Waltzer No. 3

A century ago quadrilles and cotillions went out of vogue and every cafe orchestra in Vienna played its music in three-four time because a nervous little man named Johann Strauss had started writing irresistible waltz tunes. He conducted his own compositions while he fiddled bewitchingly at the head of his band. If Johann Strauss fathered the Viennese waltz, his son Johann II (Blue Danube), who was also an expert violinist-conductor, reared it to an historic state of world-wide popularity.*

Up in Manhattan last week popped a Johann Strauss III on his way to Chicago to conduct a 45-piece waltz orchestra at the swank French Casino. Johann Strauss III is 68, a grandson of Johann Strauss I, a nephew of Johann Strauss II whom he greatly resembles. Johann III has the old Strauss way of conducting while fiddling. He inherited his uncle's job as Court Ball conductor for old Emperor Franz Josef. But for most Viennese his chief claim to fame is his name. His compositions (he brought "ein trunksful'') are mediocre and rarely played.

When Johann Strauss II visited the U. S. in 1872 his wife fairly stripped her pet poodle for hairs to give to admirers who believed they came from the great composer's head. When Johann Strauss III left Vienna, Viennese prophesied that he would return without the loss of a single one of his sleek grey locks.

* Strauss waltzes are revived, the Strauss father & son story re-enacted, in The Great Waltz playing currently in Manhattan (TIME, Oct.1).

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