Which composer wrote the orchestral waltz The Blue Danube, first performed in Vienna in 1867?

Johann Strauss II wrote the orchestral waltz The Blue Danube, first performed in Vienna in 1867.

Its German title is An der schönen blauen Donau, usually translated as On the Beautiful Blue Danube. Strauss originally composed it as a choral waltz for the Vienna Men’s Choral Association, with words by Joseph Weyl. The first performance took place on 15 February 1867.

The initial reception was modest, but Strauss later arranged the work for orchestra. That version became the internationally celebrated form and helped establish the piece as a symbol of Vienna and the Danube region.

The composer is Johann Strauss II, not his father Johann Strauss I, who was also a major Viennese dance composer. The younger Strauss is often called the “Waltz King.” The work’s association with New Year’s concerts developed much later, especially through its regular performance by the Vienna Philharmonic.