The Blue Danube is traditionally broadcast at midnight during New Year's Eve celebrations in Vienna.
Johann Strauss II composed “The Blue Danube,” whose full German title is “An der schönen blauen Donau.” The waltz premiered in Vienna in 1867 and became one of the best-known works associated with Viennese musical culture.
Austria's public broadcaster traditionally plays the waltz at midnight on New Year's Eve, often followed by the “Radetzky March.” People may dance or simply listen as the music marks the transition into the new year.
The title refers to the Danube River, although the river is not literally blue in a permanent geographic sense. The “Blue Danube” should also not be confused with the New Year's Day Vienna Philharmonic concert, which is held on January 1 and features a broader program.