The Day a Murky River Shone as the World's Bluest
“The Danube is blue only in Strauss's waltz.”
The people of Vienna say this with a touch of self-deprecation. The actual Danube River is by no means a beautiful, clear blue. It is a mighty, rugged river, carrying sediment and appearing a murky brown.

So why is it that when people around the world listen to this piece, they perceive a “shining blue” before their eyes? Behind this lies the memory of a nation that only music could save.














