Soll und Haben, Walzer, Op. 68 - Josef Strauss

"Debit and Credit". The business sector of Vienna suffered long and hard during the economic crisis which beset Austria starting in approximately 1846. It was not until 1855 that merchants, from wholesalers to sales personnel, had recovered sufficiently to recognise the growing importance of the merchant class with their own ball to be held at Sperl’s during the Carnival season. On that occasion, Johann Strauss played his high-spirited Handels-Elite-Quadrille, Op. 166, for the first time at Sperl’s. On 21st February 1859, another ball of this kind was held, this time in the elegant Sofiensaal. The Strauss orchestra was again hired to provide the music, but Johann Strauss did not appear before his musicians on this evening, leaving the ball to his brother Josef, who contributed the traditional dedication piece, the waltz Soll und Haben. On the following day, the Theaterzeitung had this to say, among other things: "The attendance was quite numerous. Overcrowding, however, was not a problem and did not interfere with the guests’ dancing enjoyment, especially by youthful revellers. The festival took place amidst unspoilt and unbridled merriment. The dresses of the ladies were splendid. Of the waltzes presented by Strauss for this occasion, the one entitled Soll und Haben was the best". The publisher Carl Haslinger took his time to release the work, issuing it on 21st August 1859 under the double title Soll und Haben - Handels-Elite-Ball-Tänze. Although it was not possible to confirm whether or not the instrumental parts were ever printed, they were easy to reproduce, because the printing dies were available as a source.

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Painting: Dividend Day at the Bank of England
Artist: George Elgar Hicks
Date: 1850

Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra, Kosice
Michael Dittrich