Which composer wrote the waltz “The Blue Danube,” often associated with New Year's concerts?

Johann Strauss II wrote the waltz “The Blue Danube,” often associated with New Year's concerts.

The work's German title is An der schönen blauen Donau, meaning “On the Beautiful Blue Danube.” Johann Strauss II composed it in 1866, and it was first performed publicly in Vienna in 1867. Although its original choral version had text, the orchestral version became the form most widely known.

The piece is especially linked with the Vienna New Year's Concert, performed annually by the Vienna Philharmonic. It is traditionally played near the end of the program, followed by the Radetzky March as the customary finale.

The Blue Danube is not the concert's opening work, and the Vienna New Year's Concert is not held on New Year's Eve. It takes place on January 1, with related performances on December 30 and December 31.