My orchestration from the Robitschek piano score of this waltz by Johann Schrammel.

It presented a number of problems. There are hardly any dynamic markings and even fewer tempo changes or crescendi etc.. Should I orchestrate in the style of Lanner or in a later style, given the date of the waltz is about half a century after Lanner’s death. Schrammel didn’t leave much in the way of orchestral scores so even simple questions like “How big should the band be?” are mostly guesswork. In the end I used the same orchestra I used for the other Schrammel waltz I did recently, although I couldn’t bring myself to keep the harp and I did miss Lanner’s four trumpets and an ophicleide.

I think it’s a good waltz and an excellent tribute by Schrammel to one of his predecessors.

And then I got to the end and I thought “Why don’t I recognize any of the tunes?”, apart from the quotation in the introduction. I know a fair bit of Lanner and I’d have thought that I would recognize at least some of the tunes given that they sound like late Lanner. I have had a quick scan through the Dörner thematic catalogue and nothing leapt out at me from that either. It was a very quick scan, though.

I am coming to the conclusion that these are not Lanner tunes at all and Schrammel may be having a little fun. He doesn’t actually say they are by Lanner. I did think I was doing them that there were a few bits and pieces that looked a bit different from Lanner but I didn’t think anything of it as there are often novelties in Lanner’s music anyway.

I could be wrong and if you know I am, please let me know. I’m going to have a better look at the Dörner!