Wine, Women and Song

For Johann Strauss II the year 1847 was of special importance, because it brought him the connection to an important musical institution in Vienna, namely the Vienna Men's Singing Society. In the course of time he wrote nine works for the association, including six waltzes, two polkas and a march. These compositions include such immortal waltzes as "An der schönen blauen Donau" op. 314 and "Wein, Weib und Gesang" op. 333 The special relationship between the Waltz King and the Wiener Männer-Gesangsverein is also underlined by a special honour, because on the occasion of its 25th anniversary the Wiener Männergesangsverein awarded Johann Strauss honorary membership in 1868.

Many of Johann Strauss' world-famous compositions owe their creation to his commitment or go back to special wishes. The annual carnival season in Vienna was the high time par excellence for such works. For the carnival of 1869 Johann Strauss contributed only three works: a Polka-Mazurka "Fata Morgana" op. 330 and the waltz "Illustrationen" op. 331 as well as "Wein, Weib und Gesang" op. 333.

The latter waltz was a choral work for a fools' evening, which the Vienna Men's Choir organised in the Dianasaal on 2 February 1869. He bears a dedication to Johann Herbeck, the honorary choir master of the association. The beauty of the waltz with its 137-beat introduction prompted the reviewer of the "Neue Wiener Tagblatt" on February 4, 1869 to make the following prediction: "The waltz will make its way and become just as popular as the part "On the beautiful blue Danube". Less known, however, is the fact that Johannes Brahms, who was a friend of Johann Strauss, distinguished the Waltz King by quoting echoes of "wine, woman and song" in his String Quartet op. 51.

As with the other great choir waltz for the Vienna Male Choral Society, i.e. "An der schönen blauen Donau", the choir version of "Wein, Weib und Gesang" is seldom performed. Even without a choir, the complete introduction will only be an exception. In performance practice a shortened instrumental version prevails, which also served Siegfried Rundel as a guideline for his wind adaptation.

Viktor Kehldorfer, incidentally, wrote aptly about the interpretation of a Viennese waltz: "The reproduction of Strauss' waltzes is apparently child's play. And yet a book could be written about the way in which these uncomplicated pieces are performed, as the master himself, and in particular his "authorized" younger brother Eduard, announced with the baton until the turn of the century. It is undoubtedly a fortunate fact that this authentic interpretation has been preserved to this day and found the ideal platform in the traditional Viennese New Year concerts. In this spirit waltzes should be transferred into brass music, so that the music can develop the sparkle and glow that is inherent in it.