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Franz Lehár (1870-1948) was born in the Hungarian village of Kormorn, then part of the Habsburg Empire of Austria-Hungary. His father was a military bandmaster. Lehár entered the Prague Conservatory where he studied violin with Anton Bennewitz and composition with Dvorak and Joseph Foerster. He also took private lessons from Zdenek Fibich. After graduating, he became an assistant to his father and eventually succeded him as director. He was the serving bandmaster of the 26th regiment stationed in Vienna when he was asked by the Princess Metternich to compose "something especially fine" for her "Gold und Silber" gala ball given on January 27, 1902. This commission continued an old Viennese tradition, dating back to Lanner and Johann Strauss the Elder, of the so-called "name waltz," which received its title from the important occasion at which it was premiered. The "name waltz" would be given as the first piece of the evening, an instrumental concert work to set the mood before the dancing began. Although the waltz was to achieve international fame as "Gold and Silver" balls became popular throughout Europe, England, and America, that first evening it made little impression on the crowd. |