"Courage". Josef Strauss composed this Polka Mazurka for the masked ball on 9 February 1865 in the Sofiensaal. But during this carnival season, Pepi was overtaken by a further manifestation of the mysterious illness from which he had suffered since childhood and to which he would succumb five years later, at just 43 years of age. Josef collapsed in his study and for a long time thereafter was in no shape to conduct the orchestra. The premiere of the Polka Mazurka Frisch Auf! Took place when the Strauss orchestra's carnival Revue was held in the hall at the Volksgarten on 5 March 1865. This work began the series of compositions to which Josef gave markedly optimistic titles despite his illness. One gets the strong impression that with these vital or "life-affirming" works, Pepi must have sought to fill himself with courage.
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Painting: The Picnic
Artist: David Monie
Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra, Kosice
Christian Pollack
