Johann Strauss
The "king of the waltz", whose famous Beau Danube bleu reigns at the top of over
500 dances, not only made Austria and Europe twirl in the 19th century, but also
entertained them with operettas such as La Chauve-Souris. Son of Johann Strauss
(known as Johann Strauss I, 1804-1849), he was born in St. Ulrich, near Vienna,
on October 25, 1825, the eldest of two siblings, Josef and Eduard, who also
became composers of light music. The father of "Schani", his childhood nickname,
was a renowned composer who preferred to see him embark on a career in banking
rather than follow in his fo...
