Johann Strauss II
Serail Tänze, Walzer, Op. 5 (Large Orchestra)
Arr. CPE Strauss
My orchestration from the piano score of this waltz by Johann Strauss II. It was first performed on Nov. 19th 1844 in Dommayer’s casino. The original orchestration has been lost. The only recording I have heard is in a version for an enormous orchestra. My original orchestration was for an orchestra of approximately the size Strauss had in 1844.
Each to his own and if what you want is anachronistic but in a familiar style then that is fine by me. I do think you have to play what Strauss wrote, at least, though.
The opening is marked presto.
The following section is Adagio (I took it as slowly as I could get away with)
The first note of the little march is staccato, not slurred.
The first half bar of the march is not staccato. When the figure is repeated, it still isn’t.
Waltz 1B phrasing is just wrong. The score shows 4 groups of 3 notes with a break before the scale, not 3 groups of three with the fourth group stuck on to the scale.
I stopped looking at that point. I did wonder whether if you stuck to what Strauss wrote and orchestrated it for a large orchestra if it would work. I couldn’t resist it so here is my version for a large orchestra. It is ok but it doesn’t quite work for me. The loud sections are a bit busy because Strauss used more notes to cover for the lack of power in his orchestra. Some bits sounds like later Strauss though.
A complete waste of time.