The Radetzky March was composed by JohannStrauß (sen.) in honour of the Austro-Hungarian Field Marshall Radetzky von Radetz and is very closely linked to the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. The Radetzky March was first performed on 31. August 1848 at the water-glacis in Vienna. When Radetzky returned to Vienna after the victorious battle at Custozza his soldiers sang the popular three-fourth melody of the folksong “Alter Tanz von Wien” (Old Dance from Vienna). It is reported that Strauß heard the singing of the soldiers and used the melody for the trio of his march in different time. The famous main-theme of the Radetzky March he had already used in his “Jubilation-Quadrille”. Out of tradition the Viennese Philharmonic Orchestra ends every New Year´s Concert by playing the Radetzky March.