Johann Strauss II was quite a prolific composer, his opus numbers running well above 400. And he did not always affix an opus number to his compositions, as with this 1895 effort the Einzugs-Marsch. Taken from his 1885 operetta Der Zigeunerbaron, it has become one of his more popular pieces. Like so many Strauss works, this one is bubbly and joyous, light and carefree. But listeners associating marches with military music will find this attractive gem delightfully at odds with their view of the form. It opens with a brief, festive introduction featuring brass fanfare-like proclamations before the strings and other winds join in. It is largely the strings that present the colorful march theme, a lively creation whose jovial manner and glittering grace will more likely stimulate the dancing shoes than the marching boots. The second half seems to begin in a relatively subdued manner in its variant of the main theme, but the colorfully boisterous manner from the opening cannot remain suppressed for long and festivity reigns supreme here, too. Lasting about three minutes, this march will appeal to Strauss Jr. mavens, as well as to those with an interest in the Viennese lights classics.

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