"Storm". The Sturm-Polka belongs to those compositions by Josef Strauss which reflected the mood of the Viennese populace during the spring of 1859. The Austrian troops had been defeated on several battlefields in Upper Italy by the French, who were the allies of the Italians. Emperor Franz Joseph, who appeared in person among the troops and risked his life, was forced to make peace and give up Lombardy with its capital of Milan. The shock of this development had a profound effect on the subjects of the Austrian Empire. Concerts and theatre performances, therefore, enjoyed relatively little attendance. Josef Strauss wrote three new works during these months: the waltz Stimmen aus der Zeit (which, unfortunately has not been preserved), the grandiose symphonic poem in three-four time Schwert und Leyer, Op. 71, and the Sturm-Polka. The exact date of the première of this effective polka is not known. When the Emperor’s 29th birthday was celebrated quite belatedly on 26th August 1859 in the Volksgarten, all three works were on the programme. The Sturm-Polka also appeared on the programme of the Hernals church festival which was celebrated on 29th August 1859 in Unger’s casino. This time, the Zwischen-Akt wrote: "The favourite piece of the Viennese this season is the Sturm-Polka, which Strauss has to play several times every night. The fiery motifs and the no-less-effective orchestration of this piece have quickly made it a plat favori."
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Painting: Storm At Sea
Artist: Bonnie Rogers
Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra, Kosice
Christian Pollack
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