Johann Strauss II wrote the orchestral piece The Blue Danube, often heard at Vienna's New Year's Concert.
The work’s German title is An der schönen blauen Donau, usually translated as On the Beautiful Blue Danube. Johann Strauss II composed it in 1866, first as a choral piece with words by poet Joseph Weyl, and later produced the orchestral version that became famous internationally.
The melody became strongly associated with Vienna and with Strauss’s reputation as the “Waltz King.” Although it was not originally written specifically for New Year’s Day, the piece became a recurring part of the Vienna Philharmonic’s New Year’s Concert tradition.
The concert itself generally opens with a programmed selection of classical works and concludes with familiar Strauss pieces. The Blue Danube is traditionally followed by the Radetzky March, during which the audience often claps along. Johann Strauss II is distinct from his father, Johann Strauss I, another important Viennese composer.