In spite of being told by his father that he was to become a banker, Johann Strauss II simply could not keep away from learning, playing and composing music. His father, Johann Strauss I, was a well-known musician, composer, and orchestra leader, so it would seem odd that he was so opposed to any of his children undertaking music studies. In spite of their father, Johann and two younger brothers, Josef and Eduard, all ended up as musicians and composers.

Famous pieces by Strauss II include the Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka (first performed in late November 1858), but perhaps he is best known for his waltzes, such as The Blue Danube and Emperor Waltz.

Strauss II was prolific, with nearly 500 dance pieces to his credit. More than 150 were waltzes, with polkas, marches, and quadrilles making up the remainder.

He also wrote for the stage - ballet and operettas - with his most famous operetta being Die Fledermaus, or in English, The Bat.

Strauss Junior toured extensively through Austria, Poland, and Germany. Russia was visited annually from 1856 until 1865. He even toured the United States of America in the 1870s.

Johann Strauss died of pneumonia on June 3, 1899, in Vienna. He was 73 years old. The ballet he was working on at the time, Aschenbrödel (Cinderella), had all the main parts completed but the orchestration was unfinished...

His friend, Josef Bayer, completed it in 1900.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org