Emil Waldteufel, the French waltz king who was the young Johann Strauss 's only serious rival, was born in Strasbourg a hundred years ago-on December 9, 1837, to be precise. The centenary is being commemorated by several broadcasts this week, notably the special Waldteufel v programme on Sunday and the BBC Welsh Orchestra's programme on Thursday.
Waldteufel studied at the Paris Conservatoire under Marmontel, who was afterwards Debussy's piano-teacher. After a period of employment in a piano factory he became pianist to the Empress Eugenie. The present programme of gramophone records includes some of Waldteufel's most popular waltzes and polkas, such as the 'Skaters' Waltz', 'Estudiantina', and 'Tres Jolie'.