The Blue Danube is a waltz for orchestra by Johann Strauss II. He wrote it in Vienna in 1866, and it became one of the most famous waltzes in the world. It lasts about ten minutes. It opens with a soft shimmer and a horn call, and then the orchestra plays five waltzes in a row.
Quick facts
- Composer: Johann Strauss II, who lived from 1825 to 1899
- Written: 1866, and first played in Vienna in February 1867
- Length: about 10 minutes
- Played by: a full orchestra
- Beat: three beats in a bar, with a lean on the first
- Full title: By the Beautiful Blue Danube
The river
The Danube is a long river that runs through the middle of Europe. It passes through ten countries on its way to the Black Sea, and Vienna stands on its banks. The title comes from a poem about the river.
How it began
Strauss wrote the piece for a men’s choir in Vienna, with words. The first night went well enough, and the piece did not cause a stir. A few months later, Strauss played it in Paris with the orchestra alone, at a world’s fair. This time the crowd loved it, and the piece soon spread to other countries.
Today almost everyone hears it without the words.
What to listen for
| Part | What happens |
|---|---|
| Opening | The violins shimmer, soft and high. A horn calls three rising notes, and the woodwinds answer. The sun comes up on the river. |
| The waltz begins | The famous tune starts soft: three rising notes, and two light answers from above. |
| Waltz 1 | The tune grows and swings. Count “ONE, two, three.” |
| Waltzes 2 to 5 | Four more waltzes follow. Each has two tunes, and each has its own mood: some sway, and some leap. |
| Ending | The first tune comes back, soft and slow, and then the orchestra races to a bright finish. |
Play the first four minutes for a young child. That covers the opening and the first two waltzes.
Count in three
A waltz has three beats in a bar. Beat one is strong, and beats two and three are light. Musicians say “OOM-pah-pah.”
In a Viennese waltz, the low instruments play the “OOM.” The middle instruments play the “pah-pah.” The tune floats on top.
Read dances in classical music and time signatures explained.
Where you may have heard it
- New Year’s Day. The Vienna Philharmonic plays it near the end of its New Year’s Concert each January 1. Read the Vienna New Year’s Concert with kids.
- Films and cartoons. It plays in a famous film from 1968 while a spaceship turns in space, and it turns up in cartoons.
A story about Brahms
The composer Johannes Brahms was a friend of Strauss. A member of Strauss’s family once asked Brahms to sign her fan. He wrote out the first notes of The Blue Danube, and under them he wrote that the tune was not by Johannes Brahms, and that he was sorry about it.
Things to do together
Pat and clap. Pat your knees on beat one. Clap on beats two and three. Keep it going through the first waltz.
Sway and turn. Hold hands and sway from side to side, one sway to each bar. Turn in a slow circle when the music grows.
Be the river. Wave a scarf in long, slow curves for the opening. Make bigger curves when the waltz begins.
Find the horn. Raise a hand when you hear the horn call at the start.
Count the waltzes. Hold up a finger each time a new tune begins. Can you reach five?
Soft and loud. Crouch when the music is soft, and stand tall when it is loud.
Questions to ask
- How does the music at the start sound like water?
- Is this a river that is calm or wild?
- Which waltz did you like most?
- How do you know when a new waltz begins?
Words to know
- Waltz: a turning dance with three beats in a bar
- Introduction: music that comes before the main tune
- Coda: a closing section
- Tremolo: a fast shimmer made by moving the bow back and forth
Print and play
Draw the river on a listening journal page. Keep the beat with the metronome for kids. Read Johann Strauss II for kids and The Moldau, a piece about a second river.
More from this guide
This article is part of Classical music listening guides for kids: famous pieces, one at a time.
1812 Overture for kids: what to listen for
A parent's listening guide to Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture: the story of the battle, the two tunes that fight, the cannons and bells, and games to play.
Air on the G String by Bach for kids: what to hear
A parent's guide to Bach's Air on the G String: where the nickname came from, the walking bass and long notes to listen for, and calm things to do.
Album for the Young by Schumann: a guide for piano families
A parent's guide to Schumann's Album for the Young: the 43 piano pieces he wrote for his children, ten to hear first, and his rules for young musicians.
Amahl and the Night Visitors for kids: the story and the music
Amahl and the Night Visitors explained for kids and parents: the story of the one-act Christmas opera, the music to hear first, and ways to watch it.
Ave Maria for kids: Schubert's song and the Bach and Gounod one
Two famous pieces are called Ave Maria. How to tell Schubert's from the one by Bach and Gounod, where each came from, and what to listen for.
Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony for kids: a listening guide
A parent's listening guide to Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony: five scenes from the countryside, the birds by the brook, the storm, and things to do.
Use it with your kids
Print a listening page, a practice chart, or a composer fact sheet. Or try a tool, such as the composer timeline or the piece picker.