Concert in Tokio

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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Tuesday, 09. February 197119.00 o' clock
Tokyo ⁄ Hibiya Kokaido Public Hall

Concert in Tokio
First Japan tour

Willi Boskovsky conductor

Program
Johann Strauss II : Ouverture to «Die Fledermaus»
Josef Strauss : Watercolours / Waltz op. 258
Josef Strauss : Moulinet Polka / Polka française op. 57
Josef Strauss : Without a Care! / Quick polka op. 271
Johann Strauss II : Tales from the Vienna Woods / Waltz op. 325
Johann Strauss II : Light of Heart / Quick polka op. 319
Johann Strauss II : Emperor Waltz op. 437
Break Josef Strauss : The Chattering Woman / Polka mazurka) op. 144
Josef Strauss : Jockey / Quick polka op. 278
Johann & Josef Strauss : Pizzicato Polka
Eduard Strauss I : Clear the Track! / Quick polka op. 45
Johann Strauss II : Cuckoo Polka / Polka française op. 336
Johann Strauss II : Hunting / Quick polka op. 373
Johann Strauss II : Thunder and Lightning / Quick polka op. 324
Johann Strauss II : The Blue Danube / Waltz op. 314
Encore Johann Strauss I : Radetzky March op. 228

Reiseanekdote

Willi Boskovsky, der die erste Japan-Tournee de Wiener Johann Strauss Orchesters 1971 dirigierte, wollte in Okayama bei der Polka "Unter Donner und Blitz" einen Regenschirm aufspannen. Aber der Regenschirm klemmte und Boskovsky versuchte fast das ganze Stück hindurch vergeblich, den Schirm zu öffnen. Darüber borgen sich sogar die kühlen Japaner vor Lachen.
Als das Orchester 1972 wieder in Okayama spielte, brachte eine Dame aus dem Publikum am Schluss des Programms einen Schirm auf die Bühne. Der ganze Saal lachte wieder. Was sollten wir tun? "Unter Donner und Blitz" war als Draufgabe nicht vorgesehen - die Noten lagen in Wien. Nach kurzer Verständigung wurde der Schirm aufgespannt und wir spielten das Stück auswendig. Den Schirm hat Boskovsky leider später in einem Tearoom in Tokio stehen gelassen.

(Quelle: Festschrift - 25 Jahre Japan, Autor Prof. Werner Lill)

You can find more anecdotes in our collection

For an overall view of all concerts of this tour, please click HERE

Willi Boskovsky
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