May 19, 2005 at 9:33 AM

Hello. I have a screensaver of André Rieu and a (soccer-)Rieuconcertshawl, because I am a fan and will go for the 3th time to his concerts. Why? Because he earns his own money, as a former second violinist of a professional orchestra, with walses and polka’s older people like and doesn’t need moneysupport of the government like all serious professional orchestra’s. Do you think I am crazy, because I have also visit the Elisabethcompetition in Brussel this year several times, or do you hate me for his reason?

From Ben Clapton
Posted on May 19, 2005 at 2:06 PM

i have listened to Andre Rieu, and I didn't really like his playing. That's not to say he isn't a gifted player, it's just that I'm not exactly into that type of music. We won't hate you for liking Rieu, just as long as you don't hate us for not liking him.

From Bram Heemskerk
Posted on May 19, 2005 at 9:38 PM

Thanks for your reaction. Your absolutely right that André Rieu is not a graet violinist like Oistrach or Heifetz. He was a simple professional 2th violinist of a regional Dutch professional orchestra. He had admitted himself in interviews that there are much more better violinplayers than he. But, other than the specialists on this website, the interviewer or his audience don’t know much of classical music and don’t hear the difference between Oistrach and Rieu. Also the sort of light and popular classical music is to simple for me as an amateur with a violinconcertocollection and playing in 5 amateurorchestra’s. But have you ever seen a violin on a (soccer-)shawl or are there computerscreensavers of Oistrach or Heifetz? And have you ever seen people go dancing during a classical concert? Concert? I mean show with balloons, strange dresses and happy ‘feel good’’ music, which make a lot of people happy, who had never seen a violin in real before, people that never have been educated at home with classical music or ever got lessons on a classical instrument? Rieu would like to play La mere Oye of Ravel. But when I do that he said: “all of my public goes home, because that music is to difficult for them.” It is graet fun to go to concert of him and looking to all these masses of people who REALLY like his music. Therefore I am a fan. Rieu must play with the Wiener Filharmoniker on 1 januari.

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May 19, 2005 at 9:33 AM

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