Johann Strauss with his orchestra at a court ball, coloured print after a watercolour by Theodor Zasche, c. 1890

At court balls, Strauss performed with up to forty musicians; at family balls that took place in the imperial apartments, the orchestra was reduced to ten players. He received a fee of 9 gulden, while the musicians earned 4 gulden and 30 kreuzer, and carriers just 1 gulden and 30 kreuzer. The fees were relatively high for a dance orchestra. Until 1870 Strauss performed with his orchestra at the annual court balls, at family and children’s balls, the thé dansante and other court festivities.