The Blue Danube
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The Blue Danube is the common English title of An der schönen blauen Donau op. 314 (At the Beautiful Blue Danube), a waltz by Johann Strauss II, 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.
It is reported by composer Norman Lloyd in his "Golden Encyclopedia of Music" that when asked by Frau Strauss for an autograph, the composer Johannes 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 work commences with an extended introduction in the key of A major with shimmering (tremolo) violins and a French horn spelling out the familiar waltz theme, answered by staccato wind chords, in a subdued mood. It rises briefly into a loud passage but quickly dies down into the same restful nature of the opening bars. A contrasting and quick phrase in D major anticipates the waltz before 3 quiet downward-moving bass notes "usher in" the first principal waltz melody.
The first waltz theme is familiar gently rising triad motif in cellos and horns in the tonic D major, accompanied by harps; the Viennese waltz beat is accentuated at the end of each 3-note phrase. The Waltz 1A triumphantly ends its rounds of the motif, and waltz 1B follows in the same key; the genial mood is 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 eighth-note melodic phrase (waltz 3B). An loud Intrada (introduction) 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, cadencing in F-sharp minor, sonorous clarinets spell out the poignant melody of waltz 5A in A. Waltz 5B is the climax, punctuated by cymbal crashes. Each of these may be repeated at the discretion of the performer.
The coda recalls earlier sections (3A and 2A) before furious chords usher in a recap of the romantic Waltz 4A. The idyll is cut short as the waltz hurries back to the famous waltz theme 1A again. This statement is cut short, however, by the final codetta: a variation of 1A is presented, connecting to a rushing eighth-note passage in the final few bars: repeated tonic chords underlined by a snare drumroll and a bright-sounding flourish.
[edit] Choral version
"The Beautiful Blue Danube" was first written as a song for a carneval's choir (for bass and tenor), with rather satyrical lyrics (Austria having just lost the war with Germany). The original title was also referring to a poem about the Danube in the poet Karl Beck's hometown, Baja in Hungary, and not in Vienna. Later Franz von Gernerth wrote new, more "official-sounding" lyrics:
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Donau so blau, so schön und blau, Weit vom Schwarzwald her eilst Die Nixen auf dem Grund, Halt an deine Fluten bei Wien, |
Danube so blue, so bright and blue, Far from the Black Forest The mermaids from the riverbed, Stop your tides at Vienna, |
[edit] In popular culture
- The Three Stooges skit Ants in the Pantry featured a man playing the first five notes of the song on a piano filled with cats, and a cat singing the next four notes.
- The song has been featured in numerous commercials:
- In an ad for Cascade's LiquiGel dishwashing detergent where people are trying to use the last of their rival liquid detergents, but can't get the rest out. The ad started with the song, and the famous notes 6-9 were flatulence noises when people find out they have no more of their detergent.
- An ad for Velveeta cheese versus melted cheddar in the late 1980s had singers singing to the notes; "Velveeta pours smooth, the ched-dar runs, Velveeta pours nice, the ched-dar clumps..."
- This song is used in several parts of the film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
- The main theme is often used in German language education as a mnemonic device to help students learn the dative case prepositions: aus, außer, bei, mit, nach, seit, von, zu. (pronounced [aʊs, ˈaʊseɐ, baɪ, mɪt, naːx, zaɪt, fɔn, tsu]) (An alternative is the theme from the slow movement of Haydn's "Surprise" Symphony, (with the order of prepositions changed to fit the rhythm).)
- The British comedy group Monty Python produced an exploding version of the Blue Danube. An orchestra in the middle of a field begins to play the piece and at the end of most measures, the conductor presses down on a dynamite plunger, blowing up a different band member each time.
- The novel "Choke" by Chuck Palahniuk, includes a tidbit regarding the song.
- It is also mentioned in Stephen Kings The Shining. Although it was not used in either the Stanley Kubrick film or the television miniseries.
- It was featured in an episode of Tom & Jerry
- It was featured in the 1943 Merrie Melodies short, "A Corny Concerto". It stars with a mother duck and her three babies singing notes 6-9 with well tuned "quacks" until the ugly black duckling joins them with an annoying "QUACK QUACK!". It ends with them all singing it together fully.
- It is also featured in videogame Crash Twinsanity, and in game it is performed by Spiralmouth
- In an episode of Star Trek: Voyager "Renaissance Man" the doctor uses an altered version of this song to convey the warp signature of an enemy ship.
- In an episode of Laverne and Shirley, Shirley is trying to cheer up Laverne, who is upset at a party where this music is being played, by making up words of her own: "The Blue Danube Waltz, by Strauss the Louse. He lived in a house with Mickey Mouse."
- This work is also featured in The Simpson's episode where Homer goes to space. When he opens the bag of chips he then floats around eating the chips in unison with the song's famous melody. This episode references 2001: A Space Odyssey.
- A lengthy dance sequence in the film Heaven's Gate includes this song.
- It is also featured in the BBC Micro game Elite when you activate the docking computer to dock with a space station.
- The song is mentioned in Chuck Palahniuk's novel Choke, the narrator citing that this is the tune hotel lobbies will play when they need to evacuate the building. Whether or not this is true in the real world is unclear.
- In the 2008 movie Horton Hears a Who the song is played when Horton is trying to make himself lighter on the bridge.
[edit] External links
- The accompanying lyrics (German)
