Johann Strauss Recording Recommendations

 I know there's plenty I left out, but there's only so much Johann Strauss you can listen to at once. I particularly regret that there isn't more Josef Strauss on this list, because honestly, good as Johann Strauss was, and he was very good, Josef was a better composer. Furthermore, two days in the company of Johann Strauss is time much better spent than in the company of Richard. Like the best pop music, Johann knows how to take a formula and knows how to fashion it with the most amount of originality (except for the Quadrilles, those are usually kind of tiresome no matter how many other works he quotes. ). It's not art, but to listen to a couple days a year, it's positively delightful. For whomever cares, here are my Johann Strauss family recommendations:

Waltzes:

Sphärenklange: Kempe or Karajan

Rosen aus dem Süden: Krauss or Maag

Paris, Walzer: Pretre

Morgenblätter: Keilberth or Horenstein

Wiener Blüt: Keilberth or Karajan (early)

Wienerwald: Krauss or Fricsay or Kempe

Frühlingstimmen: Karajan/Battle, Jansons for w/o voice

Delirien: Karajan or Jansons

Freuet Euch Liebens: Jansons

Libelle: Krauss, C. Kleiber for modern sound

Künstlerleben: Krauss, C. Kleiber for modern sound

Aquarellen: Ozawa

Seid Umschlungen Millionen: Harnoncourt

Kaiser: Harnoncourt or Karajan (early, not 1987!)

Dynamiden: Nelsons

Accelarationen: C. Kleiber

Blau Donau: E. Kleiber, Pretre for modern sound

Fledermaus Overture: Maag, Honeck for modern sound

Zigeunerbaron Overture: Barbirolli, C. Kleiber for modern sound

Lustigen Weiben: Beecham, C. Kleiber for modern sound

Polkas:

Tritsch-Tratsch: Fricsay, C. Kleiber for modern sound

Eljen a Magyar: Jansons or C. Kleiber

Ritter Pasman: C. Kleiber or Welser-Möst/Cleveland

Blitz und Donner: C. Kleiber

Jokey: C. Kleiber

Telephon: Jansons

Tik-Tak: Fricsay, Jansons for modern sound

Bauern: Harnoncourt

Furioso: Abbado

Banditen: Jansons

Auf der Jagd: Muti

Harlekin: Harononcourt

Annen: Fricsay or Krauss, Welser-Möst/Cleveland

Elektro-magnetische: Harnoncourt

Pizzicato: Maag or Karajan (early) or Celibidache (seriously)

Neue Pizzicato: C. Kleiber

Sport: Pretre

Auf Ferinreisen: Abbado

Piefke und Püfke: Abbado

Die Bajadere: Pretre

Leichtes Blut: Karajan (early)

Other:

Chineser Galopp: Pretre

Russicher Marsch: Maazel

Banditen Galopp: Maazel

Perpetuum Mobile: Karajan (early), Muti for modern sound

Persicher Marsch: Keilberth

Egyptische Marsch: Barenboim

Vergnügungszug: Karajan

Im Krapfenwaldl: Pretre

Sturmisch und Lieb: Abbado

Ohne Sorgen: Harnoncourt

Die Soubrette: Welser-Möst

Orpheus Quadrille: Pretre

Radetzky March: Who cares it's a stupid piece of music.

And yes, I keep files on my favorite recordings, so this is just a supplemented version.