Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The questions most frequently sent in - see if yours is here first!

How do I find out more about the Society/Join it?

If you write to one of the committee or fill in our request form and we'll get back to you as soon as we can. Please note: The Society stzill requres written applications for membership, and paymeny in UK currency.

How can I get tickets to the New Year's Day Concert in Vienna?

Tickets must now be ordered on the web, at www.wienerphilharmoniker.at (site in German & English) in January of the preceding year (booking for 2008 in January 2007, for example).

Booking for December 2007/January 2008 is now closed.

What relationship to the other Strausses are Richard Strauss and Oscar Straus?

None! Richard Strauss (1864-1949) is a German composer, of tone poem, song and opera fame. A possible source of confusion id his opera, "Der Rosenkavalier", which features the Viennese Waltz musically, if very anachronistically!

Oscar Straus (one final "S"!) composed operettas.

Where can I Get Scores and Parts?

Apart from National libraries and music publishers, many orchestral parts and scores can be obtained from our own collection, for details go to http://www.viennese-music-library.com.

If you are a member of the Society you are also able to access a huge collection of piano scores.

Where can I read more about the Strauss Family?

Look for Peter Kemp's book, "The Strauss Family". I have found it in www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, and www.bol.com, if you look for "Strauss Family".

Where does the song "One Day When We Were Young" come from?

The song "One day when we were young", with words by Oscar Hammerstein II (of later Rogers & Hammerstein fame), first featured in the 1938 MGM film "The Great Waltz" and the soloist was Miliza Korjus, the coloratura soprano. Strausss music was adapted by Dmitri Tiomkin.

The song (written in 6/8 time in 1885) originated that year from Act II of The "Gypsy Baron", Strausss 10th operetta. It is the second theme from "Wer uns getraut?" (Who tied the knot?), which is No 11 in the professional version by Cranz. Sadly, I dont know whether a recording of the 1938 version (transposed to 3/4 time) was ever made - Ive never come across one myself.

The 1938 lyrics are as follows:

One day when we were young,
One wonderful morning in May,
You told me you loved me,
When we were young one day.

Sweet songs of spring were sung,
And music was never so gay,
You told me you loved me,
When we were young one day.

You told me you loved me,
And held me close to you heart,
We laughed then, We cried then,
Then came the time to part.

When songs of spring are sung,
Remember that morning in May,
Remember, you loved me,
When we were young one day.

This was published by Chappell, 50 New Bond Street, London W1 in 1938. Im not too sure whether Chappells are still there - they were ten years ago when I last went there.

Many thanks to Mike O'Sullivan for the above, very full, reply.

If you have any other wuestions, please send them to questions@johann-strauss.org.uk.

We're working on a form-based version for the near future.