- Written in 1889, Strauss’ Kaiser-Walzer (Emperor Waltz) is one of the composer’s most recognizable works and frequently programmed in the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra’s annual New Year’s Concert.
- Music historians have long debated which Kaiser the waltz refers to–Austrian Franz Joseph I or German (Prussian) Wilhelm II. The work notably opens with a march (perhaps a nod to Prussia?), followed by four waltzes.
- Author Zoë Alexis Lang wrote in her study on Strauss, “What might seem to be an inconsequential question of intention produced a piece that could be adopted—or adapted—by those wishing to find either a German or an Austrian tone within it.”
- Fun fact – Strauss originally titled the waltz, “Hand in Hand.” It was changed to “Emperor Waltz” by the (German-based) publisher, Simrock. It’s worth noting, however, that the original published edition featured an illustration of the Austrian Imperial Crown.1
Sources
- VanderHart, Chanda, and David M. Weigl, “Hand in Hand; Strauss’ Kaiser-Walzer as a Case Study of Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Digital Musicology,” Digital Scholarship in the Humanities, (2025), Accessed December 9, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1093/llc/fqaf093.
Cut IDs
40237 13356