Strauss Jr: Wo Die Zitronen Blühen

Strauss was a talented composer and an enterprising businessman, and virtually every social, cultural, technological, or political event was commemorated by music from his pen. After the success of his operetta Die Fledermaus, Strauss undertook an extended visit to Italy which would feature some 21 of his recent concert engagements. He commemorated the tour by composing a new waltz which he called Bella Italia. Soon the work had a new title, translated as "Where the Lemon-Trees Bloom," adopted from a line of poetry by Goethe. The piece also soon had a new text and orchestration, thanks to one of Strauss's Die Fledermaus collaborators, RICHARD GENÉE.