Johann Strauss and Philip Glass in 3/4 time

Synopsis

Webster's defines a waltz as "a gliding dance in 3/4 time." But for most people, THIS music defines "waltz." It's the "Blue Danube" by Johann Strauss, Jr, first performed on today's date in 1867 at a Carnival concert of the Men's Choral Society of Vienna.

The society's "house poet," one Joseph Weyl, a police officer by profession, provided the words for the original choral version of the "Blue Danube" Waltz. It was a flop, and even the choral society urged officer Weyl not to quit his day job. Strauss sold the rights to his waltz to a Viennese publisher—and six months later regretted it. At the 1867 World's Fair in Paris, the "Blue Danube Waltz" became an international hit and soon became the unofficial National Anthem of Vienna.

In 1963, the American pianist and composer Robert Moran found himself in Vienna, where he heard the strains of an unfamiliar waltz melody coming though the open door of the Bösendorfer Piano Company. Moran's Viennese friends assured him that, yes, there were still composers writing brand-new waltzes.

Intrigued, Moran tried his hand at it himself, and soon was asking his composers friends to give it a try. The result was "The Waltz Project," a collection of 25 short waltzes by famous and not-so-famous contemporary composers published in 1978.

Philip Glass's contribution, for example, was entitled "Modern Love Waltz".

Music Played in Today's Program

Johann Strauss, Jr. (1825-1899) Blue Danube Waltz, Op. 314 Vienna State Opera Orchestra; Jascha Horenstein, cond. Chesky 95

Philip Glass (b. 1937) Modern Love Waltz Gloria Cheng, piano Telarc 80549

On This Day

Births

• 1778 - Spanish composer and guitarist Fernando Sor, in Barcelona;

• 1870 - American composer and virtuoso pianist Leopold Godowsky, in Soshly, near Vilnius;

• 1946 - English composer Colin Matthews, in London;

Deaths

• 1741 - Austrian composer Johann Joseph Fux, age c. 80, in Vienna;

• 1883 - German composer composer Richard Wagner, age 69, in Venice;

• 1968 - Italian composer Ildebrando Pizetti, age 87, in Rome;

Premieres

• 1724 - Bach: Sacred Cantata No. 181 ("Leichgesinnte Flattergeister") and No. 18 ("Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee") performed on Sexagesimae Sunday as part of Bach's first annual Sacred Cantata cycle in Leipzig (1723/24);

• 1725 - Handel: opera “Rodelinda,” in London at the King’s Theater in the Haymarket (Gregorian date: Feb. 24); On May 6/17 that same year, the score to this opera was published, the first Handel score to be offered to the public by subscription;

• 1867 - Johann Strauss, Jr.: "Blue Danube" Waltz, in Vienna;

• 1881 - Tchaikovsky: opera “The Maid or Orleans,” in St. Petersburg (Gregorian date: Feb. 25);

• 1926 - Honegger: opera "Judith" (2nd version), at the Monte Carlo Opéra;

• 1943 - William Schuman: "Prayer in Time of War," by the Pittsburgh Symphony, Fritz Reiner conducting;

• 1944 - Antheil: Symphony No. 4, by the NBC Symphony, Leopold Stokowski conducting;

• 1956 - Toch: "Peter Pan (A Symphonic Fairy Tale)" for orchestra, in Seattle;

• 1959 - Martinu: "The Parables" for orchestra, by the Boston Symphony, Charles Munch conducting;

• 1961 - Bernstein: "Symphonic Dances," from "West Side Story," by the New York Philharmonic conducted by Lukas Foss;

• 1978 - Roger Reynolds: "Fiery Winds" for orchestra, in New York;

Others

• 1727 - Handel applies for British citizenship (Gregorian date: Feb. 24); Handel received his official citizenship seven days later, on Feb. 20/Mar. 3;

• 1914 - ASCAP (The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) is formally organized in New York City, with composer Victor Herbert as its first director.