In an astute business move, composer Iosif Ivanovici (1845-1902) dedicated this piece to the wife of music publisher Constin Gebauer at its print debut in 1880. Today’s musicians may not need to go to this length to please music executives, but it does pay to be polite, make friends, and not burn bridges when tending to the business side of music.
A few years after its publication, an orchestration of the piece, by Emile Waldteufel, earned top honors at the 1889 Paris Exposition. From there, its popularity soared. A Simon Adler piano arrangement for the American music publisher Theodore Lohr introduced “Waves of the Danube” to the American public in 1896. It was not, however, until the late 1940s that the piece soared in popularity in the States, thanks to an adaptation of it by Al Jolson and Saul Chaplin as a popular song titled “The Anniversary Song.”
Due to its popular incarnation, this piece can serve guitarists well as a staple in their repertoire, particularly for entertainment at parties and special events, or as an encore piece.
Spot Practice Clip:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/embed/CVlxOzO-13Q[/youtube]As you can see your instructor demonstrate on the video, extend 3 to the sixth string, eighth fret while keeping 1 on A on the first string. Try to hold this bass note (C) for its full length, a quarter note.
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