Jump to content

Die Libelle

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Timrollpickering (talk | contribs) at 18:38, 9 October 2018 (per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2018 October 2, replaced: Category:Insects in fiction → Category:Fiction about insects). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Scene of Traunstein and Traunsee in 1863.

Die Libelle (The Dragonfly) Op. 204 is a polka-mazurka composed by Josef Strauss in 1866.

Background

Josef Strauss and his wife Caroline visited Traunstein and lake Traunsee in 1866. At that time, Josef saw dragonflies flying on the water surface. Inspired by this experience, he composed the Polka-mazurka Die Libelle.

This work was premiered on 21 October 1866, immediately after the Austro-Prussian War, when the Austrian mood was still gloomy following its defeat.

Brahms's recording

Die Libelle was recorded by Johannes Brahms, together with his own Hungarian Dance no. 1 in 1889. The recording was severely damaged in World War II.