Johann Strauss II (October 25, 1825 – June 3, 1899), also known as Johann Baptist Strauss or Johann Strauss, Jr., the Younger, or the Son (German: Sohn), is an Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas.
He composes over 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other types of dance music, as well as several operettas and a ballet.
In his lifetime, he is known as "The Waltz King", and is largely then responsible for the popularity of the waltz in Vienna during the 19th century.
Strauss was born in St. Ulrich (now a part of Neubau), the son of Johann Strauss I, another composer of dance music.
His father had not wished him to become a composer, but rather a banker; however, the son defies his father's wishes, and goes on to study music with the composer Joseph Drechsler and the violin with Anton Kollmann, the ballet répétiteur of the Vienna Court Opera.
Strauss has two younger brothers, Josef and Eduard Strauss, who become composers of light music as well, although they are never as well known as their elder brother.
Some of Johann Strauss's most famous works include The Blue Danube, Kaiser-Walzer, Tales from the Vienna Woods, the Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka, and the Pizzicato Polka.
Among his operettas, Die Fledermaus and Der Zigeunerbaron are the best known.
