- Josef Strauss wrote Allegro fantastique in 1862 while covering as conductor for his brother, Johann, in Pavlovsk.1
- The orchestral fantasy is lively and full of virtuosity, written with the intention of showing off the skills of the individual instrumentalists of the orchestra. It only contains one theme, which is heard at a fast tempo in a minor at the beginning and end of the piece, a slower iteration in a major key sandwiched between the two outer sections.
- Fun fact – the Vienna premiere of the work took place as recently as 2016.2
Sources
- Peter Kemp, “Strauss, Josef,” Grove Music Online (2001), accessed August 28, 2023, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-6002278267.
- Dr. Thomas Aigner, “Josef Strauss: Allegro fantastique / Orchestral Fantasy* (1862),” Vienna Johann Strauss Orchestra, accessed August 28, 2023, https://wjso.at/en-us/Home/Events/EventDetail?ConcertID=1485&WerkID=1996#.
Cut IDs
25266