Directed by ALFRED BONDT
ALTHOUGH Johann Strauss , the younger gave names to most of his dance tunes, very few of them really mean anything, and this is no more descriptive of a night in Venice than of a night anywhere else.
The eldest son of Johann Strauss the elder, he succeeded his father in 1863 as music master of the Court Balls in Vienna. At that time he had already a great reputation as a bandmaster and as composer of light and sparkling music, some of which is clearly destined to take its place among the immortal master-pieces of all time.
The elder Johann was anxious that none of his sons should follow a musical career, and the younger Johann began life as a banker. But, like two of his brothers, who were also destined for other professions, he found the call of music too strong and made it abundantly clear that he had inherited a very large share of the family gifts.