Delirien (Delirium) Waltz, Op.212

Josef Strauss (1827-1870)

Delirien (Delirium) Waltz, Op.212

If Josef Strauss had not been plagued by illness, which resulted in his death at the age of forty-three, and if he had been as ambitious as his brothers, he might well have turned out the greatest composer of the three. He might even have graduated from the ballroom to a prominent position in the concert hall. The introduction to his Delirien Waltz is a tiny tone poem depicting the nightmare vision of delirious sleep. Its main theme, which is appealingly anticipated by a solo flute shortly before its definitive entry on violins, is characteristic of Josef in its sensitively drawn contours and, amid the abundance of waltz tunes that follow, there is a rapturous example of the extended melodic line in which he excelled.