The Blue Danube

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The Blue Danube is the common English title of An der schönen blauen Donau op. 314 (On the Beautiful Blue Danube), a waltz by Johann Strauss the Younger, composed in 1867. Originally performed 9 February 1867 at a concert of the Wiener Männergesangsverein (Vienna Men's Choral Association), it has been one of the most consistently popular pieces of music in the classical repertoire. Its initial performance was only a mild success, however, and Strauss is reputed to have said, "The devil take the waltz, my only regret is for the coda—I wish that had been a success."

The waltz originally had an accompanying song text written by Josef Weyl. Strauss adapted it into a purely orchestral version for the World's Fair in Paris that same year, and it became a great success in this form. The instrumental version is by far the most commonly performed today. An alternate text by Franz von Gernerth, Donau so blau (Danube so blue), is also used on occasion.

The sentimental Viennese connotations of the piece have made it into a sort of unofficial Austrian national anthem. It is a traditional encore piece at the annual Vienna New Year's Concert.

The composer Johannes Brahms loved this waltz. It is reported by Norman Lloyd in his "Golden Encyclopedia of Music" that when asked by Frau Strauss for an autograph, Brahms autographed Mrs. Strauss's fan by writing on it the first few bars of the Blue Danube. Under it he wrote "Unfortunately not by Johannes Brahms."

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[edit] Composition notes

The waltz starts in the key of A major with shimmering (tremolo) violins and a French horn spelling out the familiar waltz theme in a subdued mood. It rises briefly into a loud passage but quickly dies down into the same restful nature of the Introduction. A contrasting and quick phrase in D major anticipates the waltz before 3 quiet notes begin the first principal waltz melody.

The first waltz theme is a gently rising 3-note motif accompanied by harps with the Viennese waltz beat accentuated at the end of each 3-note phrase. As the Waltz 1A triumphantly ends its rounds of the motif, waltz 1B is played in the same key with the genial mood still apparent.

Waltz 2A glides in quietly (still in D major) before a short contrasting middle section in B flat major. The entire section is repeated.

A more dour waltz 3A is introduced in G major before a fleeting melodic phrase (waltz 3B). An loud Intrada is then played. Waltz 4A starts off in a romantic mood (F major) before a more joyous waltz 4B in the same key.

After another short Intrada in A major, sonorous clarinets spell out the melody of waltz 5A. Waltz 5B is the climax accompanied by cymbals. Each of these are repeated at the discretion of the performer of the waltz.

The coda recalls earlier sections ( 3A and 2A ) before furious chords usher in the romantic-sounding Waltz 4A. The idyll is cut short as the waltz hurries along to the famous waltz theme again. After waltz 1A is concluded, a variation of the 3-note theme is developed before sweeping chords present the final few bars, underlined by a snare drumroll and a bright-sounding flourish.

[edit] The Blue Danube in popular culture

  • In the Chuck Palahniuk novel, Choke, the protagonist's mother said that when this waltz played in any hotel, it was code for 'fire'.
  • It was prominently featured in the soundtrack of Stanley Kubrick's influential 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Because of its use in the film, the waltz became extremely popular.
  • Kubrick also placed the Blue Danube in the background of a World War I era party in his 1957 film Paths of Glory.
  • In a 1942 Warner Bros. cartoon, High Note.
  • In the 1986 'John Hughes' teen-comedy "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," Matthew Broderick's character Ferris is heard playing the Blue Danube on his synthesizer, but rather than producing musical notes, the synthesizer, with the aid of a computer, produces coughing, sneezing, gagging, vomiting, and flatulent sounds, all in synch to the Blue-Danube melody.
  • It featured in the computer game Elite, played as background music by an in-game docking computer.
  • Microsoft's Space Simulator included Blue Danube in its soundtrack.
  • In The Simpsons, Homer Simpson munched on floating potato chips to the tune of The Blue Danube while in space in the episode Deep Space Homer. The uniform rotation of both Homer and a chip is a reference in itself to "2001: A Space Odyssey".
  • In the 2006 film, Curious George, The Blue Danube is featured when Ted, the Man in the Yellow Hat, accidentally falls into the igloo, where the penguins live in the zoo.
  • In the 1999 film Dogma, during the fancy restaurant scene.
  • In a Star Trek Voyager Episode, Renaissance Man, the Doctor uses this song to save the ship.
  • In the 2004 Japanese anime TV series, Tweeny Witches (Mahou Shoujo Tai Arusu), the ending theme "Dudiduwa La La La" sung by KOTOKO, is set to the Blue Danube melody.
  • In the 2001 film, Hannibal. during the scene in which Mason Verger meets with Hannibal Lecter, Hans Zimmer (music composer) turned to Johann Strauss II's The Blue Danube for inspiration. The theme is gradually distorted as Mason confronts Hannibal and meets with his worst nightmares. It is played once in its original form and then progressively distorted in two further repetitions. "Originally Hannibal put on a record in this scene," reveals Zimmer. "We always imagined it would be The Blue Danube and though the shot was removed we kept Strauss playing because it matches the horror so perfectly.""
  • In the 2001 novel Choke, Victor's mother tells him that playing The Blue Danube in a hotel lobby means to evacuate - "If you're ever in a big hotel lobby, and they start to play 'The Blue Danube Waltz,' get the hell out. Don't think, run"

[edit] Media

[edit] External link

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