“WITH LOVE, FROM VIENNA” – By Des Kelly

He is most famous for his “operettas”, the most famous being “The Merry Widow”, but he also wrote Sonatas, Symphonic Poems & Marches. He also composed a number of Waltzes, the most popular being “Gold und Silber, composed for Princess Pauline von Metternich’s “Gold & Silver” Ball, January, 1902, some of which were drawn from his famous Operettas. Individual songs from some of the Operettas became “standards”, notably “Vilja” from the “Merry Widow”, and “You are my heart’s delight”, ftom “The Land Of Smiles”. His most ambitious work, “Giuditta” in 1934 is closer to “Opera” than Operetta.

It contains the ever popular “On my lips, every kiss is like wine”. He was also associated with the Operatic Tenor, Richard Tauber, he lived in the beautiful City of Vienna. His name, Franz Lehar.

Everyone who reads my “stories”, both “on-line” for eLanka & The Lanka Times Newspaper, in Melbourne, are aware of the fact that my first love in Music is of course, “Country”, but Composers like Lehar & Strauss have always been “favourites” of mine, for a very long time. This “light-classical” music, especially at eventide, has always been a source of relaxation & pleasure to me, makes me feel, as I hope you will, too, at peace with the World. “If Music be the food of life, play on” , has always been one of my favourite quotes, and one does not always need an Orchestra to quench this “hunger”. Sometimes, just a Piano, played well, as the young pianist who I have picked to play these Lehar gems, does, more than amply suits the occasion. So, to all my readers, sit back comfortably, relax, perhaps, with a glass of wine, after a hard day’s work, and enjoy good Music, as it should be played.

Desmond Kelly.
Star of eLanka
(Editor-in- Chief)