Nr. 3 der Mexiko-Tournee 2013 fand in Puebla, einer der schönsten Städte Mexikos, statt. An keinem geringeren Ort als der Kathedrale von Puebla verzauberte das Wiener Johann Strauss Orchester unter der exzellenten Leitung von Johannes Wildner das bunt gemischte Publikum aller Altersklassen. Vom Accelerationen-Walzer, über Wiener Blut bis hin zur Feuerfest-Polka mit Solist Martin Breinschmid am Amboss gelang es dem Orchester, einen sich stetig steigernden Spannungsbogen über den gesamten Abend aufzubauen und das begeisterte mexikanische Publikum dankte es dem Orchester wie auch schon bei den vorhergehenden Konzerten mit langem Applaus und Standing Ovations.
Bei der anschließenden Signierstunde vor dem Dom nahm sich Maestro Wildner über eine dreiviertel Stunde Zeit um mit allen Fans persönlich zu sprechen. Von einer fürsorglichen Konzertbesucherin bekam Johannes Wildner sogar einen Schal geschenkt, aus Sorge der Dirigent könne sich vor der windigen Kathedrale noch verkühlen.
Mit vielen großartigen Eindrücken aus Puebla ging es dann - nach einem wunderbaren verspäteten Abendessen am Hauptplatz vor der Kathedrale - zurück ins Hotel nach Tlaxcala.

© 2013 by Georg Vlaschits