The Blue Danube is the English title for the popular
waltz by Johann Strauss II, An der schönen blauen
Donau, Op. 314 (German for By the Beautiful Blue
Danube). The Austrian composer finished the work in
1866. The music is something of an unofficial national
anthem in Austria, with it being played on all
public-television and radio stations at midnight on New
Year's Eve. It is also a customary encore piece at the
annual Vienna New Year's Concert. When Strauss's
stepdaughter, Alice von Meyszner-...(+)
The Blue Danube is the English title for the popular
waltz by Johann Strauss II, An der schönen blauen
Donau, Op. 314 (German for By the Beautiful Blue
Danube). The Austrian composer finished the work in
1866. The music is something of an unofficial national
anthem in Austria, with it being played on all
public-television and radio stations at midnight on New
Year's Eve. It is also a customary encore piece at the
annual Vienna New Year's Concert. When Strauss's
stepdaughter, Alice von Meyszner-Strauss, approached
the composer Johannes Brahms for an autograph, he wrote
for her the opening bars of The Blue Danube and added
"Leider nicht von Johannes Brahms" (Alas! not by
Johannes Brahms).