Beschreibung:

STRAUSS, Johann II (1825-1899). Sinngedichte. Walzer für das Pianoforte von Johann Strauss Sohn. , Vienna: Pietro Mechetti, N o 3989. 1845. Oblong quarto (242 x 310mm.). Engraved throughout. 11 pages including title cover. (Title lightly foxed, rebacked). Sewn. ONE OF ONLY TWO KNOWN COPIES OF THE FIRST ISSUE OF THE FIRST EDITION. The lithograph title of this issue is in red and excludes the price and opus number (op.1) which appeared on the title page of the first edition which was printed in blue. The present issue was prepared as a Damenspende [gift for ladies] at the benefit ball given for the composer at Dommayer's Casino on 22 January 1845. The work was composed for Strauss's debut at the Casino on 15 October 1844. The only other known copy of the Damenspende issue is in the Library of Congress, Washington, and was discovered by Dr Thomas Aigner on 19 April 1990. It was published in his article Strauss-Forschung an der Library of Congress , Mitteilungen des Wiener Instituts für Strauss-Forschung, No.1, May 1990, pp.17-18. For previous literature concerning the first edition, compare Alt Wiener Tanzmusik in Originalausgaben , Katalog der Wechselausstellung der Wiener Stadt- und Landesbibliothek, Vienna, 1983, No.41.