Transactionen, Walzer, Op. 184 - Josef Strauss

"Transactions". The title of the waltz Transactionen conjures up thoughts of the stock exchange, shares, capital, interest, and so on, because, according to the dictionary, transactions are financial deals of all sorts. The artist of the title page of the first edition of this masterwork suspected the entrepreneur to be none other than the god of love Amour, who places a man’s right hand into a woman’s left. Therefore, these transactions would be the passionate reunion of two lovers or, perhaps, their reconciliation. During the Carnival season of 1865, the 38-year-old Josef Strauss collapsed in the middle of the ball season because of a seizure caused by his serious and incurable brain disease, and had to stay away from the dance halls for a time. In the summer of 1865, he had to go on vacation, but before embarking on a trip through the marvellous countryside of his homeland, Josef Strauss presented, at a charity concert on 2nd August 1865 in the Volksgarten, a work which still reflected his frightening experience during the Carnival season. It is a waltz that, while danceable, borders on symphonic music of impeccable beauty which is permeated by the premonition of another even more harmonious sphere, beyond all earthly affairs. Therefore, Josef Strauss called the work Transactionen.

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Painting: The Proposal
Artist: Frédéric Soulacroix

Wiener Johann Strauss Orchester
Alfred Eschwé