A Musical Jest with Johann Strauss

A Musical Jest with Johann Strauss is written for orchestra, presumably completed in Julius Bürger’s early years in New York City after 1939.

During his London period (1934–1939), Bürger created the “Radio Potpourri” genre for the BBC National Service, showcasing his strong skills as an arranger. His arrangements of works by Johann Strauss were particularly successful. Bürger had at least thirteen Grand Potpourris as well as multiple Miniature Potpourris, arrangements and orchestrations premiered during this period.

In A Musical Jest with Johann Strauss, Bürger combines thematic material from Strauss with his own ideas, creating a piece filled with Viennese character and a sense of nostalgia. The result is a lively and accessible orchestral work that reflects Bürger’s deep connection to the Viennese musical tradition while demonstrating his ability to adapt and reinterpret classic themes for a wider audience.

About the Exilarte Edition
G. Schirmer/Wise Music’s Exilarte Edition exclusively publishes works by composers who were persecuted, forced into exile, or murdered by the Nazi regime. All original manuscripts of these works are archived in the Exilarte Center at the mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna in Austria.