Dutch Music (4): André Rieu

Blog post number four about Dutch music and this time André Rieu stands centre stage with a change of music type. This rather flamboyant Dutch violinist, conductor and composer attracts a worldwide audience and is from Limburg. He has probably not escaped your attention as he does seem to be on Dutch television an awful lot.

He has a controversial reputation in the classical musical world, known for reviving waltz music (starting in the Netherlands and spreading out across the globe) but also for making classical music for the masses, something not wholly appreciated in "cultured" circles.

André has played the violin since he was five years old and as he is now sixty, that is some years playing.

Useless fact about Mr. Rieu - in 2009, he appeared as himself in Neighbours, the Australian soap that thankfully escaped TV in the Netherlands, in a cameo role.