0 Intro

Johann Strauss II – also known as Johann Strauss Junior, Johann Strauss the Younger and Johann Strauss the Son – was a genuine superstar in his lifetime. And he still is today. I’ll show you where he lived. And performed. Where he got married. And even where he is right now. 

No music represents Vienna quite like Strauss’s. But he wasn’t the only composer in the Strauss family. In fact, Johann was locked in fierce competition with his father – who he shared the same name with. In the end, Johann Strauss the Son would be the one to be remembered as the Waltz King. He also outperformed his talented brothers. Johann composed over 500 works: waltzes, polkas, marches, quadrilles, galops, and operettas.

How many of them do you know? I’m betting it’s a lot more than you think! All of the pieces of music that feature in this audio walk were recorded by the Vienna Johann Strauss Orchestra. Its 42 members play music by Strauss. Exactly as it was meant to be performed when the composer wrote it.

Curious? Then let’s get started – there’s a lot to discover. And listen to!

01 Johann Strauss Apartment

This one’s a real home story. Ever wondered how Johann Strauss II lived? Well, you can actually go and see his apartment at Praterstrasse 54. He moved here in 1863, and lived in a first floor residence with his wife Jetty for several years. This floor was known as the Beletage or piano nobile, because it contained the most elegant living spaces. Today, numerous original furnishings are still here, on show alongside various personal items, instruments, and photographs of the composer. 

Highlights include an Amati violin and a piano crafted by the world-renowned instrument maker Ludwig Bösendorfer, who was a close friend of Strauss. And since Johann often worked at night, he had a harmonium, which you can also see here. The advantage of this so called “home organ” was that it could be played much more quietly than a piano. In addition to countless photos, that give an insight into the variety of his extravagant facial hair choices, you’ll even find Strauss’s death mask.

And you’ll also get a fascinating insight into his day-to-day life. Despite all his fame and glory, it really wasn’t all that exciting. Strauss was incredibly hardworking – often performing up to three concerts a night with his orchestra – and that left little time for socializing. Instead, he was extremely hard-working. He composed his world-famous Blue Danube waltz right here in this very apartment. As well as another catchy tune from this period: Tales from the Vienna Woods. The delicate string passage before the first waltz melody kicks in almost sounds like it was intended to be played at home. It’s quite likely that this melody was performed on the very instruments on display at the apartment.

02 Strauss Monument Stadtpark

Amongst the trees in Vienna’s Stadtpark, something golden catches your eye. It’s the statue of Johann Strauss II – the most photographed monument in Vienna. Have you taken a selfie with it yet? Well, that would have definitely pleased its sculptor, Edmund Hellmer. The statue was unveiled in 1921 – 22 years after Strauss’s death. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra – which Strauss himself had conducted – played at the ceremony. The monument commemorates the golden era of music in the late 19th century, fin-de-siècle Vienna. 

Hellmer decided to depict Strauss with a mustache rather than his well-known sideburns, and immortalized the great composer with his violin. This was Johann’s primary instrument. As a child he had to practice in secret. His mother paid for private lessons even though his father was against it. Johann Strauss the father, a successful composer himself, was said to have feared competition from within his own family. And rightly so: after all, it’s his son who has his very own golden monument here.

 But not everything that glitters is gold: the statue was actually cast from bronze before being gilded. Maybe it was all to make it even more photogenic. The arch of South Tyrolian Laaser marble, adorned with dancing relief figures and delicate leaf decorations, certainly adds to the effect of the ensemble. 

Vienna’s Stadtpark is the ideal place to stop for a while and take a short break thanks to its central location. Why not sit on one of the many benches and indulge in people watching? – Or “Leut’ schauen” as people call it here. I’ve got just the music for you: Wiener Blut, or Vienna Blood – another one of Strauss’s most famous waltzes. This melody will really help you tune into the spirit that defines the people of Vienna. You could say that Strauss created a musical monument for them!

03 House of Music

The Pizzicato Polka sounds incredibly playful, don’t you think? It is named for the playing technique that you just heard. Pizzicato is the term for plucking the strings, rather than playing them with the bow. Johann Strauss II composed this particular polka with his brother Josef. The Strauss family always had a sense of humor. Their father Johann, for instance, mimicked the rhythm of a steam locomotive in his waltz “Eisenbahn-Lust-Walzer”. And their brother Eduard began his “Bahn Frei!” polka with various sounds, that imitated an actual railway.

You can immerse yourself in the sound installations of the House of Music in a similarly lighthearted way. And it’s not just fun for the children – I promise! This interactive museum is located in the historic Palais Erzherzog Karl, which sets the perfect tone. You can play the piano on the grand staircase – on an installation called Stairplay. Step on a stair, and you’ll hear the corresponding note. Or have you ever composed a waltz on your own? It’s a lot easier than you think. Thanks to the Waltz Dice Game. You might even challenge the Waltz King Johann Strauss himself …

The third floor is the place to find out more about him. By the way, the museum ticket also includes admission to the Vienna Philharmonic Museum, which is part of the House of Music. Talking of which, in the last – and largest – section of the museum, you can try your hand at conducting the world’s most famous orchestra! Sadly, it’s only virtual, but still. Why not give Strauss’s most famous piece, The Blue Danube Waltz, a go before you receive the audience’s applause? But watch out – you can expect plenty of pushback from the musicians if you start to let the rhythm slide. I wonder whether they would have dared to do that with Strauss as well?

04 Musikverein

Hold on a moment, just a sec, Maestro! Under normal circumstances, it would be pretty rude to interrupt an entire orchestra, wouldn’t you say? But the Blue Danube Waltz by Johann Strauss II is the only piece where that’s allowed – through clapping. And only when it’s performed as the traditional encore for the Vienna Philharmonic’s world-famous New Year’s Concert. In fact, most of the music featured comes from the era of the Strauss dynasty. I imagine that you’ve probably seen images of the Golden Hall, decorated with thousands of flowers? It is right here at the Musikverein, and renowned for its world-class acoustics. Music of the highest order is performed here all year round. Thanks to a combination of both its architecture and its prestigious performances, it was given the nickname of the Temple of Music. It’s hard to find a classical music star who hasn’t performed here. And that goes for Johann Strauss, too. In 1894, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his major debut as an artist, he was made an honorary member of the Society of Friends of Music in Vienna. This is the organization which manages the Musikverein. 

But time to get back to the Blue Danube Waltz, or Donauwalzer to give it its German name. The piece’s full title translates as "On the Beautiful Blue Danube," and it is Strauss’s number one global hit. In fact, the piece is widely accepted to be the unofficial anthem of Vienna. Today, the piece appears in countless movies, TV shows, and commercials, and has become a part of pop culture. Surely you remember that one scene in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, where the spaceships are waltzing through space to the beat of The Blue Danube. Just like Homer Simpson when he appeared as an astronaut in one episode. It is even rumored that the great composer Johannes Brahms was pretty jealous of his friend Strauss for creating the piece. After one concert, Brahms is said to have written down the melody on a lady’s fan. Along with the words, “Sadly, not by me.” 

Can you hear the melody in your head? Ok, that pause has gone on long enough. Maestro, if you please ...

05 Karlskirche

Strauss and the ladies. That’s a story all of its own that’s also connected to Vienna’s Karlskirche church. Like his brothers, Johann was a real ladies’ man and always took a great deal of care over his appearance. And his mustache in particular. He even went as far as to dye his hair black. His female fans would often beg him for a lock of his hair. Although it might sound a bit strange today, this was pretty common back then. Rumor has it, that he cut the locks from his pet poodle...

Did you recognize the piece at the beginning? One of Strauss’s most played works, the Annen Polka, is dedicated to all women by the name of Anna, Nina and Nanette. A real womanizer, Johann married three times – and none of his wives were called any of those names.

His first marriage, to the singer Jetty Treffz, lasted from 1862 until her death in 1878. She was Johann’s manager and the strong woman by his side. But things got a little more complicated after her death. Just seven weeks later, the 53-year-old Waltz King married 28-year-old Angelika Dittrich – known as Lili – here in Vienna’s Karlskirche. At the time, rumors emerged that Lili only married Johann so that she could secure a role at the Theater an der Wien. Eventually, she started having an affair with Franz Steiner, who was its director at the time. Lilli and Johann divorced in 1882. 

But he didn’t remain single for long. He fell in love with a young widow by the name of Adele. Funnily enough, her last name was Strauss before she married the Waltz King. To marry Adele, Johann, a divorced Catholic, was obliged to convert to the Protestant faith. And he even had to renounce his Austrian citizenship. Strauss then became a citizen of the German Duchy of Sachsen-Coburg and Gotha. The things people do for love! In return, Adele ran her husband’s business affairs until his death in 1899 and managed his estate. Because after all, Johann Strauss had no children with any of his wives.

06 MusikTheater an der Wien

The opening bars of the most famous operetta in the world. Did you recognize it? It’s Die Fledermaus, or The Bat in English. The overture was first performed at the Theater an der Wien in 1874, with Johann Strauss II himself conducting. Strangely, he wasn’t a fan of operetta at all. As a composer of dance music, he was actually against combining music and text. However, during a trip to Vienna, the German-French composer Jacques Offenbach encouraged Strauss to give it a try. Johann’s first wife Jetty Treffz took it even further. Thanks to her good connections to the world of theater as a singer, she helped set up the collaboration between Strauss and the Theater an der Wien. Eventually, 13 of his 15 operettas had their world premiere at this venue – including Indigo and the Forty Thieves, The Gypsy Baron and the Queen’s Lace Handkerchief. This period during the second half of the 19th century is now referred to as the Golden Age of Operetta.

The Theater an der Wien was founded in 1801 by Emanuel Schikaneder. He wrote many of the words that went with Mozart’s music, including the lyrics for The Magic Flute. Numerous world premieres have taken place at the venue over the years, from Beethoven’s Fidelio to the musical Elisabeth, which ranks among Austria’s most famous musical productions of recent decades. Since 2006, the theater dedicates itself to opera alone. The name “an der Wien” comes from the River Wien on whose banks the venue was originally built. Since the start of the 20th century, this section of the river flows underneath the surface, below the Naschmarkt, one of Vienna’s most popular street markets.

07 Strauss Museum: New Dimensions

A museum all to himself – what a birthday present! This would have been music to the ears even of someone as highly regarded as Johann Strauss II. The celebrations in 2025 to mark the 200th anniversary of his birth, provided the perfect occasion to open the new Johann Strauss Museum. It is inspired by the concept of “New Dimensions” – and the name says it all, really.

Traditional museums are yesterday’s news – here, it’s all about the latest innovative technology: all you have to do to experience Strauss’s biography is make your way through the exhibition wearing special headphones. Depending on your location, you’ll hear the information to go with it – serenaded by the sounds of Strauss’s fantastic music: this journey back in time takes a good hour and summarizes his  life in seven acts in a 900-square-meter exhibition.

There are no historic exhibits here, but screens with videos and visuals, as well as printed materials, posters, graphics, maps and modern-day objects, artfully presented in darkened rooms with the help of mirrors. The soundtrack will draw you into the story. Everything combined creates a captivating audiovisual experience.

I have a couple of tips for you too: get creative – come up with your own waltz using the composing machine. And make sure you take your time in the immersive final room – a large, state-of-the-art space, it also features stunning visuals.

Remember to take in the exterior of the building that now hosts the Johann Strauss Museum as well: an elegant art-deco creation designed in 1923 by the architects Hermann Aichinger and Heinrich Schmid. Both of whom studied under Otto Wagner. Another architectural gem, from the era of Viennese Modernism, glints in the light on the other side of the road: the Secession building with its stunning golden dome. Inside, Gustav Klimt’s Beethoven Frieze as well as impressive contemporary art awaits you. 

08 Vienna State Opera

You might have expected to hear opera music here at the Vienna State Opera, right? Well, Johann Strauss II also gave the genre a try. His only opera, Ritter Pázmán, in English “Knight Pazman”, premiered here. With limited success. What you just heard was his Ballsträusschen polka. Which leads us nicely into Vienna’s ball tradition. The city’s ball culture is unmatched anywhere in the world. Every year, the season officially starts on November 11, with over 450 balls scheduled between then and early spring! The most famous of which is – it goes without saying – the Opera Ball here at the Vienna State Opera. The first event of this kind was the Hofoper Soirée in December 1877. And it was none other than Strauss who conducted the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. A few months later, the first “Redoute” was held in the opera house, which a journalist described in print as the “First Vienna Opera Ball”. 

Today, the society event of the year attracts more than 5,000 guests, and TV audiences running into the millions. While the whole evening is filled with dancing, it’s not just waltzes that feature. After the midnight show, it’s time for the popular audience quadrille. Very often, the Fledermaus Quadrille by Strauss is used. 

At 5am the magic draws to an end. To cap it all off, the orchestra traditionally performs the melancholic waltz Brüderlein fein. It’s said that Johann Strauss hummed this melody before his death in 1899. A short time before, Strauss conducted the overture to his operetta Die Fledermaus here, in what would prove to be his final performance. 

The Vienna State Opera has the largest repertoire of any opera house worldwide. With only a few exceptions and the summer break, there’s a performance every day. And for Strauss’s Die Fledermaus they even break their rules – it is the only operetta to make the repertoire.

09 Volksgarten Club

The Volksgarten Nightclub is one of Vienna’s hottest party locations. But what does that have to do with Johann Strauss? A lot more than you might think! In its former life as the Corti Café, the venue hosted concerts that attracted audiences of up to 1,500 people. A tradition introduced by Johann Strauss Sr. and his fellow composer Joseph Lanner. After his dominant father’s death, Johann Strauss Jr. finally stepped out of his shadow and took over the orchestra at the Volksgarten. And got Vienna dancing like never before. Even though he was not a fan of dancing himself. Weird, huh?

On March 10, 1867, history was made here when it hosted the premiere of the instrumental version of the world’s most famous waltz. You probably already know which one I mean – "On the Beautiful Blue Danube," or simply "The Blue Danube Waltz."

The curved outline of the old café still exists today, earning it the affectionate nickname of “Volksgarten Banana.” After the second world war, architect Oswald Haerdtl redesigned the venue, turning it into a 1950s-style dance café. Today, VoGa, as some people in Vienna call the nightclub, is still a real hotspot thanks to its large outdoor area and multiple dance floors. What do you think would Johann Strauss play here today, if he was a DJ?

In the Volksgarten – and I’m talking about the actual park this time – the roses are the stars of the show. About 400 varieties are planted here, including a pale pink rose called the Perle vom Wienerwald, or the Pearl of the Vienna Woods in English. Did you notice the little plaques in front of the rose bushes? You can sponsor a rose and dedicate it to someone special. Take a look to see the public declarations of love that some of the patrons have made. How romantic! Just like the famous Strauss waltz, Roses from the South.

10 House of Strauss

It’s fine to rhyme! The House of Strauss is an engaging modern museum where you can find out all about one of the most famous Viennese families of them all. Here, contemporary audiovisuals set the scene in a historic location. Acoustically outstanding, the Strauss hall hosts concerts. Casino Zögernitz – the building that now houses the House of Strauss – has always been something of a cultural hotspot. It was here in the summer of 1850 that Johann Strauss II hosted a grand festival with a ball and firework display. And from 1880 onwards, the Strauss family performed here regularly with their own orchestra. Its ballroom saw a lot of dancing and celebrating. And where people gather, there’s never any shortage of conversation – or gossip, for that matter.

Johann Strauss II composed the Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka as a kind of thank you to a popular weekly satirical and society gossip magazine with the name Tritsch-Tratsch. In 1858, they published a caricature of the Waltz King as part of their Famous Viennese Personalities series. The tabloids also had a great deal to say about the three musical Strauss brothers, Johann, Josef and Eduard. With nicknames that roughly translate as “handsome Jean,” “dashing Pepi,” and “charming Edi”, they were as popular as any modern-day boy band. And their fame wasn’t limited to Vienna either – the Strauss family toured Europe widely, and even made it as far as North America. No doubt there was plenty of tabloid material to be had along the way. But just like with today’s superstars, what happens on tour stays on tour. Or ends up on a display panel at the House of Strauss.

11 Johann Strauss Grave

You are currently listening to the start of the Künstlerleben or Artists’ Life waltz. Johann Strauss II had a true artist’s life behind him. Sounds pretty sentimental, doesn’t it? The Waltz King died of pneumonia on June 3, 1899, at the age of 73. He was laid to rest in an honorary grave at Vienna’s Central Cemetery. It has since become a place of pilgrimage for his fans. The symbols on his tomb are all musical – a bat to represent his operetta Die Fledermaus, a waltzing couple for his dance music, and water for the Blue Danube Waltz. 

Johann Strauss hated funerals. Ultimately, he attended only one – his own. Thousands of people accompanied his casket from Vienna’s city center to the Central Cemetery on the outskirts of town. Strauss was a genuine superstar after all. Other music stars are also buried nearby: Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert and Vienna’s pop icon Falco. As well as Johann Strauss Sr. After a lifetime of rivalry, the two now rest peacefully side by side. 

Vienna’s Central Cemetery has more “residents,” if you can call them that, than Vienna itself. Around 3 million people are buried in nearly 330,000 graves. Opened in 1874, it is Europe’s second-largest cemetery. But it’s more than just a burial ground. The Viennese use the cemetery as a recreation area complete with a designated jogging route, a café, a sausage stand, and even an area for urban gardening. As strange as it seems, the Viennese are known for having a special relationship with death. Dedicated to St. Charles Borromeo, the stunning cemetery church is an absolute gem of Wiener Jugendstil – or Viennese Art Nouveau. And at the Funeral Museum, you’ll find curiosities like a rescue bell, designed for anyone unlucky enough to find themselves buried alive. Sadly, Strauss would never ring it. Unlike Elvis, who’s rumored to still be around, Strauss is truly no longer with us.