Concert in Pasadena

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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Saturday, 24. January 198720.30 o' clock
Pasadena ⁄ Ambassador Auditorium

Concert in Pasadena
2nd US tour

Kurt Woess conductor

Program
Johann Strauss II : Overture to the operetta «Waldmeister» (Woodruff)
Johann Strauss II : Anna Polka op. 117
Johann Strauss II : Eljen A Magyar! « Long Live the Magyar!» / Quick polka op. 332
Josef Strauss : Mysterious Powers of Attraction (Dynamiden) / Waltz op. 173
Johann Strauss II : Excursion Train / Quick polka op. 281
Johann Strauss II : Artist’s Life / Waltz op. 316
Break Johann Strauss II : Persian March op. 289
Josef Strauss : Watercolours / Waltz op. 258
Josef Strauss : Without a Care! / Quick polka op. 271
Johann Strauss II : Bandits Galop / Polka schnell op. 378
Johann Strauss II : New Pizzicato Polka, from the Operetta «Fürstin Ninetta» op. 449
Johann Strauss II : The Blue Danube / Waltz op. 314
Encore Johann Strauss I : Radetzky March op. 228

Reiseanekdote:

Nach dem Konzert in Washington kam es zu einer geradezu rührenden Geste, als Mistislav Rostropovich, der berühmte Cellist und Chefdirigent des National Orchesters Washington zu Wöss in die Garderobe kam und ihm kniend für dieses Konzert dankte. Nun mag man dieses Geschehen mit einem Hang des Russen zum Theatralischen und zum Pompösen relativieren, übrig bleibt auf jeden Fall ein tief empfundener Dank für eine großartige Leistung des Orchesters unter der begeisternden Leitung von Kurt Wöss. Unter den Besuchern dieses Konzertes befand sich auch Rudolf Bing, der ehemalige Direktor der Metropolitan Oper. Deutlich gezeichnet von seiner schweren Krankheit kam er zu Wöss in die Garderobe und schenkte ihm ein Päckchen Kaffee auf dem vermerkt war "Wiener Röstung".

You can find more anecdotes in our collection.

For an overall view of all concerts of this tour, please click HERE

Kurt Woess
© by WJSO-Archive

Kurt Woess
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