Wiener Bonbons
Encyclopedia
Wiener Bonbons op. 307 is a waltz
by Johann Strauss II
written in 1866. It was first performed on 28 January 1866 at the ball of the Association of Industrial Societies held in the Redoutensaal and was dedicated to the influential Princess Pauline Metternich-Winneburg the wife of then Austria
n ambassador to Paris
.
The festivity was meant to raise funds to be donated to the construction of German
hospitals in Paris
and Strauss' younger brother Josef
was initially supposed to be conducting music at the ball without his brother Johann's anticipated presence. Johann himself was happy to draw back from conducting at such occasions in addition to allowing Josef to compose a dedication piece for the event although at the last minute, the elder brother opted to contribute a waltz of his own to glorify the event. The result was the waltz 'Wiener Bonbons' combining Viennese waltz with Parisian
flair. The title also cheekly unites both nationalities via its title and even the title page shows the work's name in twisted bonbon
wrappers.
The waltz's Introduction starts with clarinet
and pizzicato
strings in a relatively tense mood. Shortly, the first waltz theme makes a bold entry, long chords with a strong first beat in 3/4 time. Later sections are cheeky and flamboyant, contrasted in between with gentle and reflective melodies. After a short coda
, the first waltz theme reappears before accelerating into its rousing finish, complete with a brass flourish underlined by a snare drumroll.
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
by Johann Strauss II
Johann Strauss II
Johann Strauss II , 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...
written in 1866. It was first performed on 28 January 1866 at the ball of the Association of Industrial Societies held in the Redoutensaal and was dedicated to the influential Princess Pauline Metternich-Winneburg the wife of then Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n ambassador to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
The festivity was meant to raise funds to be donated to the construction of German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
hospitals in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Strauss' younger brother Josef
Josef Strauss
Josef Strauss was an Austrian composer.He was born in Vienna, the son of Johann Strauss I and Maria Anna Streim, and brother of Johann Strauss II and Eduard Strauss. His father wanted him to choose a career in the Austrian Habsburg military...
was initially supposed to be conducting music at the ball without his brother Johann's anticipated presence. Johann himself was happy to draw back from conducting at such occasions in addition to allowing Josef to compose a dedication piece for the event although at the last minute, the elder brother opted to contribute a waltz of his own to glorify the event. The result was the waltz 'Wiener Bonbons' combining Viennese waltz with Parisian
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
flair. The title also cheekly unites both nationalities via its title and even the title page shows the work's name in twisted bonbon
Bonbon
The name bonbon refers to any of several types of sweets, especially small candies enrobed in chocolate.The first reports of bonbons come from the 17th century, when they were made at the French royal court. Their name arose from infantile reduplication of the word bon, meaning 'good'...
wrappers.
The waltz's Introduction starts with clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
and pizzicato
Pizzicato
Pizzicato is a playing technique that involves plucking the strings of a string instrument. The exact technique varies somewhat depending on the type of stringed instrument....
strings in a relatively tense mood. Shortly, the first waltz theme makes a bold entry, long chords with a strong first beat in 3/4 time. Later sections are cheeky and flamboyant, contrasted in between with gentle and reflective melodies. After a short coda
Coda (music)
Coda is a term used in music in a number of different senses, primarily to designate a passage that brings a piece to an end. Technically, it is an expanded cadence...
, the first waltz theme reappears before accelerating into its rousing finish, complete with a brass flourish underlined by a snare drumroll.