Feuerfest! ('Fireproof!'), Op. 269, is a

polka Polka is a dance and genre of dance music originating in nineteenth-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. Though associated with Czech culture, polka is popular throughout Europe and the Americas. History Etymology The term ...

-française composed by

Josef Strauss Josef Strauss (20 August 1827 – 22 July 1870) was an Austrian composer. He was born in Mariahilf (now Vienna), the son of Johann Strauss I and Maria Anna Streim, and brother of Johann Strauss II and Eduard Strauss. His father wanted him to cho ...

in 1869.

History

The "Feuerfest!" (German for 'fireproof') polka was composed by Josef Strauss as a commission by the Wertheim company. 's company produced safes that were marketed as fireproof and Wertheim was known to demonstrate that particular claim by placing his safes in bonfires. The "Feuerfest!" polka was commissioned in 1869 to celebrate the highly successful company's 20,000th safe."Feuerfest!"
rundel.de, concert band arrangement by (in English) The

orchestration Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for an orchestra (or, more loosely, for any musical ensemble, such as a concert band) or of adapting music composed for another medium for an orchestra. Also called "instrumentation", orc ...

includes an

anvil An anvil is a metalworking tool consisting of a large block of metal (usually forged or cast steel), with a flattened top surface, upon which another object is struck (or "worked"). Anvils are as massive as practical, because the higher th ...

, and at various points the score directs the percussionist to strike the anvil with a hammer, recalling the making and solidity of the safe.

Music

\relative c'

Incipit The incipit () of a text is the first few words of the text, employed as an identifying label. In a musical composition, an incipit is an initial sequence of notes, having the same purpose. The word ''incipit'' comes from Latin and means "it beg ...

of a

piano reduction In music, a reduction is an arrangement or transcription (music), transcription of an existing sheet music, score or musical composition, composition in which complexity is lessened to make musical analysis, analysis, performance, or practice ...

Text

Most performances of the "Feuerfest!" polka are done without a choir, but the following text from Rudolf Effenberger has been used on several occasions by the

Vienna Boys' Choir The Vienna Boys' Choir (german: Wiener Sängerknaben) is a choir of boy sopranos and altos based in Vienna, Austria. It is one of the best known boys' choirs in the world. The boys are selected mainly from Austria, but also from many other countr ...

. Sagt der Amboss zu dem schweren Hammer: "Warum trifft mich denn dein Schlag so hart? Lieber Hammer, schau, beacht', bedenke, wir sind beide doch von gleicher Art." Dieses alte Sprichwort las ich einmal, und es kommt mir klug und weise vor, aufgeschrieben, schön und fein verzieret über einer Schmiede Tor. Und der Hammer sprach: "Wir beide sind ja von Eisen und von Stahl. Klopf' ich fest auf deinen Rücken, dann gibt es frohen Widerhall." Leuchtend rot und heiss erstrahlt es im Feuer, Blasebalg bläst ein. Und der Hammer, der schlägt drauf! Und der Amboss, der schreit auf! Schlag drauf mit aller Kraft, schlag mit dem Hammer drein! Das Eisen muss behauen sein. So schlägt der Hammer auf den Amboss, auf das heisse und das harte Eisen. Schlägt und klopft, dass die Funken fliegen, doch das heisse Eisenstück ist feuerfest! Am Werktag ist ein jeder Schmiedgesell verrusst, teufelschwarz hinein bis in das Fell. Die Hände, Haare, auch das Gesicht sieht man voller Russ, voller Staub fast nicht. Am Sonntag ist er sauber und rein, geputzt wie die grossen Herren fein. Im neuen Rock, die Schuhe frisch gelackt, so tanzt mit dem Mädel er im Polkatakt. Wie froh ist der Hammerschmiedgeselle wenn er den Hammer schwingt. Leuchten seine Augen helle, wenn hell das Eisen klingt. Mit Schwung wendet er das Eisen schnelle, damit es gut gelingt! Hat er es fertig dann kommt schon ein neues dran, lustig fängt er wieder dann zu hämmern an. Coda: Feuerfest! Klang! Klang! Klang! Says the anvil to the heavy hammer "Why does your beating hit me so hard? Dear hammer, please think about this, We are one of a kind." I read this old saying once, and it seems very wise to me, it was engraved and beautifully adorned above a smithy. The hammer said: "We are both made of iron, of steel. If I hit your backside hard, There is a lovely echo." Bright red and hot (the iron) shines in the fire, the bellows blow air. The hammer hits hard, The anvil screams in return. Hit with all your might, Hit with the hammer. The iron must be forged. And the hammer hits the anvil, Hits the hot and hard iron. Hits and beats so hard sparks fly, But the hot iron is fireproof. On a work day, each apprentice is black with soot all over his skin. Hands, hair, the entire face Obscured by soot and dust. On Sundays, he is clean and bright as a button, turned out like a gentleman. With a new coat, freshly polished shoes, He dances the polka with his girl. How happy is the smith's apprentice When he uses the hammer. His eyes shine At the clanging sound of the iron. He turns the iron over quickly, To ensure the best results. Once he is done He takes the next piece, And begins to hammer again cheerfully. Coda: Fireproof! Ding! Ding! Ding!

Vienna New Year's Concert

The polka was played at these

Vienna New Year's Concert The Vienna New Year's Concert () is an annual concert of classical music performed by the Vienna Philharmonic on the morning of New Year's Day in Vienna, Austria. The concert occurs at the Musikverein at 11:15. The orchestra performs the same c ...

s: *1951 –

Clemens Krauss Clemens Heinrich Krauss (31 March 189316 May 1954) was an Austrian conductor and opera impresario, particularly associated with the music of Richard Strauss, Johann Strauss and Richard Wagner. Krauss was born in Vienna to Clementine Krauss, ...

*1962 –

Willi Boskovsky Willibald Karl Boskovsky (16 June 1909 – 21 April 1991) was an Austrian violinist and conductor, best known as the long-standing conductor of the Vienna New Year's Concert from 1955 to 1979. Biography Boskovsky was born in Vienna, and joined the ...

*1968 – Willi Boskovsky *1971 – Willi Boskovsky *1982 –

Lorin Maazel Lorin Varencove Maazel (, March 6, 1930 – July 13, 2014) was an American conductor, violinist and composer. He began conducting at the age of eight and by 1953 had decided to pursue a career in music. He had established a reputation in th ...

（with

） *1992 –

Carlos Kleiber Carlos Luis Bonifacio Kleiber (3 July 1930 – 13 July 2004) was an Austrian conductor who is widely regarded as among the greatest conductors of all time. Early life Kleiber was born as Karl Ludwig Bonifacius Kleiber in Berlin in 1930, the ...

*1994 – Lorin Maazel *2012 –

Mariss Jansons Mariss Ivars Georgs Jansons (14 January 1943 – 1 December 2019) was a Latvian conductor best known for his interpretations of Mahler, Strauss and Russian composers such as Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich. During his lifetime he w ...

（with Vienna Boys' Choir）

References

External links

* *,

, 2012,

Vienna Philharmonic The Vienna Philharmonic (VPO; german: Wiener Philharmoniker, links=no) is an orchestra that was founded in 1842 and is considered to be one of the finest in the world. The Vienna Philharmonic is based at the Musikverein in Vienna, Austria. It ...

, conducting and playing the anvil {{DEFAULTSORT:Feuerfest Compositions by Josef Strauss Polkas 1869 compositions