André Rieu [Special Collectors Edition]

André Rieu

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André Rieu [Special Collectors Edition] Review

by James Manheim

Belgian orchestra leader André Rieu has parlayed his status as a modern-day Waltz King into something of an international empire. His concerts in his native Belgium and in his nearby Dutch headquarters of Maastricht are huge, multimedia extravaganzas of Continental middlebrow culture. U.S. television viewers know Rieu as a frequent presence on the fundraising shows of the Public Broadcasting Service. And his success has spawned a school of copyright bottom-feeders who have reissued many of his earlier recordings in packages displaying varying degrees of sloppiness. This two-disc set is not an official Rieu enterprise, and it contains no identifying information as to the origins of the recordings except for the names of the three groups: the Johann Strauss Orchestra, the Vienna Strauss Orchestra, and the Maastricht Salon Orchestra (the recordings featuring the last-named group are live). That said, this is among the best of the numerous Rieu reissues on the market. It's competently compiled, and best of all, it offers a look at the music Rieu started out with, the music of Johann Strauss II. As a Strauss interpreter, Rieu has an attractively earnest, almost downhome quality. He is short on rhythmic snap but long on sentiment, and the many pieces prominently featuring his violin bring this element to the fore. The Bel Canto Suite of famous opera tunes (CD 2, track 8) will delight any casual opera lover. Sound quality is just fair, but Rieu fans wanting representation of his early career will enjoy this disc.

Track Listing - Disc 1

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Ohne Sorgen (Without Sorrows), polka schnell, for orchestra, Op. 271 Josef Strauss	André Rieu	01:53	Spotify Amazon
2	An der schönen, blauen Donau (On the Beautiful, Blue Danube), waltz for orchestra (with chorus ad lib), Op. 314 (RV 314) Johann Strauss II	André Rieu	07:38	Spotify Amazon
Der Zigeunerbaron (The Gypsy Baron), operetta (RV 511)
3	Entrance March Johann Strauss II	André Rieu	03:00	Spotify Amazon
4	Lagunen-Walzer (Lagoon Waltz), for orchestra, Op. 411 (RV 411) Johann Strauss II	André Rieu	07:40	Spotify Amazon
5	Carnival of Venice Evan Hause	André Rieu	02:28	Spotify Amazon
6	Liebes-Lieder (Love Songs), waltz for orchestra, Op. 114 (RV 114) Johann Strauss II	André Rieu	08:49	Spotify Amazon
7	Funiculì Funiculà, for voice & orchestra (& chorus ad lib) Luigi Denza	André Rieu	02:14	Spotify Amazon
8	Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald (Tales from the Vienna Woods), waltz for orchestra, Op. 325 (RV 325) Johann Strauss II	André Rieu	08:25	Spotify Amazon
9	Blaze Away, for pops orchestra Abe Holzmann	André Rieu	02:04	Spotify Amazon
10	Kaiser-Walzer (Emperor Waltz), for orchestra, Op. 437 (RV 437) Johann Strauss II	André Rieu	08:47	Spotify Amazon
11	Horlepiep H. Wood	André Rieu	01:00	Spotify Amazon
12	Wiener Bonbons (Vienna Bon-Bons), waltz for orchestra, Op. 307 (RV 307) Johann Strauss II	André Rieu	08:45	Spotify Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 2

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Frühlingsstimmen (Voices of Spring), waltz for orchestra (with voice ad lib), Op. 410 (RV 410) Johann Strauss II	André Rieu	05:40	Spotify Amazon
2	The Sport Palace Waltzes Anonymous, German	André Rieu	03:16	Spotify Amazon
3	Morgenblätter (Morning Papers), waltz for orchestra, Op. 279 (RV 279) Johann Strauss II	André Rieu	10:16	Spotify Amazon
4	Gambrinus-Tänze, waltz for orchestra, Op. 97 (RV 97) Johann Strauss II	André Rieu	02:56	Spotify Amazon
5	Radetzky-Marsch, for orchestra, Op. 228 Johann Strauss I	André Rieu	02:30	Spotify Amazon
6	Rosen aus dem Süden (Roses from the South), waltz for orchestra, Op. 388 (RV 388) Johann Strauss II	André Rieu	09:14	Spotify Amazon
Der Zigeunerbaron (The Gypsy Baron), operetta (RV 511)
7	Miene Vogel Is Trök Johann Strauss II	André Rieu	03:08	Spotify Amazon
8	Bel canto suite, for salon orchestra André Rieu	André Rieu	08:33	Spotify Amazon
9	Moulinet Polka, for orchestra, Op. 57 Josef Strauss	André Rieu	03:20	Spotify Amazon
10	Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka (Chit-Chat Polka), for orchestra, Op. 214 (RV 214) Johann Strauss II	André Rieu	02:30	Spotify Amazon
11	En nou die Hendjies de Lucht (Die Hände zum Himmel) Danny van Nimwegen / Wim van Nimwegen	André Rieu	02:58	Spotify Amazon
12	Du und Du (You and You), waltz for orchestra, Op. 367 (RV 367) Johann Strauss II	André Rieu	06:49	Spotify Amazon

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