"Blue Danube" sent into space in honour of Strauss's anniversary
To many of us, the waltz "On the Beautiful Blue Danube" by Johann Strauss the Younger seems inextricably linked to outer space thanks to Stanley Kubrick's legendary film "2001: A Space Odyssey".
Now Strauss's music has indeed travelled to the stars.
How did music reach space?
Last Saturday, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the great Austrian composer, the European Space Agency (ESA) organised an unusual concert. The Vienna Symphony Orchestra performed the famous waltz, and the performance was broadcast not only on Earth (in Vienna, New York and Spain), but was also sent into space via the agency's satellite dish in Spain.
The signal, translated into electromagnetic waves, set off on a long journey that would take just over a day. In 23 hours and 3 minutes, the waltz will catch up with the furthest man-made object in the universe - NASA's Voyager-1 spacecraft. And even after that, the music will continue its journey further into the vast expanse of space.
Why "Blue Danube"?
For many, this waltz has become a symbol of elegance and beauty of the 19th century. But after Kubrick's film, it took on an additional meaning when it became the "unofficial anthem of space", which was played during dockings on the International Space Station (ISS).
Norbert Kettner, director of the Vienna Tourist Board, says that this waltz is now seen as "the typical sound of space" - a tune that is perfect for interstellar travel.
Correcting a historical injustice
Another important purpose of this extraordinary event is to correct an oversight by NASA. The Voyager-1 and Voyager-2 space probes carry gold records on which images and sounds of our planet have been recorded. Among the 27 pieces of music is Mozart's "Magic Flute," but not the most famous Austrian waltz.
By sending the "Blue Danube" into space, Austria symbolically made up for this "musical injustice".
Music that unites worlds
Jan Nast, Director of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, notes that music has a universal power to bring hope and joy. It was with this message that mankind sent Strauss's melody into space - light, airy and ideal for travelling to the stars.
Now "Blue Danube" can be heard not only on Earth, but also continues its endless journey among galaxies, reminding us that art is capable of overcoming even cosmic distances.