The Waltz-King's Death.

Manawatu Herald, 29 July 1899, Page 2

The Waltz-King's Death.

The monarch ot waltz-makers has gone to his last rest. In Johann Strauss, full of years and honours, the Empire of Austria loses a musician who, at any rate, hi that one department, stood head fand shoulders over all his brethren. Those who are old enough to remember that superb melody, " The Blue Danube," when it took all Europe by storm, will be the first to acknowledge that no mere ordinary waltz music, no matter how good, had ever stirred the community like it. Non-dancers hummed it; it was on every street organ in the entire world within 6 months. The Viennese declared it a classic, and the other capitals agreed, but, what was perhaps the sweetest solace to Strauss himself, it brought in the comfortable fee of £30,000 in royalties alone. Johann came of a family of musicians, and he wrote quite a large number of tuneful operettas and comic operas, not one of which can ever be said to have caught on, or won more than a mere success j d'estime, yet at the same time those familiar with the airs aver that they have formed the grouudwork of many other comic operas, both French and EogUsb,