What is Johann Strauss II?
{{Infobox person | name = Johann Strauss II | image = Johann Strauss II.jpg | birth_date = 25 October 1825 | birth_place = | disappeared_place = | death_date = 3 June 1899 | death_place = [[Vienna]], [[Austria]] | citizenship = [[Austrian]] | occupation = [[Composer]], [[conductor]] and [[violinist]] }} '''Johann Strauss II''' (born [[Vienna]], October 25, 1825; died [[Vienna]] June 3, 1899) was an [[Austria]]n [[composer]], [[Conductor (music)|conductor]] and [[violin]]ist. His father, also called Johann, was also a very famous composer, and is now known as [[Johann Strauss I]] (or Johann Strauss Sr) while his eldest son is called Johann Strauss II (or Johann Strauss Jr). Strauss became very famous for his [[Waltz (music)|waltz]]es. He was known as the “King of the Waltz”. His most famous one was called ''[[Blue Danube Waltz|An der schönen, blauen Donau]]'' (known in English as ''The Blue Danube'').<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Johann-Strauss-II|title=Johann Strauss II {{!}} Biography, Compositions, & Facts|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref> == Early life == His father wanted him to go in for [[bank]]ing, but the young Johann took violin lessons in [[secret]] from a man called Franz Amon who was the [[concertmaster|leader]] of his father’s orchestra. He continued his violin studies with Anton Kohlmann, a violinist who helped ballet dancers to learn the music they had to dance to. He was still only 18 when he got his own orchestra together and gave his own concert which included six of his own waltzes and some of his father’s. He was soon becoming more famous than his father. After his father died in 1849, the two orchestras joined into one and the young Johann was their conductor. He was given the title “k.k.Hofballmusikdirektor” (meaning; musical director of the Court Ball). He was always especially busy during [[Carnival]] time when there were lots of [[ballroom|balls]]