The year 1847 witnessed a rich variety of scores from Johann Strauss (the Elder). in May he wrote the Swallows, sparkling avian waltzes, soon after which he unveiled his dramatic Austrian March-Past to great acclaim. His quadrille on themes from Auber's opera the Devil's Due is an ingenious composition, whilst the Meadow Flowers drew from him fragrant lyricism in the Ländler style. As the New Year dawned he revealed the luscious Dance-Signals, a waltz fit for the Carnival season. Since September 2002 Christian Pollack has been principal guest conductor of the Slovak Sinfonietta Zilina. For the Naxos and Marco Polo labels he has made a number of recordings of classical Viennese music, notably the work of the Strauss family, Ziehrer, Suppé and Komzák.