13,743 — that’s how many people can participate in blasting Johann Strauss II’s masterpiece, the “Danube Waltz,” into outer space.
The Vienna Tourist Board wants citizens around the world scrambling to be one of them!
So here’s the story: As Vienna celebrates Strauss’ 200th birthday, they want to right a wrong. The Vienna-born composer’s iconic “Blue Danube” didn’t make it onto the Voyager Golden Record in 1977, but the song is synonymous with space exploration thanks to Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey”. You might think you don’t know the tune, but you do! Watch this video to recognize the melody and learn why “The Blue Danube” didn’t make it onto the Voyager Golden Record: Waltz into Space: Why The Blue Danube Waltz was not on the Voyager Golden Records.
Through its “Waltz Into Space” initiative, Vienna wants to send the waltz to space. On May 31, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra will play the iconic waltz and the European Space Agency (ESA) will blast it into space at the speed of light, catching up to NASA’s Voyager 1 space probe just 23 hours later.
What’s exciting for your audience: Through the Note Patronage endeavor, 13,743 people can each claim one note from the waltz on space.vienna.info. As the song blasts into the furthest reaches of the solar system—and beyond—it could one day be intercepted by alien life. Who knows?
But for now, help us get citizens of Earth excited about the initiative and send them to space.vienna.info to claim their note for free while there.
