Description
Alphons Czibulka (1842 – 1894) was an Austro-Hungarian military bandmaster, composer, pianist and conductor. Aged 15 he came to prominence giving piano recitals in a tour of southern Russia and later he became musical director at the French Opera in Odessa and at the National Theatre in Innsbruck. By 1865 he was second under Franz von Suppé as conductor at the Carl Theatre in Vienna. From the 1870s he joined the military and had a distinguished career serving as the bandmaster of a number of regiments, and also as Kapellmeister for Infantry Regiment No. 25 in Prague.
As a composer Czibulka wrote over 300 works, focussing on Viennese-style dance music (especially waltzes) and marches. Liebestraum nach dem Balle (Love’s dream after the ball) (1890) is a charming waltz and is one of Czibulka’s best-known works. As its title suggests, the piece has a dreamlike quality, and the music reflects the graceful and romantic atmosphere associated with waltzes of the time.
