11 Facts About Franz Strauss

Franz Josef Strauss was a German musician and composer.

Franz Strauss was principal horn player of the Bavarian Court Opera for more than 40 years, a teacher at the Royal School of Music, Munich, a conductor, and accomplished performer on the guitar, clarinet and viola.

Franz Strauss was a member of a large and musical family, and her brother Georg Walter undertook the boy's musical education.

At the age of 15, through the influence of George Walter, Franz Strauss was appointed to the private orchestra of Duke Max in Munich, where he remained for ten years.

Franz Strauss gradually found that of all the instruments he could play, the horn suited him best.

In 1847, Franz Strauss became a member of the orchestra of the Bavarian Court Opera.

Franz Strauss lived a single life until 1863, when he married Josephine Pschorr, the daughter of a wealthy Munich brewer.

Franz Strauss was not in sympathy with the new music of Wagner which his sovereign and employer, Ludwig II of Bavaria, assiduously promoted with productions at the Court Opera.

Franz Strauss led the horn section in the premieres of Tristan und Isolde, Das Rheingold, and Die Walkure.

In 1875 Franz Strauss was elected conductor of the amateur orchestra, the "Wilde Gung'l", a post he held for 21 years.

Franz Strauss retired from the opera orchestra in 1889, though he continued his conducting and taught for some years thereafter.