Der Zigeunerbaron (The Gypsy Baron) completes a trio of Strauss-family recordings made by Clemens Krauss for Decca in the early 1950s. It is now reissued by Eloquence, in a new remastering and with a fresh editorial retrospective from Mike Ashman on the special chemistry between composer, conductor and orchestra. After Die Fledermaus, it took Johann Strauss another 11 years to rediscover the recipe for a hit operetta; having recorded it in September 1950 and issued the records in January 1951, however, Decca waited just months before returning to the Musikverein in April 1951 to tape Der Zigeunerbaron with the same conductor, orchestra and lead singers. At the time and ever since, it has been felt that here was a combination of unrepeatable artistic finesse, not only with regard to Krauss’s fiery yet elegant conducting, but also the lead tenor of Julius Patzak, to the manner born.