Johann Strauss (son)
Very few composers have been as universally admired and celebrated as Johann Strauss. Today, his works are among the most performance music from 19th-century Vienna. His unforgettable waltz, The Blue Danube, is generally regarded as the unofficial Austrian national anthem, while his beloved operettas continue to evoke the golden age of Viennese operetta for modern audiences all over the world. Born on 25 October 1825 in Vienna, Johann Strauss learned as a child to play the violin – a love that would remain with him throughout his life. Today he is remembered for refining the classical waltz to perfection during a career spanning more than half a century.
The Waltz King
By the age of 35, Strauss had already finished his 200th opus. Even after the Habsburg Emperor Franz Joseph I bestowed on him the long-desired title of Court Ball Music Director, he continued composing without pause, becoming known as The Waltz King. The Montblanc Donation Pen Johann Strauss Special Edition, made of precious resin with champagne-coloured, gold plated fittings, is dedicated to this great composer and conductor.
A world in ¾ time
Strauss’s most important work remains An der schonen blauen Donau (1867), also known as The Blue Danube. With his waltzes, Strauss lifted this popular genre to a pure art form. The Blue Danube is still performed annually at the Vienna Philharmonic’s famous New Year’s concert. To honour his unforgettable compositions in ¾ time, the champagne-coloured, gold-plated cap ring of this Special Edition is engraved with the signature of The Waltz King.
“Die Fledermaus”
With the premier of this operetta Die Fledermaus in 1874, Johann Strauss provided the crowning achievement of the golden age of Viennese operetta. Written in only 43 days, it is his most brilliant creation. A masterpiece that would become the most performed operetta of all time. In tribute to the star of this buoyant musical era, the handcrafted, champagne-coloured Au585 gold nib is artfully engraved with a bat.
World Peace Jubilee
With numerous international engagements, Johann Strauss made his waltzes popular far beyond Europe. In 1872, he was invited to the World Peace Jubilee in Boston, where he directed a 2,000-piece orchestra accompanied by 20,000 voices. When he dies on 3 June 1899, the whole world mourned. His violin was place symbolically on top of his coffin – a gesture that is recaptured in the violin bow design of the clip on this Special Edition.
The Montblanc Donation Pen Johann Strauss Special Edition is a tribute to the king of the Viennese waltz. Available as a fountain pen, rollerball or ballpoint pen, this Edition is made of deep black precious resin and crowned by the white Montblanc emblem. In memory of the operetta Die Fledermaus and Prince Orlofsky’s famous line: “The champagne was to blame,” the Edition is adorned with champagne-coloured gold fittings, and the handcrafted, champagne-coloured AU585 gold nib is engraved with a bat. In tribute to the unofficial Austrian national anthem, the Edition is accompanied by a musical box, which plays part of The Blue Danube. With each purchase of a Johann Strauss Special Edition, 20 EUR from the fountain pen or 10 EUR from the ballpoint and rollerball will be donated to carefully selected cultural projects relating to classical music.
