Franz Lehár was born in Komárom, Hungary on 30th April 1870. From the age of fifteen he received composition and violin lessons at the Prague conservatory from Antonín Dvorák. In 1905 he composed The Merry Widow which became an instant worldwide success. The libretto of this operetta provides a succession of intimate arias and duets with festive ensembles. The Vilja-Lied is one of these arias. In this edition for concert band all the poignant beauty of the original remains.