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Popularly known as the Waltz Kings, Johann Strauss I and II shaped the musical fortunes of Austria for almost a century. The father brought us the Radetzky March, a symbol of the old imperial age, and his son wrote many more famous melodies as well as operettas such as Die Fledermaus and The Gipsy Baron. But who were these Viennese magicians who created such electrifying music? Juliana Weitlaner teases out the life stories of two fascinating figures from a tangle of legends and anecdotes - two masters whose music still rings out around the globe. Her account is illustrated with a wealth of colour images as she leads us through the 19th century, when life was danced to the rhythms of the waltz.

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