The Last Waltz tells the tale of two waltz kings. It is the intriguing story of two generations of the Viennese family that produced some of the best known and best loved music of the nineteenth century. From nowhere they produced two Waltz kings, a father and three sons, and literally hundreds of instantly recognisable and enduring melodies, such as The Blue Danube Waltz, Tales from the Vienna Woods, Voices of Spring and The Radetzky March.
Yet this was also a family riven with tension, feuds and jealousy, and those involved lived in an Austria that witnessed seismic upheavals. An Emperor ill-equipped for leadership struggled to maintain the exalted place of the Austro-Hungarian empire on the European stage, while at the personal level experiencing more tragedy than any man should have to bear: his brother executed, his wife the Empress murdered, his son and heir lost in a double suicide.
Through the personal and political chaos, the Strauss family continued to compose waltzes to which the Viennese – anxious to forget their troubles – danced and drank champagne, as their country hurtled towards the First World War, and oblivion.
Industry Reviews
"I greatly enjoyed spending time with John Suchet's fascinating book about Johann Strauss, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did." -- Andre Rieu; "John beautifully balances the family Strauss saga with the fall of the Habsburg Empire. This copiously illustrated book is terrific!" --Carl Davis, composer and conductor; "Very readable ... elegantly prepared with plenty of quality illustrations ... makes a fascinating read about one of the greatest musical dynasties that ever lived. John Suchet puts their personal lives into the context of the politics of the day without missing out on the musical history. A book to be thoroughly recommended." -- John Diamond, Chairman of The Johann Strauss Society of Great Britain; "Riveting reading ... I found it difficult to put down. Stuffed full of facts, both historical and musical, this is in no way a dry academic tome because John Suchet, as always, spins his enthusiastic way through the drama as if guiding us personally in the footsteps of the protagonists and their times. I can highly recommend this absorbing and beautifully presented book." -- Howard Shelley, pianist and conductor; "This handsomely presented volume positively screams to be taken down from the shelf and explored. In its pages, John Suchet succeeds in giving an overview of the Viennese Strauss dynasty of musicians, setting it in the context of the often turbulent and tragic lives of the ruling Habsburg dynasty. Importantly, and unlike almost every other contemporary writer in this field, Suchet embraces the fact that the Strauss family's music-making did not end with the death of the 'Waltz King' in 1899, but continued well into the 'swinging sixties' of the 20th century." -- Peter Kemp, author of The Strauss Family: Portrait of a Musical Dynasty; "Handsomely produced and superbly written... As a former News at Ten anchor [Suchet] knows a thing or two about distilling narratives and crafting pay-off lines. (His best is the book's very last sentence, which it would be churlish to reveal.)" -- Richard Osborne, The Oldie; "Engaging ... the narrative style is very beguiling and draws the reader in very quickly. I could not put this down once I had started it... This book, as well as being immensely readable, entertaining and beautifully written, is also beautifully produced. The paper is of a high quality, the kind that you want to stroke, the illustrations are superb and the layout of the whole book is a joy. I loved it." --Random Jottings blog; "Thoroughly interesting and entertaining" -- The Herts Advertiser; "Incredibly informative and entertaining ... made me realise how little I knew about this musical dynasty. [Suchet's] talent for giving the reader facts without any heavy academic approach means this is a very approachable route into becoming your own Strauss authority! The snippets and anecdotes have been carefully collected and put together in such a way that dipping in and out of the book is easy - highly recommended for anyone wondering what is behind the Blue Danube!" --Sandra Parr, Artistic Planning Director (Orchestra and Ensembles), Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
