Prestissimo: Galop Op.152

Waldteufel, the Parisian equivalent of Johann Strauss in Vienna, was celebrated as a ballroom conductor in France before he made much of an impact as a composer. The breakthrough came when he was introduced to the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII). Royal interest in his music made it fashionable in London where he secured an important publishing contract, which brought him much success in Paris too. In contrast to the elegance of his best known work, the waltz Les Patineurs, the Prestissimo-Galop (the galop was an even more energetic dance than the polka) is a brilliant example of reckless high-speed stamina.