Skaters: A Puppet Show with Johann Strauss II

We love skating, especially with great music to accompany my glides, spins... and, yes, occasional crashes! We use Johann Strauss II’s Banditen-Gallop (Galop of the Bandits) in our 3rd Year Skaters puppet show.

Johann Strauss II: The Struggle to Practice

Born on October 25, 1825, in Vienna, Johann Strauss II grew up under the shadow of his father, Johann Strauss the Elder, a self-taught musician. His father, hoping to spare him from a musician's difficult life, encouraged him to become a banker. But Johann couldn’t resist—he secretly studied music and asked a violinist from his father’s orchestra for lessons. When his father caught him, he punished him harshly!

We often ask our Let's Play Music students: "Do you practice only when your parents push you, or are you so passionate, like Strauss, that you'd practice even if no one asked?"

Eventually, Johann surpassed his father’s fame, earning the title Waltz King and greatly popularizing the waltz. He even toured the U.S. in the 1870s.

A Funny Story

The Banditen-Gallop is part of Strauss’s 1871 operetta Prinz Methusalem, originally meant for Paris. However, after a failed deal with the French, it premiered in Vienna. Despite poor reviews for the complex plot and large cast, the operetta succeeded thanks to Strauss’s music.

The plot, though complicated, is amusing: Two kings of struggling kingdoms decide to marry their children to form peace. One kingdom has too many soldiers, the other too many artists, neither of which can be paid. The prince and princess fall in love, but the kings try to separate them. After several twists, including the princess being locked in a tower, the Banditen-Gallop plays during a bandit attack, and the couple eventually escapes while both kings are overthrown.

We could have made a puppet show about these bandits, but we imagined something funnier—wobbly skaters falling down! What story do you hear in this music? Share your ideas in the comments!

What’s a Galop?

A galop is fast dance music in 2/4 time, named after a horse’s gallop. Unlike a waltz (3/4), it has a lively, quick tempo. The galop eventually evolved into the polka and the can-can—pure fun!

Quiz Answer: No, a whole note (4 counts) or a dotted half note (3 counts) wouldn’t fit in a 2/4 time measure. Instead, you’d tie two half notes across measures to create the same sound as a whole note.

Let’s Play and Dance!

I love getting to know a song so well that I want to play it. Even if my parents won’t let me practice! Consider asking your new private teacher for help when you graduate—are you on the waitlist yet?

Strauss’s music still inspires people to dance today. Our Sound Beginnings students play Offenbach’s Infernal Galop in a froggie game, and you can dance a galop, too! Try waltz position, slide with your partner, and keep moving to the beat. It's easy, exciting, and perfect for dancing around the room.

If you're feeling adventurous, grab some ice skates and repeat!

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