Born in Vienna, 14 March 1804
Died in Vienna, 25 September 1849
- Along with composer Joseph Lanner, Johann Strauss Sr. became one of the architect’s of the Viennese Waltz.
- As a musician, Strauss was largely self-taught. At 13 years old, Strauss took an apprenticeship with a bookbinder and studied violin on the side.
- As a young teen, Strauss joined Michael Pamer’s orchestra, known for performing light dance music. A few years later, Strauss left Pamer’s orchestra, and together with fellow musician, Joseph Lanner, they started their own ensemble (Lanner was responsible for directing the group).
- By 1825, Strauss left Lanner’s orchestra to start his own… and the rest is history ;). Making a name for himself over the subsequent decades, Strauss received the prestigious title, “Imperial-Royal Director of Music for the Balls at Court,” from the Austrian Emperor in 1846.
- Three of Strauss’s children–Johann Jr., Josef, and Eduard–carried on the family music tradition and continued to build on the family’s fame and legacy.1
