Eduard Strauss

Though Eduard was the least talented composer of the three Strauss brothers, he was probably the best conductor because of his assiduous and numerous performances of Wagner overtures and Lanner and Strauss dances. While poerforming his use of rubato added another level to his conducting. Though his baton technique was minimal the nuances of his body had orchestras responding to his techniques. Sections and orchestras were always impeccably together. At the beginning of his training, Eduard studied theory and composition with Prayer and Sechter. He conducted the Strauss orchestra with his brother Josef until Josef's death after which he only conducted that orchestra on occasion as the members voted for a different conductor. But, having been appointed the Hofballmusikdirektor in 1872, the conductor of dance music for the court, Eduard toured the USA and gave performances in St. Petersburg, Russia. He again toured the United States giving one hundred and six concerts in eighty one different cities. Eduard Strauss was greatly admired as a conductor. ~ Keith Johnson