Album

Despite its title, this disc of festive music is not especially connected to wedding celebrations and should not be mistaken as a bridal sampler. Instead, the program is a survey of nineteenth century polkas, waltzes, and marches drawn from Viennese and French operettas and the dance repertoire of salon orchestras. Buoyant pieces by members of the celebrated Strauss family and Jacques Offenbach are presented side-by-side with music by less famous but industrious composers, such as Johann Schrammel, Jakob Pazeller, and Iosif Ivanovici. This even-handed approach to programming gives a reasonably accurate impression of the music of the times and displays the uneven mix of excellence and triteness that surely existed then. István Bogár's arrangements for the Budapest Strauss Ensemble are consistent and unpretentious, and he blends the elegance of the ball with the more mundane sounds of Austro-Hungarian light music. Notably, Bogár includes the accordion and various band instruments, such as the saxophone, to suggest the ad hoc nature of the period's ensembles. While a few pieces are exceptionally well known—Wein, Weib und Gesang by Johann Strauss II and the rambunctious Can Can from La vie parisienne by Offenbach are two standouts—they do not draw inordinate attention to themselves in their modest presentation here.

© Blair Sanderson, All Music Guide

CD 1
Johann Schrammel Composer Wien bleibt Wien, march for band Work Budapest Strauss Ensemble Ensemble, Istvan Bogar Conductor
1	Wien bleibt Wien, march for band	3:24			$0.99
Jacques Offenbach Composer La vie parisienne (operetta) Work Budapest Strauss Ensemble Ensemble, Istvan Bogar Conductor
2	Polka	2:27			$0.99
Johann Strauss II Composer Figaro-Polka, polka-française, Op. 320 Work Budapest Strauss Ensemble Ensemble, Istvan Bogar Conductor
3	Figaro-Polka, polka-française, Op. 320	4:07			$0.99
Jakob Pazeller Composer Souvenir de Herkulesbad Work Budapest Strauss Ensemble Ensemble, Istvan Bogar Conductor
4	Souvenir de Herkulesbad	3:52			$0.99
Johann Strauss II Composer Einzugs-Marsch (Entrance March; also known as 'Occupation March' from operetta 'Der Zigeunerbaron') Work Budapest Strauss Ensemble Ensemble, Istvan Bogar Conductor
5	Einzugs-Marsch (Entrance March; also known as 'Occupation March' from operetta 'Der Zigeunerbaron')	2:52			$0.99
Josef Strauss Composer Frauenherz, polka mazurka for orchestra, Op.166 Work Budapest Strauss Ensemble Ensemble, Istvan Bogar Conductor
6	Frauenherz, polka mazurka for orchestra, Op.166	4:15			$0.99
Johann Strauss II Composer Die Fledermaus (The Bat; operetta), RV503 Work Budapest Strauss Ensemble Ensemble, Istvan Bogar Conductor
7	Böhmisch-Polka	1:46			$0.99
Iosif Ivanovici Composer Donauwellen (Waves of the Danube), waltz for piano (or orchestra) Work Budapest Strauss Ensemble Ensemble, Istvan Bogar Conductor
8	Donauwellen (Waves of the Danube), waltz for piano (or orchestra)	5:27			$0.99
Iosif Ivanovici Composer Bavarian Ländler Work Budapest Strauss Ensemble Ensemble, Istvan Bogar Conductor
9	Bavarian Ländler	2:22			$0.99
Johann Strauss II Composer Annen Polka, Op.117 Work Budapest Strauss Ensemble Ensemble, Istvan Bogar Conductor
10	Annen Polka, Op.117	3:49			$0.99
Johann Strauss II Composer Wein, Weib und Gesang (Wine, Women and Song; with voice ad lib), Op.333 Work Budapest Strauss Ensemble Ensemble, Istvan Bogar Conductor
11	Wein, Weib und Gesang (Wine, Women and Song; with voice ad lib), Op.333	4:01			$0.99
Joseph Franz Wagner Composer Tiroler Holzhacker Buab'n Work Budapest Strauss Ensemble Ensemble, Istvan Bogar Conductor
12	Tiroler Holzhacker Buab'n	4:04			$0.99
Josef Strauss Composer Flora, polka mazur for orchestra, Op.54 Work Budapest Strauss Ensemble Ensemble, Istvan Bogar Conductor
13	Flora, polka mazur for orchestra, Op.54	4:22			$0.99
Johann Strauss II Composer Die Fledermaus (The Bat; operetta), RV503 Work Budapest Strauss Ensemble Ensemble, Istvan Bogar Conductor
14	Spanischer Tanz	1:14			$0.99
Jacques Offenbach Composer La vie parisienne (operetta) Work Budapest Strauss Ensemble Ensemble, Istvan Bogar Conductor
15	Cancan	2:29			$0.99
Johann Strauss I Composer Radetzky-Marsch, for orchestra, Op.228 Work Budapest Strauss Ensemble Ensemble, Istvan Bogar Conductor
16	Radetzky-Marsch, for orchestra, Op.228	2:59			$0.99