Die Libelle

Scene of Traunstein and Traunsee in 1863.

Die Libelle (The Dragonfly) op. 204 is a Polka-mazurka composed by Josef Strauss in 1866. This work is a masterpiece of Josef Strauss, and the genre of Polka-mazurka.

Composer background

Josef Strauss and his wife Caroline visited Traunstein and the lake Traunsee in 1866. At that time, Josef saw dragonflies flying on the water surface. Inspired by this experience, he composed the Polka-mazurka Die Libelle.

This work was premiered on 21 October 1866. This was immediately after the Austro-Prussian War. Austria atmosphere was dark because the defeat. So it was not the massive publicity, but was a big success.

Vienna New Year's Concert

The advent of the Vienna New Year's Concert is as follows.

1943 – Clemens Krauss 1945 – Clemens Krauss 1949 – Clemens Krauss 1951 – Clemens Krauss 1954 – Clemens Krauss 1959 – Willi Boskovsky 1962 – Willi Boskovsky 1976 – Willi Boskovsky

1983 – Lorin Maazel 1986 – Lorin Maazel 1989 – Carlos Kleiber 2000 – Riccardo Muti 2002 – Seiji Ozawa 2008 – Georges Prêtre 2016 – Mariss Jansons

Digression

	Brahms plays Die Libelle 2 December 1889
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This work was recorded by Johannes Brahms Along with the Hungarian Dances in 1889. But this record was severely damaged in World War II.

External links

Josef Strauss Die Libelle / Polka mazurka op. 204 (1866) – Commentary by Wiener Johann Strauss Orchester（WJSO）