03 July 2025
Pia Bernauer
Weekly SpinOn: Europe’s Grand Courts
This playlist takes you on a musical journey through the royal courts of Europe. Each track comes from a different country and shows a different kind of royal tradition: the grace of Austria, the ceremony of England, the colour of France, and the proud history of Hungary. These pieces were written for big events — dances, river concerts, theatre performances, or national celebrations. With Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic, the music is played with care, energy, and style. Four pieces, four places, one royal experience.
Track 1: Kaiserwalzer, Op. 437 – Johann Strauss II
The Kaiserwalzer – or Emperor Waltz – is one of the most stately and refined compositions by Johann Strauss II, the Austrian “Waltz King.” Composed in 1889 to mark a diplomatic meeting between Austria’s Emperor Franz Joseph I and Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm II, the piece was meant to embody peaceful imperial grandeur. Though its title suggests it was written for a specific monarch, Strauss cleverly left it open to interpretation. Initially called the “Handshake Waltz,” the final title Kaiserwalzer gave it just the right mix of political neutrality and royal flair.
Strauss was already famous when he composed this waltz. He had turned the Viennese waltz into something more than just dance music—it became a kind of musical art form. In the Kaiserwalzer, he starts with a slow, majestic introduction before moving into several waltz melodies. Some are playful, some are gentle, and some are grand. They flow into one another smoothly, showing Strauss’s gift for melody and atmosphere.
Herbert von Karajan recorded the Kaiserwalzer in 1966 with the Berlin Philharmonic. His version treats the piece as serious concert music rather than dance music. The tempo is steady, the sound is rich, and the phrasing is very precise. He brings out the small details in the score and allows the music to unfold slowly and clearly. Some parts sound surprisingly quiet and sensitive, almost like chamber music. It’s a very controlled and elegant interpretation.
Compared to versions with the Vienna Philharmonic, the difference is clear. In Vienna, the waltz often sounds more relaxed and natural, like real dance music. There’s a slight swing in the rhythm and a warm, local feeling in the style. Karajan’s Berlin version is more formal, with a smoother, polished sound. It reflects a different tradition: less about the ballroom, more about the concert stage.
Track 2: Water Music Suite (After Handel): I. Allegro – George Frideric Handel
Handel’s Water Music is one of the most famous pieces of Baroque orchestral music. It was written in 1717 for a special concert on the River Thames in London. King George I wanted music for a royal boat trip, and Handel wrote a suite that could be performed outdoors by a group of musicians floating alongside the king’s barge. The event was more than just a nice evening—it was also a political show of strength, meant to remind the people of the king’s power and popularity. According to reports from the time, the king liked the music so much that he had it played three times during the journey.
A painting from the 1800s by Édouard Hamman shows this river concert in detail. King George I is seen on a decorated boat with his guests, while musicians perform nearby. Handel himself is in the scene, standing among the performers. The Allegro that opens the D major suite fits the occasion perfectly: it’s bright, festive, and full of energy. The trumpets, horns, and oboes give the music a clear and powerful sound, strong enough to carry across the river. The rhythms are lively and the melodies easy to follow—ideal for an outdoor royal celebration.
Herbert von Karajan recorded the Water Music with the Berlin Philharmonic in an arrangement adapted for modern orchestra. His interpretation is less about historical performance and more about creating a smooth, refined sound. The Berlin strings are lush, and the brass is full but never overpowering. Karajan keeps the tempo moderate and the articulation clean, giving the piece a more polished and monumental character than in period-instrument recordings. It sounds more like a court ceremony than a river parade.
Compared to performances with baroque ensembles, Karajan’s version feels grander and more formal. There is less rhythmic bounce, but more emphasis on flow and balance. This approach brings out the nobility in the music and makes it feel timeless rather than tied to a specific historical moment.
Track 3: L’Arlésienne Suite No. 2: Farandole – Georges Bizet
The Farandole is the final movement of Bizet’s L’Arlésienne Suite No. 2, and one of his most exciting and energetic orchestral pieces. The music was originally written as incidental music for a play called L’Arlésienne (“The Girl from Arles”), based on a story by French writer Alphonse Daudet. Although the play itself was not a success, Bizet’s music quickly found a life of its own. After his death in 1875, his friend Ernest Guiraud arranged two orchestral suites from the score, and the Farandole became the joyful and dramatic conclusion to the second suite.
The piece combines two melodies: a traditional Provençal Christmas song (Marcho dei Rei) and a fast folk dance called the farandole. Bizet brings both together in a brilliant, layered orchestration. The Marcho dei Rei begins with a strong, bold fanfare rhythm that immediately feels ceremonial and noble—almost like a royal entrance. Later, the folk dance adds speed and color, until both themes are fused in an exhilarating finale. Though the source material is regional, Bizet transforms it into something formal and festive. In this way, the Farandole reflects how French composers in the 19th century often brought folk elements into grand, theatrical—and even courtly—settings.
The Farandole Dance, Eduardo Leon Garrido
In this playlist, the piece stands in for the French court, with its blend of tradition, style, and public spectacle. The fanfare-like quality of the opening gives it a royal energy, while the dance rhythms keep it lively and popular. It suggests a celebration not in a village square, but in a palace courtyard—with uniforms, processions, and national pride.
Herbert von Karajan recorded the Farandole with the Berlin Philharmonic as part of a collection of French orchestral works. His version is smooth, precise, and carefully structured. Instead of highlighting rustic charm, Karajan focuses on balance and clarity. The rhythms are sharp, the dynamics well-shaped, and the orchestral sound is full and elegant. It turns the Farandole into a polished concert piece, perfectly in line with the grandeur of a royal setting.
Track 4: King Stephen or Hungary’s First Benefactor – Ludwig van Beethoven
This piece by Beethoven was written in 1811 to celebrate the founding of a new theatre in Pest—today part of Budapest. The theatre was built by the Habsburg monarchy to strengthen ties with the Hungarian people. Beethoven was commissioned to write a festive overture and stage music in honor of King Stephen I, the first Christian king of Hungary, who ruled around the year 1000. The work was meant to honor him not just as a national figure, but also as a symbol of loyalty to the Austrian crown. The full title of the piece is King Stephen, or Hungary’s First Benefactor.
King Stephen I, later canonized as a saint, played a central role in forming the early Hungarian state. He united the scattered Magyar tribes—nomadic people who had arrived in the Carpathian Basin around the 9th century—and converted the kingdom to Christianity. This shift marked Hungary’s entry into the European political and cultural sphere. By honoring Stephen, the Habsburgs were celebrating a founding figure of Hungarian identity, while also reinforcing their own role as rulers over a diverse empire.
Beethoven’s King Stephen Overture is bright, bold, and full of energy. It opens with a short dramatic gesture, then moves into a lively main section that has both heroic and ceremonial character. Trumpets, strings, and winds work together to create a festive mood—music fit for a celebration, but also for statecraft. It’s shorter and more direct than Beethoven’s symphonic overtures, but it’s no less powerful. It captures a moment of political symbolism: a German composer writing music for a Hungarian king to please an Austrian emperor.
It’s a fitting final track for this playlist. The first piece, the Kaiserwalzer, represented Austria; this one closes with Hungary. Both are connected by history and empire, yet musically distinct. Karajan’s recording with the Berlin Philharmonic presents the overture with sharp rhythm and bright color, emphasizing the clarity and drive of the piece.
— Pia Bernauer (Karajan Institute, Salzburg)
