About The Society

Our story

We were founded in 1964 by a group of enthusiasts who were keen to rediscover the rich musical treasures of the Strauss family and their Viennese contemporaries. Since then the Society has grown to become a principal source of authority in promoting the music, including operetta and Viennese Balls, and has well-established professional connections.  Thomas Strauss, the great-great-great-grandson of Johann Strauss the Elder, is the Society's Honorary Patron, having taken over from his father Dr. Eduard Strauss.  In 2014 we celebrated our 50th Anniversary year in London, along with members of the Strauss family. 2025 will see the 200th anniversary of the birth of Johann Strauss II and there will be special events and exhibitions, particularly in Vienna.

Society Newsletter and Magazine (free online to members)

Please refer to the 'Publications' tab on the left.

Website

Members have access to our Audio Library, which currently has around 900 tracks of rare non commercial recordings of Viennese Music. It is possible to create your own personal playists on the website, and you can also download individual tracks for your personal use.

The members section provides access to a vast amount of information, much of which is contained in back issues of our magazines and newsletter. Use of the internal search facility allows rapid access to most of the uploaded literature, any if which can be downloaded.

The search box at the left of the page can be used to locate the sources of relevant material. Much is in the public section and you can access it. However, a lot of detailed information, e.g., contents of publications and audio/video files can only be accessed from the Members section.

There are links to 1000s of online video clips and unique audio recordings and podcasts. An extensive CD catalogue for our members can be downloaded, as well as listings of what is held in our archives, including many books, and the history of the Society which can be accessed online.

Members automatically receive occasional notifications by email.

Piano and Orchestral Scores and Parts

We have one of the largest archives of Viennese Music outside Austria, and it is always being added to. Please see the orchestral parts list under the scores tab.  We also have piano scores of practically every Strauss work, plus 1000s of other works by their contemporaries. This includes piano/vocal scores of many operettas. Archive material can be made available to orchestras and individuals for hire or purchase. Please use our feedback form to enquire.

Research

The Society regularly provides authoritative notes for concert programmes and recordings. Much new research has been published, including biographies on the Strauss family, Carl Michael Ziehrer, Josef Gung'l, Emil Waldteufel, and  the English translation of the biography on Josef Strauss. Additionally, the result of much research has appeared in our publications – Vienna Music, and previously Tritsch-Tratsch.

Recorded Music on CD

The Society has sponsored several highly acclaimed commercial recordings:
- Vienna Première series (Chandos)
- Johann Strauss and Family in London (Chandos)
- Johann Strauss operetta orchestral potpourris (Marco Polo)
- Iosef Ivanovici (Electrecord)
- Spirit of Vienna series (private)
- Carl Michael Ziehrer series (Preiser)
- Eduard Strauss series (3 volumes, Marco Polo)
- Julius Fucik (Marco Polo)
- Contemporaries of the Strauss Family series (Marco Polo)
- Treasures of Operetta (Chandos)
- Carl Millöcker: Der Feldprediger (private)
- Franz von Suppe: Die Afrikareise (private)
- Johann Strauss: Jabuka (Naxos)
- Johann Strauss: Göttin der Vernunft (Naxos)
- Johann Strauss: Blindekuh (Naxos)
- Johann Strauss: Waldmeister (Naxos)

Future recordings:
- Johann Strauss: Indigo operetta (Dario Savi)
- Carl Michael Ziehrer operetta extracts
- Carl Michael Ziehrer: Fesche Geister operetta
- Josef Bayer: Ballet music (Dario Salvi)

The Society has also been closely involved in the production of several other CDs, including :
- Johann Strauss II Complete Edition (Marco Polo)
- Carl Michael Ziehrer Dances, Marches, Overtures (Marco Polo)

We also have a private non-commercial recording series of 40 CDs available to our members for their personal use.

Special offers

Our online members catalogue contains information on new releases and many of the CDs can be obtained at discounted prices.

Membership

Our Society is affiliated to sister Strauss Societies in a number of European countries and Japan,  as well as other societies with similar interests including some in America and Canada. We have close connections with a number of Austrian organisations. Refer to our links page to access some of these.