Spring concert (Postponed to 13.9.20)

Johann Strauss II
The Blue Danube / Waltz
op. 314 (1867)

What prompted Johann Strauss to choose ‘By the beautiful, blue Danube‘ as the title of his composition? Was it the regulation of the river Danube that was being planned at the time? Or the poems by Karl Beck in which the phrase appears? Had Strauss been planning a waltz with such a title for some time, or did this thought not come to him until he was reminded by the Vienna Men’s Choral Society of the promise he had once made to compose a work dedicated to them?

Be that as it may, The Blue Danube is, apart from a student exercise, Strauss’s first composition for voices. Did he draw on the advice and support of the choirmaster of the Society, Rudolf Weinwurm, when it came to the vocal parts? There is a great deal that we do not know. On the other hand it has been definitively established that the first performance was given on 15 February 1867, with Weinwurm conducting, at an ‘Evening of Songs for Carnival‘ held in the hall of the Dianabad establishment in Vienna, and that, despite later commentaries to the contrary, the waltz received glowing reviews. The orchestral version of The Blue Danube was first heard at the Carnival Review concert at the Volksgarten establishment on 10 March 1867, with the composer conducting in person. The first edition for piano had already been published on the day of the first performance, which was rather unusual practice at that time. The demand for the waltz must have been enormous, because it is more or less impossible to say just how many times it was reprinted by C.A. Spina, the original publisher, within a very short time. Foreign editions, arrangements for all widely played instruments and combinations of them, highly virtuoso paraphrases, and passages from the waltz quoted in the works of other composers and those of Strauss himself: these all bear witness to the enormous popularity of The Blue Danube.

Moreover, Eduard Hanslick, the high priest of critics, attested the work a ‘quite remarkable significance […] the significance of a quotation, of a phrase summing up everything there is in Vienna that is beautiful, lovable and gay. […] Alongside the national anthem composed by Papa Haydn, which celebrates the emperor and the imperial family, we have in Strauss’s Blue Danube a second national anthem which sings of our country and people.’

Synopsis: Dr. Thomas Aigner

Translation: Dr. Leigh H. Bailey

Johann Strauss (Sohn) : An der schönen blauen Donau / Walzer op. 314
© by «Kulturverein Wiener Blut»

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Friday, 01. May 202011.00 o' clock
Vienna ⁄ Musikverein ⁄ The Große Musikvereinssaal

Spring concert (Postponed to 13.9.20)

Johannes Wildner conductor

Program
Note : The concert will be postponed to a later date. See info below!

Current situation for "Corona" (COVID-19) /
Concert May 1, 2020 (as of April 7, 2020)

Dear Sirs and Madames!
Dear friends of our orchestra!

Due to the Federal Government's decree dated April 6, 2020, concerts are officially prohibited until at least the end of June 2020.

The Vienna Johann Strauss Orchestra is trying very hard to be able to play for you again as soon as possible and hopes to be able to offer you a replacement date (instead of May 1st) at the beginning of September.

ALL ADMISSION TICKETS * - which were purchased directly from the WJSO - ALWAYS remain VALID and can be exchanged for tickets in an equivalent category for the replacement date.

We will fix and announce details of the new date and venue in the coming weeks. For scheduling reasons, the Musikverein Vienna will not be available for an additional appointment.

We thank you very much for your understanding and your patience. At the same time, we ask that you remain loyal. We need your support especially now!

We are happy to answer your questions and concerns under the usual contact options.

Stay healthy and continue to be part of the WJSO family,

Prof. Eduard Geroldinger
Chairman | Vienna Johann Strauss Orchestra

* Tickets purchased directly from the Musikverein's box office will be reimbursed by the Musikverein. More information can be found HERE

Johannes Wildner
© by Lukas Beck

Johannes Wildner
Resumé
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Venue

Vienna ⁄ Musikverein ⁄ The Große Musikvereinssaal
Musikvereinsplatz 1
1010 Vienna
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