In mathematics, the Wiener process is a continuous-time stochastic process named in honor of Norbert Wiener. It is often called standard Brownian motion, after Robert Brown. It is one of the best known Lévy processes (càdlàg stochastic processes with stationary independent increments) and occurs frequently in pure and applied mathematics, economics and physics.

The Wiener process plays an important role both in pure and applied mathematics. In pure mathematics, the Wiener process gave rise to the study of continuous time martingales. It is a key process in terms of which more complicated stochastic processes can be described. As such, it plays a vital role in stochastic calculus, diffusion processes and even potential theory. It is the driving process of Schramm–Loewner evolution. In applied mathematics, the Wiener process is used to represent the integral of a Gaussian white noise process, and so is useful as a model of noise in electronics engineering, instrument errors in filtering theory and unknown forces in control theory.

The Wiener process has applications throughout the mathematical sciences. In physics it is used to study Brownian motion, the diffusion of minute particles suspended in fluid, and other types of diffusion via the Fokker–Planck and Langevin equations. It also forms the basis for the rigorous path integral formulation of quantum mechanics (by the Feynman–Kac formula, a solution to the Schrödinger equation can be represented in terms of the Wiener process) and the study of eternal inflation in physical cosmology. It is also prominent in the mathematical theory of finance, in particular the Black–Scholes option pricing model.

Characterizations of the Wiener process

The Wiener process ''W''_t is characterized by three properties: #''W''₀ = 0 # The function ''t → W''_''t'' is almost surely continuous #''W''_''t'' has independent increments with $W\_t-W\_s\backslash sim\; \backslash mathcal\{N\}(0,t-s)$ (for 0 ≤ ''s'' < ''t''). ''N''(''μ'', ''σ''²) denotes the normal distribution with expected value ''μ'' and variance ''σ''². The condition that it has independent increments means that if 0 ≤ ''s''₁ < ''t''₁ ≤ ''s''₂ < ''t''₂ then ''W''_''t''1 − ''W''_''s''1 and ''W''_''t''2 − ''W''_''s''2 are independent random variables, and the similar condition holds for ''n'' increments.

An alternative characterization of the Wiener process is the so-called ''Lévy characterization'' that says that the Wiener process is an almost surely continuous martingale with ''W''₀ = 0 and quadratic variation [''W''_''t'', ''W''_''t''] = ''t'' (which means that ''W''_''t''² − ''t'' is also a martingale).

A third characterization is that the Wiener process has a spectral representation as a sine series whose coefficients are independent ''N''(0,1) random variables. This representation can be obtained using the Karhunen–Loève theorem.

The Wiener process can be constructed as the scaling limit of a random walk, or other discrete-time stochastic processes with stationary independent increments. This is known as Donsker's theorem. Like the random walk, the Wiener process is recurrent in one or two dimensions (meaning that it returns almost surely to any fixed neighborhood of the origin infinitely often) whereas it is not recurrent in dimensions three and higher. Unlike the random walk, it is scale invariant, meaning that

:$\backslash alpha^\{-1\}W\_\{\backslash alpha^2\; t\}\backslash ,$

is a Wiener process for any nonzero constant α. The Wiener measure is the probability law on the space of continuous functions ''g'', with ''g''(0) = 0, induced by the Wiener process. An integral based on Wiener measure may be called a Wiener integral.

Properties of a one-dimensional Wiener process

Basic properties

The unconditional probability density function at a fixed time ''t'':

:$f\_\{W\_t\}(x)\; =\; \backslash frac\{1\}\{\backslash sqrt\{2\; \backslash pi\; t\}\}\; e^\{-x^2/\{2\; t\}\; \}.$

The expectation is zero:

:$E(W\_t)\; =\; 0.$

The variance is ''t'':

:$E(W^2\_t)\; -\; E^2(W\_t)\; =\; t.$

The covariance and correlation:

:$\backslash operatorname\{cov\}(W\_s,W\_t)\; =\; \backslash min(s,t)\; \backslash ,\; ,$

:$\backslash operatorname\{corr\}(W\_s,W\_t)\; =\; \{\backslash mathrm\{cov\}(W\_s,W\_t)\; \backslash over\; \backslash sigma\_\{W\_s\}\; \backslash sigma\_\{W\_t\}\}\; =\; \backslash frac\{\backslash min(s,t)\}\{\backslash sqrt\{st\}\}\; =\; \backslash sqrt\{\; \backslash frac\{\; \backslash min(s,t)\; \}\{\; \backslash max(s,t)\; \}\; \}\; \backslash ,\; .$

The results for the expectation and variance follow immediately from the definition that increments have a normal distribution, centered at zero. Thus

:$W\_t\; =\; W\_t-W\_0\; \backslash sim\; \backslash mathcal\{N\}(0,t).$

The results for the covariance and correlation follow from the definition that non-overlapping increments are independent, of which only the property that they are uncorrelated is used. Suppose that ''t''₁ < ''t''₂.

:$\backslash operatorname\{cov\}(W\_\{t\_1\},\; W\_\{t\_2\})\; =\; E\backslash left[(W\_\{t\_1\}-E[W\_\{t\_1\}])\; \backslash cdot\; (W\_\{t\_2\}-E[W\_\{t\_2\}])\backslash right]\; =\; E[W\_\{t\_1\}\; \backslash cdot\; W\_\{t\_2\}]\; \backslash \; \backslash \; .$

Substitute the simple identity $W\_\{t\_2\}\; =\; (\; W\_\{t\_2\}\; -\; W\_\{t\_1\}\; )\; +\; W\_\{t\_1\}$ :

:$E[W\_\{t\_1\}\; \backslash cdot\; W\_\{t\_2\}]\; =\; E\backslash left[W\_\{t\_1\}\; \backslash cdot\; ((W\_\{t\_2\}\; -\; W\_\{t\_1\})+\; W\_\{t\_1\})\; \backslash right]\; =\; E\backslash left[W\_\{t\_1\}\; \backslash cdot\; (W\_\{t\_2\}\; -\; W\_\{t\_1\}\; )\backslash right]\; +\; E[W\_\{t\_1\}^2]\; \backslash \; \backslash \; .$

Since ''W''(''t''₁) = ''W''(''t''₁) − ''W''(''t''₀) and ''W''(''t''₂) − ''W''(''t''₁), are independent,

:$E[W\_\{t\_1\}\; \backslash cdot\; (W\_\{t\_2\}\; -\; W\_\{t\_1\}\; )]\; =\; E[W\_\{t\_1\}]\; \backslash cdot\; E[W\_\{t\_2\}\; -\; W\_\{t\_1\}]\; =\; 0\; \backslash \; \backslash \; .$

Thus

:$\backslash operatorname\{cov\}(W\_\{t\_1\},\; W\_\{t\_2\})\; =\; E[W\_\{t\_1\}^2]\; =\; t\_1\; \backslash \; .$

Self-similarity

Brownian scaling

For every ''c''>0 the process $V\_t\; =\; (1/\backslash sqrt\; c)\; W\_\{ct\}$ is another Wiener process.

Time reversal

The process $V\_t\; =\; W\_1\; -\; W\_\{1-t\}$ for 0 ≤ ''t'' ≤ 1 is distributed like $W\_t$ for 0 ≤ ''t'' ≤ 1.

Time inversion

The process $V\_t\; =\; t\; W\_\{1/t\}$ is another Wiener process.

A class of Brownian martingales

If a polynomial ''p''(''x'',''t'') satisfies the PDE : $\backslash Big(\; \backslash frac\{\backslash partial\}\{\backslash partial\; t\}\; +\; \backslash frac12\; \backslash frac\{\backslash partial^2\}\{\backslash partial\; x^2\}\; \backslash Big)\; p(x,t)\; =\; 0$ then the stochastic process : $M\_t\; =\; p\; (\; W\_t,\; t\; )\; \backslash ,$ is a martingale.

Example: $W\_t^2\; -\; t$ is a martingale, which shows that the quadratic variation of $W$ on $[0,t]$ is equal to $t.$ It follows that the expected time of first exit of $W$ from $(-c,c)$ is equal to $c^2.$

More generally, for every polynomial ''p''(''x'',''t'') the following stochastic process is a martingale: : $M\_t\; =\; p\; (\; W\_t,\; t\; )\; -\; \backslash int\_0^t\; a(W\_s,s)\; \backslash ,\; \backslash mathrm\{d\}s\; \backslash ,\; ,$ where ''a'' is the polynomial : $a(x,t)\; =\; \backslash Big(\; \backslash frac\{\backslash partial\}\{\backslash partial\; t\}\; +\; \backslash frac12\; \backslash frac\{\backslash partial^2\}\{\backslash partial\; x^2\}\; \backslash Big)\; p(x,t)\; \backslash ,\; .$

Example: $p(x,t)\; =\; (x^2-t)^2,$ $a(x,t)\; =\; 4x^2;$ the process $(W\_t^2\; -\; t)^2\; -\; 4\; \backslash int\_0^t\; W\_s^2\; \backslash ,\; \backslash mathrm\{d\}s$ is a martingale, which shows that the quadratic variation of the martingale $W\_t^2\; -\; t$ on $[0,t]$ is equal to $4\; \backslash int\_0^t\; W\_s^2\; \backslash ,\; \backslash mathrm\{d\}s\; .$

About functions ''p''(''xa'',''t'') more general than polynomials, see local martingales.

Some properties of sample paths

The set of all functions ''w'' with these properties is of full Wiener measure. That is, a path (sample function) of the Wiener process has all these properties almost surely.

Qualitative properties

For every ε>0, the function ''w'' takes both (strictly) positive and (strictly) negative values on (0,ε).

The function ''w'' is continuous everywhere but differentiable nowhere (like the Weierstrass function).

Points of local maximum of the function ''w'' are a dense countable set; the maximum values are pairwise different; each local maximum is sharp in the following sense: if ''w'' has a local maximum at ''t'' then $|w(s)-w(t)|/|s-t|\; \backslash to\; \backslash infty$ as ''s'' tends to ''t''. The same holds for local minima.

The function ''w'' has no points of local increase, that is, no ''t'' > 0 satisfies the following for some ε in (0, ''t''): first, ''w''(''s'') ≤ ''w''(''t'') for all ''s'' in (''t''^nbsp;− ε, ''t''), and second, ''w''(''s'') ≥ ''w''(''t'') for all ''s'' in (''t'', ''t'' + ε). (Local increase is a weaker condition than that ''w'' is increasing on (''t'' − ε, ''t'' + ε).) The same holds for local decrease.

The function ''w'' is of unbounded variation on every interval.

Zeros of the function ''w'' are a nowhere dense perfect set of Lebesgue measure 0 and Hausdorff dimension 1/2 (therefore, uncountable).

Quantitative properties

Law of the iterated logarithm

: $\backslash limsup\_\{t\backslash to+\backslash infty\}\; \backslash frac\{\; |w(t)|\; \}\{\; \backslash sqrt\{\; 2t\; \backslash log\backslash log\; t\; \}\; \}\; =\; 1,\; \backslash quad\; \backslash text\{almost\; surely\}.$

Modulus of continuity

Local modulus of continuity: : $\backslash limsup\_\{\backslash varepsilon\backslash to0+\}\; \backslash frac\{\; |w(\backslash varepsilon)|\; \}\{\; \backslash sqrt\{\; 2\backslash varepsilon\; \backslash log\backslash log(1/\backslash varepsilon)\; \}\; \}\; =\; 1,\; \backslash quad\; \backslash text\{almost\; surely\}.$

Global modulus of continuity (Lévy): :

Local time

The image of the Lebesgue measure on [0, ''t''] under the map ''w'' (the pushforward measure) has a density ''L''_''t''(·). Thus,

: $\backslash int\_0^t\; f(w(s))\; \backslash ,\; \backslash mathrm\{d\}s\; =\; \backslash int\_\{-\backslash infty\}^\{+\backslash infty\}\; f(x)\; L\_t(x)\; \backslash ,\; \backslash mathrm\{d\}x$

for a wide class of functions ''ƒ'' (namely: all continuous functions; all locally integrable functions; all non-negative measurable functions). The density ''L''_''t'' is (more exactly, can and will be chosen to be) continuous. The number ''L''_''t''(''x'') is called the local time at ''x'' of ''w'' on [0, ''t'']. It is strictly positive for all ''x'' of the interval (''a'', ''b'') where ''a'' and ''b'' are the least and the greatest value of ''w'' on [0, ''t''], respectively. (For ''x'' outside this interval the local time evidently vanishes.) Treated as a function of two variables ''x'' and ''t'', the local time is still continuous. Treated as a function of ''t'' (while ''x'' is fixed), the local time is a singular function corresponding to a nonatomic measure on the set of zeros of ''w''.

These continuity properties are fairly non-trivial. Consider that the local time can also be defined (as the density of the pushforward measure) for a smooth function. Then, however, the density is discontinuous, unless the given function is monotone. In other words, there is a conflict between good behavior of a function and good behavior of its local time. In this sense, the continuity of the local time of the Wiener process is another manifestation of non-smoothness of the trajectory.

Related processes

The stochastic process defined by

:$X\_t\; =\; \backslash mu\; t\; +\; \backslash sigma\; W\_t\; \backslash ,$

is called a ''Wiener process with drift μ'' and infinitesimal variance σ^{2. These processes exhaust continuous Lévy processes.}

Two random processes on the time interval [0, 1] appear, roughly speaking, when conditioning the Wiener process to vanish on both ends of [0,1]. With no further conditioning, the process takes both positive and negative values on [0, 1] and is called Brownian bridge. Conditioned also to stay positive on (0, 1), the process is called Brownian excursion. In both cases a rigorous treatment involves a limiting procedure, since the formula $P(A|B)\; =\; P(A\backslash cap\; B)\; /\; P(B)$ does not work when $P(B)=0.$

A geometric Brownian motion can be written

:$e^\{[\backslash beta\; t-(\backslash alpha^2\; t/2)+\backslash alpha\; W\_t]\}.\backslash ,$

It is a stochastic process which is used to model processes that can never take on negative values, such as the value of stocks.

The stochastic process

:$\{\; X\_t\; =\; \backslash mathrm\{e\}^\{-t\}\; W\_\{\backslash mathrm\{e\}^\{2t\}\}\; \}$

is distributed like the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process.

The time of hitting a single point ''x'' > 0 by the Wiener process is a random variable with the Lévy distribution. The family of these random variables (indexed by all positive numbers ''x'') is a left-continuous modification of a Lévy process. The right-continuous modification of this process is given by times of first exit from closed intervals [0, ''x''].

The local time ''L''_''t''(0) treated as a random function of ''t'' is a random process distributed like the process $S\_t\; =\; \backslash max\_\{0\backslash le\; s\backslash le\; t\}\; W\_s.$

The local time ''L''_''t''(''x'') treated as a random function of ''x'' (while ''t'' is constant) is a random process described by Ray–Knight theorems in terms of Bessel processes.

Brownian martingales

Let ''A'' be an event related to the Wiener process (more formally: a set, measurable with respect to the Wiener measure, in the space of functions), and ''X''_''t'' the conditional probability of ''A'' given the Wiener process on the time interval [0, ''t''] (more formally: the Wiener measure of the set of trajectories whose concatenation with the given partial trajectory on [0, ''t''] belongs to ''A''). Then the process ''X''_''t'' is a continuous martingale. Its martingale property follows immediately from the definitions, but its continuity is a very special fact – a special case of a general theorem stating that all Brownian martingales are continuous. A Brownian martingale is, by definition, a martingale adapted to the Brownian filtration; and the Brownian filtration is, by definition, the filtration generated by the Wiener process.

Integrated Brownian motion

The time-integral of the Wiener process $W^\{(-1)\}(t)\; :=\; \backslash int\_0^t\; W(s)\; ds$ is called integrated Brownian motion or integrated Wiener process. It arises in many applications and can be shown to be normally distributed with zero mean and variance $t^3/3$.

Time change

Every continuous martingale (starting at the origin) is a time changed Wiener process.

Example. 2''W''_''t'' = ''V''(4''t'') where ''V'' is another Wiener process (different from ''W'' but distributed like ''W'').

Example. $W\_t^2\; -\; t\; =\; V\_\{A(t)\}$ where $A(t)\; =\; 4\; \backslash int\_0^t\; W\_s^2\; \backslash ,\; \backslash mathrm\{d\}\; s$ and $V$ is another Wiener process.

In general, if ''M'' is a continuous martingale then $M\_t\; -\; M\_0\; =\; V\_\{A(t)\}$ where $A(t)$ is the quadratic variation of ''M'' on [0,''t''], and $V$ is a Wiener process.

''Corollary.'' (See also Doob's martingale convergence theorems) Let $M\_t$ be a continuous martingale, and

: $M^-\_\backslash infty\; =\; \backslash liminf\_\{t\backslash to\backslash infty\}\; M\_t,\; \backslash quad\; M^+\_\backslash infty\; =\; \backslash limsup\_\{t\backslash to\backslash infty\}\; M\_t.$

Then only the following two cases are possible:

:

other cases (such as $M^-\_\backslash infty\; =\; M^+\_\backslash infty\; =\; +\backslash infty,$   etc.) are of probability 0.

Especially, a nonnegative continuous martingale has a finite limit (as $t\backslash to\backslash infty$) almost surely.

All stated (in this subsection) for martingales holds also for local martingales.

Change of measure

A wide class of continuous semimartingales (especially, of diffusion processes) is related to the Wiener process via a combination of time change and change of measure.

Using this fact, the qualitative properties stated above for the Wiener process can be generalized to a wide class of continuous semimartingales.

Complex-valued Wiener process

The complex-valued Wiener process may be defined as a complex-valued random process of the form $Z\_t\; =\; X\_t\; +\; \backslash mathrm\{i\}\; Y\_t$ where $X\_t,\; Y\_t$ are independent Wiener processes (real-valued).

Self-similarity

Brownian scaling, time reversal, time inversion: the same as in the real-valued case.

Rotation invariance: for every complex number ''c'' such that |''c''|=1 the process $c\; Z\_t$ is another complex-valued Wiener process.

Time change

If ''f'' is an entire function then the process $f(Z\_t)-f(0)$ is a time-changed complex-valued Wiener process.

Example. $Z\_t^2\; =\; (X\_t^2-Y\_t^2)\; +\; 2\; X\_t\; Y\_t\; \backslash mathrm\{i\}\; =\; U\_\{A(t)\}$ where $A(t)\; =\; 4\; \backslash int\_0^t\; |Z\_s|^2\; \backslash ,\; \backslash mathrm\{d\}\; s$ and $U$ is another complex-valued Wiener process.

In contrast to the real-valued case, a complex-valued martingale is generally not a time-changed complex-valued Wiener process. For example, the martingale $2\; X\_t\; +\; \backslash mathrm\{i\}\; Y\_t$ is not (here $X\_t,\; Y\_t$ are independent Wiener processes, as before).

See also

Abstract Wiener space

Classical Wiener space

Chernoff's distribution

Notes

References

Kleinert, Hagen, ''Path Integrals in Quantum Mechanics, Statistics, Polymer Physics, and Financial Markets'', 4th edition, World Scientific (Singapore, 2004); Paperback ISBN 981-238-107-4 '' (also available online: PDF-files)''

Stark,Henry, John W. Woods, ''Probability and Random Processes with Applications to Signal Processing'', 3rd edition, Prentice Hall (New Jersey, 2002); Textbook ISBN 0-13-020071-9

Durrett, R. (2000) ''Probability: theory and examples'',4th edition. Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0521765390

Daniel Revuz and Marc Yor, ''Continuous martingales and Brownian motion'', second edition, Springer-Verlag 1994.

Category:Stochastic processes Category:Martingale theory Category:Variants of random walks

cs:Wienerův proces de:Wiener-Prozess fa:فرآیند وینر fr:Processus de Wiener it:Processo di Wiener lt:Vynerio procesas nl:Brownse beweging (wiskunde) ja:ウィーナー過程 pl:Proces Wienera pt:Processo de Wiener ru:Винеровский процесс sv:Wienerprocess uk:Вінерівський процес

Paul Wilmott is a researcher, consultant and lecturer in quantitative finance. He is best known as the author of various academic and practitioner texts on risk and derivatives, and for Wilmott magazine and Wilmott.com , a quantitative finance portal.

He is the co-owner and Course Director for the Certificate in Quantitative Finance (CQF), a half year distance learning course on mathematical finance at 7City Learning, a London-based company providing training for the financial services industry. He is a founding partner of Caissa Capital, a volatility arbitrage hedge fund. He is on the editorial board of the academic journal ''International Journal of Theoretical and Applied Finance''. He founded the ''Diploma in Mathematical Finance'' at Oxford University; and the journal ''Applied Mathematical Finance''. He is a director of Wilmott Electronic Media, which manages Wilmott.com, a website for the quantitative analyst community, and is a director of Paul & Dominic Quant Recruitment.

He has written research articles on finance and mathematics, and, amongst others, has authored the following books:

''Frequently Asked Questions in Quantitative Finance'' (Wiley 2009)

''Paul Wilmott On Quantitative Finance'' (Wiley 2006)

''Paul Wilmott Introduces Quantitative Finance'' (Wiley 2007)

''Frequently Asked Questions in Quantitative Finance'' (Wiley 2007)

With J.N.Dewynne and S.D.Howison, ''Mathematics of Financial Derivatives: a Student Introduction''. (Cambridge University Press 1995).

With Dominic Connor, ''Paul & Dominic's Guide to Quant Careers''.

Together with Emanuel Derman, Paul Wilmott is one of the authors of the ''Financial Modelers' Manifesto''.

He studied mathematics at St Catherine’s College, Oxford University, where he received his D.Phil in Applied mathematics in 1985.

See also

Financial Engineering

Mathematical finance

References

External links

Profile on wilmott.com

Certificate in Quantitative Finance

opinion piece: ''New York Times''

Interview: ''Condé Nast Portfolio''

In Business Week

Bonus Babies in New York Times

Revenge of the Nerd

Paul Wilmott says nothing has changed with the banks, CNBC

The maths of the credit crunch

Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Financial economists Category:Alumni of St Catherine's College, Oxford Category:Writers who illustrated their own writing

birth date	April 29, 1936
disappeared date
death date
resting place coordinates
ethnicity
occupation	Conductor of western classical music
height
weight
title	Music Director for Life of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
religion
denomination
criminal charge
website

Zubin Mehta (}}; (born April 29, 1936) is an Indian conductor of western classical music. He is the Music Director for Life of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

Biography

Zubin Mehta was born into a Parsi family in Bombay, India, the son of Mehli and Tehmina Mehta. His father Mehli Mehta was a violinist and founding conductor of the Bombay Symphony Orchestra. Mehta is an alumnus of St. Mary's School, Mumbai, and St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. Mehta initially intended to study medicine, but eventually became a music student in Vienna at the age of 18, under Hans Swarowsky. Also at the same academy along with Mehta were conductor Claudio Abbado and conductor–pianist Daniel Barenboim.

Mehta's first marriage was to Canadian soprano Carmen Lasky in 1958. They have a son, Mervon and a daughter, Zarina. In 1964, they divorced. Two years after the divorce, Carmen married Zubin's brother, Zarin Mehta, now the Executive Director of the New York Philharmonic. In July 1969, Mehta married Nancy Kovack, a former American film and television actress. Mehta is a permanent resident of the United States, but retains his Indian citizenship.

Conducting career

In 1958, Mehta made his conducting debut in Vienna. The same year he won the International Conducting Competition in Liverpool and was appointed assistant conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Mehta soon rose to the rank of chief conductor when he was made Music Director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra in 1960, a post he held until 1967. In 1961, he was named assistant conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic; however, the orchestra's music director designate, Georg Solti, was not consulted on the appointment, and Solti subsequently resigned in protest; soon after, Mehta himself was named Music Director of the orchestra, and held the post from 1962 to 1978.

In 1978 Mehta became the Music Director and Principal Conductor of the New York Philharmonic and remained there until his resignation in 1991, becoming the longest holder of the post.

The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) appointed Mehta its Music Advisor in 1969, Music Director in 1977, and made him its Music Director for Life in 1981.

Since 1985, Mehta has been chief conductor of the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Florence. Additionally, from 1998 until 2006, Mehta was Music Director of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. The Munich Philharmonic Orchestra named him its Honorary Conductor. Since 2005, Mehta has been the main conductor (together with Lorin Maazel) of the new opera house of the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències in Valencia.

Mehta conducted the Vienna New Year's Concert in the years 1990, 1995, 1998 and 2007. He has also made a recording of Indian instrumentalist Ravi Shankar's Sitar Concerto No. 2, with Shankar and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

1990s

In 1990, he conducted the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and the Orchestra del Teatro dell'Opera di Roma in the first ever Three Tenors concert in Rome, joining the tenors again in 1994 at the Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles. In between those appearances he conducted the historic 1992 production of ''Tosca'' in which each act took place in the actual setting and at the actual time specified in the score. This production starred Catherine Malfitano in the title role, Plácido Domingo as Cavaradossi and Ruggero Raimondi as Baron Scarpia. Act I was telecast live from Rome's basilica of Sant'Andrea della Valle on Saturday, July 11, at noon (Central European Daylight Savings Time); act II was telecast later that evening from the Palazzo Farnese at 9:40 p.m.; act III was telecast live on Sunday, July 12, at 7:00 a.m. from the Castel Sant'Angelo, also known as Hadrian's Tomb.

In June 1994, Mehta performed the Mozart Requiem, along with the members of the Sarajevo Symphony Orchestra and Chorus at the ruins of Sarajevo's National Library, in a fund raising concert for the victims of armed conflict and remembrance of the thousands of people killed in the Yugoslav wars. On August 29, 1999, he conducted Mahler Symphony No. 2 (''Resurrection''), at the vicinity of Buchenwald concentration camp in the German city of Weimar, with both the Bavarian State Orchestra and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, sitting alongside each other. He toured his native country India and home city Mumbai (Bombay) in 1984, with the New York Philharmonic, and again in November–December 1994, with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, along with soloists Itzhak Perlman and Gil Shaham. In 1997 and 1998, Mehta worked in collaboration with Chinese film director Zhang Yimou on a production of the opera ''Turandot'' by Giacomo Puccini which they took to Florence, Italy, and then to Beijing, China, where it was staged, in its actual surroundings, in the Forbidden City with over 300 extras and 300 soldiers. for nine historic performances. The making of this production was chronicled in a documentary called ''The Turandot Project'' which Mehta narrated.

2000s

On November 29, 2005 Mehta appeared with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra performing Bruckner's 8 symphony. On December 26, 2005, the first anniversary of the Indian Ocean Tsunami, Mehta and the Bavarian State Orchestra performed for the first time in Chennai (formerly called Madras) at the Madras Music Academy. This tsunami memorial concert was organised by the Madras German consulate along with the Max-Mueller Bhavan/Goethe-Institut. 2006 was his last year with the Bavarian State Orchestra.

Performance style

Mehta received praise early in his career for dynamic interpretations of the large scale symphonic music of Anton Bruckner, Richard Strauss, Gustav Mahler and Franz Schmidt. His conducting is renowned as being flamboyant, vigorous and forceful.

Honors and awards

Mehta's name is mentioned in the song "Billy the Mountain" on the 1972 album ''Just Another Band from LA'' by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention.

At the Israel Prize ceremony in 1991, Mehta was awarded a special prize in recognition of his unique devotion to Israel and to the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

In 1995, Laureate of the Wolf Prize in Arts.

In 1999, Mehta was presented the "Lifetime Achievement Peace and Tolerance Award" of the United Nations.

The Government of India honoured Mehta in 1966 with the Padma Bhushan and in 2001 with India's second highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan.

In 2005, he was voted the 117th-greatest Israeli of all time, in a poll by the Israeli news website ''Ynet'' to determine whom the general public considered the 200 Greatest Israelis.

In September 2006 the Kennedy Center announced Mehta as one of the recipients of that year's Kennedy Center Honors, presented on December 2, 2006.

On February 3, 2007, Mehta was the recipient of the Second Annual Bridgebuilder Award at Loyola Marymount University.

In 2007 he received the prestigious Dan David Prize.

Conductor Karl Böhm awarded Mehta the Nikisch Ring – the Vienna Philharmonic Ring of Honor.

Mehta is an honorary citizen of Florence and Tel Aviv. He was made an honorary member of the Vienna State Opera in 1997. In 2001 he was bestowed the title of “Honorary Conductor” of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and in 2004 the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra awarded him the same title, as did the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in 2006. At the end of his tenure with the Bavarian State Opera he was named Honorary Conductor of the Bavarian State Orchestra and Honorary Member of the Bavarian State Opera, and the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde Wien appointed him honorary member in November 2007.

In October 2008, Mehta received the "Praemium Imperiale" ("World Culture Prize in Memory of His Imperial Highness Prince Takamatsu"), Japan.

On March 1, 2011, Mehta received the 2,434th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Films

Mehta's life has been documented in Terry Sanders' film ''Portrait of Zubin Mehta''. A documentary film about Mehta, ''Zubin and I'', was produced by the grandson of an Israeli harpist who played with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra before Mehta assumed the helm. The filmmaker joins the orchestra on a tour of Mumbai and meets with him for two interviews, in India and Tel Aviv.

Educational projects

In 2009, Mehta established Mifneh (Hebrew for "Change"), a music education program for Israeli Arabs, in cooperation with Bank Leumi and the Arab-Israel Bank. Three schools, in Shfaram, the Jezreel Valley and Nazareth, are taking part in the pilot project.

See also

List of Israel Prize recipients

References

Bibliography

Martin Bookspan and Ross Yockey, ''Zubin: The Zubin Mehta Story''

Renate von Matuschka, ''Die Partitur meines Lebens''.

External links

Official Website

Dan David Prize laureate 2007

Category:1936 births Category:Living people Category:People from Mumbai Category:Indian conductors (music) Category:Music directors (opera) Category:Israel Prize special award recipients Category:Kennedy Center honorees Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan Category:Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship Category:Wolf Prize in Arts laureates Category:Alumni of the Accademia Musicale Chigiana Category:Alumni of the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna Category:St. Xavier's College, Mumbai alumni Category:Parsi people Category:Indian emigrants to the United States Category:Indian expatriates in Austria Category:Indian expatriates in Israel Category:Members of the Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art

an:Zubin Mehta bg:Зубин Мета ca:Zubin Mehta cs:Zubin Mehta de:Zubin Mehta et:Zubin Mehta el:Ζούμπιν Μέτα es:Zubin Mehta eu:Zubin Mehta fa:زوبین مهتا fr:Zubin Mehta ko:주빈 메타 hi:ज़ुबिन मेहता it:Zubin Mehta he:זובין מהטה la:Zubin Mehta mr:झुबिन मेहता nl:Zubin Mehta ja:ズービン・メータ no:Zubin Mehta oc:Zubin Mehta pl:Zubin Mehta pt:Zubin Mehta ru:Мета, Зубин sc:Zubin Mehta sr:Зубин Мехта fi:Zubin Mehta sv:Zubin Mehta te:జుబిన్ మెహతా th:สุบิน เมห์ธา tr:Zubin Mehta uk:Зубін Мета zh:祖宾·梅塔

Johann Strauss II (October 25, 1825 – June 3, 1899), also known as Johann Baptist Strauss or Johann Strauss, Jr., the Younger, or the Son (), was an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas. He composed over 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other types of dance music, as well as several operettas and a ballet. In his lifetime, he was known as "The Waltz King", and was largely then responsible for the popularity of the waltz in Vienna during the 19th century.

Strauss was born in St. Ulrich (now a part of Neubau), the son of Johann Strauss I, another composer of dance music. His father did not wish him to become a composer, but rather a banker; however, the son defied his father's wishes, and went on to study music with the composer Joseph Drechsler and the violin with Anton Kollmann, the ballet répétiteur of the Vienna Court Opera. Strauss had two younger brothers, Josef and Eduard Strauss, who became composers of light music as well, although they were never as well-known as their elder brother.

Some of Johann Strauss's most famous works include ''The Blue Danube'', ''Kaiser-Walzer'', ''Tales from the Vienna Woods'', the ''Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka'', and the ''Pizzicato Polka''. Among his operettas, ''Die Fledermaus'' and ''Der Zigeunerbaron'' are the most well-known.

Early life

Strauss was born in St. Ulrich near Vienna (now a part of Neubau), Austria, on October 25, 1825, to the famous composer Johann Strauss I. His father did not want him to become a musician but rather a banker; nevertheless, Strauss Junior studied the violin secretly as a child with the first violinist of his father's orchestra, Franz Amon. When his father discovered his son secretly practising on a violin one day, he gave him a severe whipping, saying that he was going to beat the music out of the boy. It seems that rather than trying to avoid a Strauss rivalry, the elder Strauss only wanted his son to escape the rigors of a musician's life. It was only when the father abandoned his family for a mistress, Emilie Trampusch, that the son was able to concentrate fully on a career as a composer with the support of his mother.

Strauss studied counterpoint and harmony with theorist Professor Joachim Hoffmann, who owned a private music school. His talents were also recognized by composer Joseph Drechsler, who taught him exercises in harmony. His other violin teacher, Anton Kollmann, who was the ballet répétiteur of the Vienna Court Opera, also wrote excellent testimonials for him. Armed with these, he approached the Viennese authorities to apply for a license to perform. He initially formed his small orchestra where he recruited his members at the ''Zur Stadt Belgrad'' tavern, where musicians seeking work could be hired easily.

Debut as a composer

Johann Strauss I's influence over the local entertainment establishments meant that many of them were wary of offering the younger Strauss a contract for fear of angering the father. Strauss Jr. was able to persuade the Dommayer's Casino in Hietzing, a suburb of Vienna, to allow him to perform. The elder Strauss, in anger at his son's disobedience, and at that of the proprietor, refused to ever play at the Dommayer's Casino again, which had been the site of many of his earlier triumphs.

Strauss made his debut at Dommayer's in October 1844, where he performed some of his first works, such as the waltzes "Sinngedichte", Op. 1 and "Gunstwerber", Op. 4 and the polka "Herzenslust", Op. 3. Critics and the press were unanimous in their praise for Strauss's music. A critic for ''Der Wanderer'' commented that "Strauss’s name will be worthily continued in his son; children and children’s children can look forward to the future, and three-quarter time will find a strong footing in him."

Despite the initial fanfare, Strauss found his early years as a composer difficult, but he soon won over audiences after accepting commissions to perform away from home. The first major appointment for the young composer was his award of the honorary position of "Kapellmeister of the 2nd Vienna Citizen's Regiment", which had been left vacant following Joseph Lanner's death two years before.

Vienna was racked by a bourgeois revolution on February 24, 1848, and the intense rivalry between father and son became much more apparent. Johann Jr. decided to side with the revolutionaries. It was a decision that was professionally disadvantageous, as the Austrian royalty twice denied him the much coveted 'KK Hofballmusikdirektor' position, which was first designated especially for Johann I in recognition of his musical contributions. Further, the younger Strauss was also arrested by the Viennese authorities for publicly playing "La Marseillaise", but was later acquitted. The elder Strauss remained loyal to the monarchy, and composed his "Radetzky March", Op. 228 (dedicated to the Habsburg field marshal Joseph Radetzky von Radetz), which would become one of his best-known compositions.

When the elder Strauss died from scarlet fever in Vienna in 1849, the younger Strauss merged both their orchestras and engaged in further tours. Later, he also composed a number of patriotic marches dedicated to the Habsburg Emperor Franz Josef I, such as the "Kaiser Franz-Josef Marsch" Op. 67 and the "Kaiser Franz Josef Rettungs Jubel-Marsch" Op. 126, probably to ingratiate himself in the eyes of the new monarch, who ascended to the Austrian throne after the 1848 revolution.

Career advancements

Strauss Jr. eventually surpassed his father's fame, and became one of the most popular waltz composers of the era, extensively touring Austria–Hungary, Poland, and Germany with his orchestra. He applied for the KK Hofballmusikdirektor ''Music Director of the Royal Court Balls'' position, which he eventually attained in 1863, after being denied several times before for his frequent brushes with the local authorities.

In 1853, due to constant mental and physical demands, Strauss suffered a nervous breakdown. He took a seven-week vacation in the countryside in the summer of that year, on the advice of doctors. Johann's younger brother Josef was persuaded by his family to abandon his career as an engineer and take command of Johann's orchestra in the interim.

In 1855, Strauss accepted commissions from the management of the Tsarskoye-Selo Railway Company of Saint Petersburg to play in Russia for the Vauxhall Pavilion at Pavlovsk in 1856. He would return to perform in Russia every year until 1865.

Later, in the 1870s, Strauss and his orchestra toured the United States, where he took part in the Boston Festival at the invitation of bandmaster Patrick Gilmore and was the lead conductor in a 'Monster Concert' of over 1000 performers, performing his "Blue Danube" waltz, amongst other pieces, to great acclaim.

Marriages

Strauss married the singer Jetty Treffz in 1862, and they remained together until Jetty's death in 1878. Six weeks after her death, Strauss married the actress Angelika Dittrich. Angelika was not a fervent supporter of his music, and their differences in status and opinion, and especially her indiscretion, led him to seek a divorce.

Strauss was not granted a divorce by the Roman Catholic church, and therefore changed religion and nationality, and became a citizen of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in January 1887. Strauss sought solace in his third wife Adele Deutsch, whom he married in August 1882. She encouraged his creative talent to flow once more in his later years, resulting in many famous compositions, such as the operettas ''Der Zigeunerbaron'' and ''Waldmeister'', and the waltzes "Kaiser-Walzer" Op. 437, "Kaiser Jubiläum" Op. 434, and "Klug Gretelein" Op. 462.

Musical rivals and admirers

Although Strauss was the most sought-after composer of dance music in the latter half of the 19th century, stiff competition was present in the form of Karl Michael Ziehrer and Émile Waldteufel; the latter held a commanding position in Paris. Phillip Fahrbach also denied the younger Strauss the commanding position of the ''KK Hofballmusikdirektor'' when the latter first applied for the post. The German operetta composer Jacques Offenbach, who made his name in Paris, also posed a challenge to Strauss in the operetta field.

Strauss was admired by other prominent composers: Richard Wagner once admitted that he liked the waltz "Wein, Weib und Gesang" Op. 333. Richard Strauss (unrelated to the Strauss family), when writing his ''Rosenkavalier'' waltzes, said in reference to Johann Strauss, "How could I forget the laughing genius of Vienna?"

Johannes Brahms was a personal friend of Strauss; the latter dedicated his waltz "Seid umschlungen, Millionen!" ("Be Embraced, You Millions!"), Op. 443, to him. A story is told in biographies of both men that Strauss's wife Adele approached Brahms with a customary request that he autograph her fan. It was usual for the composer to inscribe a few measures of his best-known music, and then sign his name. Brahms, however, inscribed a few measures from the "Blue Danube", and then wrote beneath it: "Unfortunately, NOT by Johannes Brahms."

Stage works

The most famous of Strauss' operettas are ''Die Fledermaus'', ''Eine Nacht in Venedig'', and ''Der Zigeunerbaron''. Notwithstanding their general lack of modern popularity, there are many dance pieces drawn from themes of his operettas, such as "Cagliostro-Walzer" Op. 370 (from ''Cagliostro in Wien''), "O Schöner Mai" Walzer Op. 375 (from ''Prinz Methusalem''), "Rosen aus dem Süden" Walzer Op. 388 (from ''Das Spitzentuch der Königin''), and "Kuss-Walzer" op. 400 (from ''Der lustige Krieg''), that have survived obscurity and become well-known. Strauss also wrote an opera, ''Ritter Pázmán'', and was in the middle of composing a ballet, ''Aschenbrödel'', when he died in 1899.

Death and legacy

Strauss was diagnosed with plueral pneumonia in the spring of 1899, and died in Vienna, at the age of 73. He was buried in the Zentralfriedhof. At the time of his death, he was still composing his ballet ''Aschenbrödel''.

Strauss's music is now regularly performed at the annual ''Neujahrskonzert'' of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, as a result of the efforts by Clemens Krauss who performed a special all-Strauss programme in 1929 with the Viennese orchestra. Many distinguished Strauss interpreters include Willi Boskovsky, who carried on the "Vorgeiger" tradition of conducting with violin in hand, as is the Strauss family custom, as well as Herbert von Karajan and the opera conductor Riccardo Muti. In addition, the Wiener Johann Strauss Orchester, which was formed in 1966, pays tribute to the touring orchestras which once made the Strauss family so famous.

Most of the Strauss works that are performed today may once have existed in a slightly different form, as Eduard Strauss destroyed much of the original Strauss orchestral archives in a furnace factory in Vienna's Mariahilf district in 1907. Eduard, then the only surviving brother of the three, took this drastic precaution after agreeing to a pact between himself and brother Josef that whoever outlived the other was to destroy their works. The measure was intended to prevent the Strauss family's works from being claimed by another composer. This may also have been fueled by Strauss's rivalry with another of Vienna's popular waltz and march composers, Karl Michael Ziehrer.

Portrayals in the media

The lives of the Strauss dynasty members and their world-renowned craft of composing Viennese waltzes are also briefly documented in several television adaptations, such as ''The Strauss Family'' (1972), ''The Strauss Dynasty'' (1991) and ''Strauss, the King of 3/4 Time'' (1995). Many other films used his works and melodies, and several films have been based upon the life of the musician, the most famous of which is called ''The Great Waltz'' (1938). Alfred Hitchcock made a low-budget biographical film of Strauss in 1933 called ''Waltzes from Vienna''. After a trip to Vienna, Walt Disney was inspired to create four feature films. One of those was ''The Waltz King'', a loosely adapted biopic of Johann Strauss, which aired as part of the Wonderful World of Disney in the U.S. in 1963. In Mikhail Bulgakov's 1940 (published 1967) novel, ''The Master and Margarita'', Johann Strauss conducts the orchestra during Satan's Great Ball at the invitation of Behemoth.

"A Corny Concerto" (1943), a Warner Bros cartoon, directed by Robert Clampett with animation by Robert McKimson features music that was composed by Johann Strauss, and is a parody of Walt Disney's 1940 "Fantasia". The cartoon is narrated by Elmer Fudd, parodying Deems Taylor's appearance in Fantasia.

Works

See List of operettas by Johann Strauss II and List of compositions by Johann Strauss II.

Notes

References

Gänzl, Kurt. ''The Encyclopedia of Musical Theatre'' (3 Volumes). New York: Schirmer Books, 2001.

Traubner, Richard. ''Operetta: A Theatrical History''. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, 1983.

Jacob, H. E. ''Johann Strauss, Father and Son: A Century of Light Music''. The Greystone Press, 1940.

External links

European Archive Copyright free LP recording of several (abridged) works by Johann Strauss II, at the European Archive (for non-American viewers only).

A complete list of Strauss's compositions

Johann Strauss Gallery

List of Strauss's stage works with date, theatre information and links

www.kreusch-sheet-music.net Free Scores by Strauss

Category:19th-century Austrian people Category:Opera composers Category:Romantic composers Category:Viennese composers Category:Ballet composers Category:People from Neubau Category:Burials at the Zentralfriedhof Category:1825 births Category:1899 deaths Johann Strauss II

ar:يوهان شتراوس الابن an:Johann Strauss (fillo) be:Ёган Штраўс, сын bs:Johann Strauss mlađi bg:Йохан Щраус (син) ca:Johann Strauss II cs:Johann Strauss mladší cy:Johann Strauss II da:Johann Strauss den yngre de:Johann Strauss (Sohn) et:Johann Strauß (poeg) el:Γιόχαν Στράους ο νεότερος es:Johann Strauss (hijo) eo:Johann Strauß (filo) eu:Johann Strauss (semea) fa:یوهان اشتراوس (پسر) fr:Johann Strauss II gl:Johann Strauss (fillo) ko:요한 슈트라우스 2세 hy:Յոհան Շտրաուս hr:Johann Strauss mlađi id:Johann Strauss II is:Johann Strauss II it:Johann Strauss (figlio) he:יוהאן שטראוס (הבן) krc:Штраус, Иоганн (джаш) ka:იოჰან შტრაუსი (შვილი) la:Ioannes Strauss (iunior) lv:Johans Štrauss II lt:Johanas Štrausas hu:Ifj. Johann Strauss mk:Јохан Штраус (помладиот) mr:योहान स्ट्रॉस दुसरा arz:يوهان شتراوس الابن mn:II Иоханн Штраус my:စထရောက်ဂျေ nl:Johann Strauss jr. ja:ヨハン・シュトラウス2世 no:Johann Strauss d.y. pl:Johann Strauss (syn) pt:Johann Strauss (filho) ro:Johann Strauss (fiul) qu:Johann Strauss II ru:Штраус, Иоганн (сын) simple:Johann Strauss II sk:Johann Strauss mladší sl:Johann Strauss mlajši sr:Јохан Штраус млађи sh:Johann Strauss mlađi fi:Johann Strauss nuorempi sv:Johann Strauss d.y. tl:Johan Strauss II th:โยฮันน์ ชเตราสส์ ที่สอง tr:Johann Strauss II uk:Йоганн Штраус (син) vi:Johann Strauss II zh:小约翰·施特劳斯

Johann Strauss I (March 14, 1804 – September 25, 1849; ; also Johann Baptist Strauss, Johann Strauss, Sr., the Elder, the Father), born in Vienna, was an Austrian Romantic composer famous for his waltzes, and for popularizing them alongside Joseph Lanner, thereby setting the foundations for his sons to carry on his musical dynasty. His most famous piece is probably the ''Radetzky March'' (named after Joseph Radetzky von Radetz), while his most famous waltz is probably the ''Lorelei Rheinklänge'', Op. 154.

Life and work

Johann Strauss was the father of Johann Strauss II, Josef Strauss and Eduard Strauss, the last of whom had a son called Johann Strauss III, born in 1866. He also had two daughters, Anna, who was born in 1829, and Therese, who was born in 1831. His youngest son, Ferdinand, born in 1834, lived only ten months. Strauss's parents, Franz Borgias Strauss (October 10, 1764 – April 5, 1816) and Barbara Dollmann (December 3, 1770 – August 28, 1811), were innkeepers (). Strauss had a Jewish grandfather, Johann Michael Strauss (1720–1800), who converted to Catholicism.

Tragedy struck his family as his mother died of 'creeping fever' when he was seven. When he was 12, his father Franz Borgias Strauss was discovered drowned, possibly by suicide, in the Danube river. His guardian, the tailor Anton Müller, placed him as an apprentice to a bookbinder Johann Lichtscheidl; Strauss took lessons in the violin and viola in addition to fulfilling his apprenticeship. Contrary to a story later told by his son, Johann jun., he never ran away from his bookbinder apprenticeship and in fact successfully completed it in 1822. He also studied music with Johann Polischansky during his apprenticeship and eventually managed to secure a place in a local orchestra of Michael Pamer which he eventually left in order to join a popular string quartet known as the ''Lanner Quartet'' formed by his would-be rival Joseph Lanner and the Drahanek brothers, Karl and Johann. This string quartet playing Viennese waltzes and rustic German dances expanded into a small string orchestra in 1824.

He eventually became deputy conductor of the orchestra to assist Lanner in commissions after it became so popular during the Fasching of 1824 and Strauss was soon placed in command of a second smaller orchestra which was formed as a result of the success of the parent orchestra. In 1825, he decided to form his own band and began to write music (chiefly, dance music) for it to play after he realized that he could also possibly emulate the success of Lanner in addition to putting an end to his financial struggles. By so doing, he would have made Lanner a serious rival although the rivalry did not entail hostile consequences as the musical competition was very productive for the development of the waltz as well as other dance music in Vienna. He soon became one of the best-known and well loved dance composers in Vienna, and he toured with his band to Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Britain. The conducting reins and management of this 'Strauss Orchestra' would eventually be passed over to the hands of his sons variously until its disbandment by Eduard Strauss in 1901.

On a trip to France in 1837 he heard the quadrille and began to compose them himself, becoming largely responsible for introducing that dance to Austria in the 1840 Fasching, where it became very popular. It was this very trip (in 1837) which has proved Strauss' popularity with audiences from different social backgrounds and this paved the way to forming an ambitious plan to perform his music in England for the coronation of Queen Victoria in 1838. Strauss also adapted various popular melodies of his day into his works so as to ensure a wider audience, as evidenced in the incorporation of the ''Oberon'' overture into his early waltz, "Wiener Carneval", Op. 3, and also the French national anthem "La Marseillaise" into his "Paris-Walzer", Op. 101.

Strauss married Maria Anna Streim in 1825 in the parish church of Liechtenthal in Vienna. The marriage was relatively unhappy due to his prolonged absences caused by frequent tours abroad which led to a gradual alienation.

The family home was called 'Hirschenhaus' but was better better known in Vienna as the 'Goldener Hirsch' (The Golden Stag). Strauss was a strict disciplinarian and demanded that none of his sons pursue careers in music, despite them displaying musical talent. Johann Junior was to study banking, likewise his brother Josef Strauss was destined for a military career, whereas the youngest Eduard Strauss was expected to join the Austrian consulate.

By 1834 Strauss had taken a mistress, Emilie Trampusch, with whom he had six children. When her husband openly acknowledged his paternity of a daughter born to Emilie in 1844, Maria Anna sued for divorce. With the ending of the marriage Anna Strauss determined to further Johann Strauss II's musical career, allowing him to develop his skills as a composer.

Despite family problems, Strauss senior continued to tour frequently and was always prepared to write novelty pieces for numerous charitable organizations. His waltzes were gradually developed from a rustic peasant dance into one which posterity would recognize as the Viennese Waltz. They were written in three-quarter time with a short introduction; often with little or no reference to the later chain of five two-part waltz structure; usually appended with a short coda and concluded in a stirring finish, although his son Johann Strauss II expanded the waltz structure and utilized more instruments than his father. While he did not possess a musical talent as rich as his eldest son's, nor a business mind as astute, he was among the handful of early waltz composers along with Joseph Lanner to actively write pieces with individual titles — with the view to boost sales of their sheet music — which enabled music enthusiasts to easily recognize those pieces. In fact, during his performances at the Sperl-Ballroom in Vienna, where he established his name, he actively pursued the concept of collecting a fixed entrance fee from the patrons of the ballroom instead of the old practice of passing around a collection plate where income was reliant on the goodwill of the patrons.

Johann Strauss II often played his father's works and openly declared his admiration of them, although it was no secret to the Viennese that their rivalry was intense, with the press at that time fueling it. Johann Strauss I himself refused to play ever again at the Dommayer's Casino, which offered his son his conducting debut, and was to tower over his son during his lifetime in terms of career advancement, although Strauss II was to eclipse him in terms of popularity in the classical repertoire. In 1846, Johann Strauss I was awarded the honorary title of ''K.K. Hofballmusikdirektor'' (Director of Music for the Imperial and Royal Court Balls) by Emperor Ferdinand I.

Strauss died in Vienna in 1849 from scarlet fever contracted from one of his illegitimate children. He was buried at the Döblinger cemetery beside his friend Joseph Lanner. In 1904, both of their remains were transferred to the graves of honour at the Zentralfriedhof. The former Döbling Cemetery is now a Strauss-Lanner Park. Hector Berlioz himself paid tribute to the 'Father of the Viennese Waltz' by commenting that 'Vienna without Strauss is like Austria without the Danube'.

Works

Waltzes

Täuberln-Walzer, Op. 1 ''Little Doves'' (1827)

Döblinger Réunion-Walzer, Op. 2 ''Dobling Reunion Waltz''

Wiener Carneval, Op. 3 ''Viennese Carnival'' (1828)

Kettenbrücke-Walzer, Op. 4 ''Suspension Bridge'' (1828)

Gesellschafts-Walzer, Op. 5 ''Association’s Waltz''

Wiener Launen-Walzer, Op. 6 ''Vienna Fancies Waltz''

Tivoli-Rutsch Walzer, Op. 39 ''Tivoli-Slide'' (1830)

Das Leben ein Tanz oder Der Tanz ein Leben! Walzer, Op. 49 ''Life is a Dance''

Elisabethen-Walzer, Op. 71

Philomelen-Walzer, Op. 82

Paris-Walzer, Op. 101 (1838)

Huldigung der Königin Victoria von Grossbritannien, Op. 103 ''Homage to Queen Victoria of Great Britain''

Wiener Gemüths-Walzer, Op. 116 ''Viennese Sentiments'' (1840)

Lorelei Rhein Klänge, Op. 154 ''Echoes of the Rhine Loreley'' (1843)

Polkas

Seufzer-Galopp, Op. 9 ''Sighing''

Chineser-Galopp, Op. 20 ''Chinese''

Einzugs-galopp, Op. 35 ''Entrance Galopp''

Sperl-Galopp, Op. 42

Fortuna-Galopp, Op. 69

Jugendfeuer-Galopp, Op. 90 ''Young Spirit''

Cachucha-Galopp, Op. 97

Indianer-Galopp, Op. 111 ''Red Indian Galopp''

Sperl-Polka, Op. 133

Beliebte Annen-Polka, Op. 137 ''Beloved Anna''

Piefke und Pufke Polka, Op. 235

Marches

Radetzky-Marsch, Op. 228 (1848)

Jelačić-Marsch, Op. 244

See also

''The Strauss Family'', TV drama

List of Austrians

List of Austrians in music

References

External links

Johann Strauss Sr. — Biography

Complete list of Johann Strauss' Works

Category:19th-century Austrian people Category:Austrian composers Category:Romantic composers Category:Viennese composers Category:Austrian people of Jewish descent Category:Infectious disease deaths in Austria Category:Deaths from streptococcus infection Category:People from Leopoldstadt Category:Burials at the Zentralfriedhof Category:1804 births Category:1849 deaths

ar:يوهان شتراوس الأب be:Ёган Штраўс, бацька bg:Йохан Щраус (баща) ca:Johann Strauss (pare) cs:Johann Strauss starší cy:Johann Strauss I da:Johann Strauss den ældre de:Johann Strauss (Vater) et:Johann Strauß (isa) es:Johann Strauss (padre) eo:Johann Strauß (patro) fr:Johann Strauss I ko:요한 슈트라우스 1세 hr:Johann Strauss stariji id:Johann Strauss I it:Johann Strauss (padre) he:יוהאן שטראוס (האב) ka:იოჰან შტრაუსი (მამა) la:Ioannes Strauss (senex) lv:Johans Štrauss I hu:Johann Strauss mr:योहान स्ट्रॉस, सिनियर arz:يوهان شتراوس الأب nl:Johann Strauss sr. ja:ヨハン・シュトラウス1世 no:Johann Strauss d.e. pl:Johann Strauss (ojciec) pt:Johann Strauss (pai) ro:Johann Strauss (tatăl) ru:Штраус, Иоганн (отец) simple:Johann Strauss I sk:Johann Strauss starší sl:Johann Strauss starejši sr:Јохан Штраус старији fi:Johann Strauss vanhempi sv:Johann Strauss d.ä. th:โยฮันน์ ชเตราสส์ ที่หนึ่ง uk:Йоганн Штраус (батько) zh:老约翰·施特劳斯