Vergnügungszug
Encyclopedia
Vergnügungszug op. 281 is a polka
composed by Johann Strauss II
in 1864. The polka was composed for the Association of Industrial Societies' Ball held in the Redoutensaal on 19 January 1864 and inspired from the opening of the Austrian Southern Railway
lines which operated many 'pleasure trains' offering many journeys to the countryside.
Strauss himself was not the first composer
to write a piece celebrating the technological innovation. Hans Christian Lumbye
, the popular Danish
composer wrote his 'Copenhagen Steam Railway' galop
while much earlier, Johann Strauss I
celebrated the opening of the first Austrian steam railway on 14 November 1837 between the Viennese
suburbs of Floridsdorf
and Deutsch Wagram with his own appropriately-titled waltz
'Eisenbahn-Lust Walzer' op. 89 (Railway Joy Waltz). Eduard Strauss
also wrote his own famous quick-polka Bahn Frei op. 45 which also celebrates the opening of a new railway line.
Johann Strauss II
's polka however, stood out with his vividly descriptive polka with triangles imitating train bells whereas horn
s suggest the train's chuffing. The Trio section does not let up the orchestral delight, with the melody constantly hinting of the train's journey. The polka has to end, like the train's journey and Strauss powered home the conclusion with high chords before a resounding flourish underlined by a strong snare drumroll.
Although many of Strauss' works commemorate travel and other forms of transportation, neither he nor his brother eagerly undertook extensive journeys. An anecdote states that Johann himself was terrified at the mere mention of the hanging precipices at the Semmering
and later during a railroad trip to Boston
in the 1870s for a concert tour in the United States
, his wife, Henrietta Treffz
noted that Strauss confessed that he would rather be killed than to take another trip via the American railroad. Many stories suggest that Strauss was terrified of train journeys and that he could be found huddled on the train floor although these are not substantiated.
Polka
The polka is a Central European dance and also a genre of dance music familiar throughout Europe and the Americas. It originated in the middle of the 19th century in Bohemia...
composed by Johann Strauss II
Johann Strauss II
Johann Strauss II , also known as Johann Baptist Strauss or Johann Strauss, Jr., the Younger, or the Son , was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other types of dance music, as well as several operettas...
in 1864. The polka was composed for the Association of Industrial Societies' Ball held in the Redoutensaal on 19 January 1864 and inspired from the opening of the Austrian Southern Railway
Austrian Southern Railway
The Austrian Southern Railway was an Austrian railway company established in 1841...
lines which operated many 'pleasure trains' offering many journeys to the countryside.
Strauss himself was not the first composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
to write a piece celebrating the technological innovation. Hans Christian Lumbye
Hans Christian Lumbye
Hans Christian Lumbye was a Danish composer of waltzes, polkas, mazurkas and galops, among other things.As a child, he studied music in Randers and Odense, and by age 14 he was playing the trumpet in a military band. In 1829, he joined the Horse Guards in Copenhagen, still continuing his music...
, the popular Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
composer wrote his 'Copenhagen Steam Railway' galop
Galop
In dance, the galop, named after the fastest running gait of a horse , a shortened version of the original term galoppade, is a lively country dance, introduced in the late 1820s to Parisian society by the Duchesse de Berry and popular in Vienna, Berlin and London...
while much earlier, Johann Strauss I
Johann Strauss I
Johann Strauss I , born in Vienna, was an Austrian Romantic composer famous for his waltzes, and for popularizing them alongside Joseph Lanner, thereby setting the foundations for his sons to carry on his musical dynasty...
celebrated the opening of the first Austrian steam railway on 14 November 1837 between the Viennese
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
suburbs of Floridsdorf
Floridsdorf
Floridsdorf is the 21st district of Vienna, Austria .Floridsdorf is located in the northern part of Vienna.The District Office and the centre of Floridsdorf are located round Am Spitz, at the junction of Prager Straße and Brünner Straße .Since 2004, Floridsdorf has had its own tower: the...
and Deutsch Wagram with his own appropriately-titled waltz
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
'Eisenbahn-Lust Walzer' op. 89 (Railway Joy Waltz). Eduard Strauss
Eduard Strauss
Eduard Strauss was an Austrian composer who, together with brothers Johann Strauss II and Josef Strauss made up the Strauss musical dynasty. The family dominated the Viennese light music world for decades, creating many waltzes and polkas for many Austrian nobility as well as dance-music...
also wrote his own famous quick-polka Bahn Frei op. 45 which also celebrates the opening of a new railway line.
Johann Strauss II
Johann Strauss II
Johann Strauss II , also known as Johann Baptist Strauss or Johann Strauss, Jr., the Younger, or the Son , was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other types of dance music, as well as several operettas...
's polka however, stood out with his vividly descriptive polka with triangles imitating train bells whereas horn
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
s suggest the train's chuffing. The Trio section does not let up the orchestral delight, with the melody constantly hinting of the train's journey. The polka has to end, like the train's journey and Strauss powered home the conclusion with high chords before a resounding flourish underlined by a strong snare drumroll.
Although many of Strauss' works commemorate travel and other forms of transportation, neither he nor his brother eagerly undertook extensive journeys. An anecdote states that Johann himself was terrified at the mere mention of the hanging precipices at the Semmering
Semmering
For the town of the same name, see Semmering, Austria.Semmering is a mountain pass in the Eastern Northern Limestone Alps connecting Lower Austria and Styria, between which it forms a natural border.-Location:...
and later during a railroad trip to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
in the 1870s for a concert tour in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, his wife, Henrietta Treffz
Henrietta Treffz
Henrietta "Jetty" Treffz was best known as the first wife of Johann Strauss II and a well-known mezzo-soprano appearing in England in 1849 to great acclaim.-Biography:...
noted that Strauss confessed that he would rather be killed than to take another trip via the American railroad. Many stories suggest that Strauss was terrified of train journeys and that he could be found huddled on the train floor although these are not substantiated.