The year 1847 witnessed a rich variety of scores from Johann Strauss (the Elder). In May he wrote The Swallows, sparkling avian waltzes, soon after which he unveiled his dramatic Austrian March-Past to great acclaim. His quadrille on themes from Auber’s opera The Devil’s Due is an ingenious composition, whilst The Meadow Flowers drew from him fragrant lyricism in the Ländler style. As the New Year dawned he revealed the luscious Dance-Signals, a waltz fit for the Carnival season.

This disc is part of the most comprehensive collection of Strauss the Elder’s compositions ever recorded. The programme covers the period from May 1847 to January 1848, and we hear Strauss’ accustomed variety – waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, marches – in effortlessly tuneful pieces. There is no competing version of this programme and the performances are exciting and engaged.

Since September 2002 Christian Pollack has been principal guest conductor of the Slovak Sinfonietta Žilina. For the Naxos and Marco Polo labels he has made a number of recordings of classical Viennese music, notably the work of the Strauss family, Ziehrer, Suppé and Komzák.