Thunder and Lightning Polka

"Thunder and Lightning" (Unter Donner und Blitz), Op. 324, is a fast polka composed by Johann Strauss II in 1868. Written during the height of Strauss's career as the "Waltz King" of Vienna, this orchestral work was created for the Vienna Carnival season and quickly became one of his most popular and enduring polkas. The piece exemplifies the schnell-polka (fast polka) style, characterized by its breakneck tempo and exuberant energy that captured the festive spirit of 19th-century Viennese ballrooms.