André Léon Marie Nicolas Rieu (Maastricht, October 1, 1949) is a Dutch violinist and orchestra conductor who, with his performances of popular classical works by Johann Strauss and others, is known to the general public.
Although his commercial approach has attracted much criticism, he has been popular with a wide audience around the world for thirty years. Rieu plays a Stradivarius from 1732. His Johann Strauß Orchestra started with 12 members in 1987, with the first concert on January 1, 1988.
As the years progressed, the company grew, which now plays with 80 to 150 musicians. Rieu plays with his orchestra all over the world: in Europe, North and South America and in Australia. The shows are so big that they can compete with rock performances: in 2008 the tour of Rieu had a replica of the castle of Sissi, at that time the largest tour set ever.
The big breakthrough came in 1994 with the Second Waltz from the Suite for Variété orchestra of Dmitri Shostakovich, which became an unexpected (hit) success.
122 recordings by André Rieu you can hear at Instrumentals Forever:
Aan De Amsterdamse Grachten • Adagio In G Minor (Albinoni) • Ägyptischer Marsch (J. Strauss Jr.) • Air From The Orchestral Suite (Bach) • And the waltz goes on • Andante from the Piano Concerto No 21 (Mozart) • Annenpolka (J. Strauss Jr.) • Arrival • Auld Lang Syne • Ballade • Barcarole (J. Offenbach) • Butterfly • Carnaval De Venise (Medley) • Cavalleria Rusticana – Intermezzo (P. Mascagni) • Chianti-Lied • Chiquitita • Cielito Lindo • Clarinet Concerto In A – Adagio (Mozart) • Czardasfürstin Medley • Dancing Queen • Danube Love • Death Of Åse from ‘Peer Gynt’ (E. Grieg) • Dorfschwalben Aus Österreich (Josef Strauss) • Douce France • Edelweiss from ”The Sound of Music” • España Cañi • Fascination • Fernando • Funiculi Funicula • Gianni Schicchi – O Mio Babbino Caro (Puccini) • Giuditta – Meine Lippen, Sie Küssen So Heiss (Lehar) • Greensleeves • Hava Nagila • Heia In The Mountains • Heigh-Ho – Someday My Prince Will Come from ”Snow White” • Heut’ Kommen D’engerln Auf Urlaub Nach Wien (A. Wunsch) • Hör’ Ich Zimbalklänge (F. Lehár) • I Have A Dream • I Want To Dream Of You, My Darling • Ich Tanze Mit Dir In Den Himmel Hinein • Im Weißen Rößl (Ralph Benatzky) • Jalousie • J’attendrai • John Dunbar’s Theme from ”Dances With Wolves” • Juliska From Budapest • Kaiserwalzer (J. Strauss Jr.) • Kalinka • Komm Mit Mir Ins Chambre Séparée (Heuberger) • Komm Mit Nach Varasdin • Komm, Zigány • Künstlerleben (Johann Strauss Jr.) • La montagne • La Traviata- Overture (G. Verdi) • La Vie En Rose – Padam Padam – Sous Les Ponts De Paris • La Vie Est Belle • Lara’s Theme from ”Dr Zhivago” • Les corons • Les feuilles mortes • Les Patineurs (Die Schlittschuhläufer) (E. Waldteufel) • Londonderry Air • Love Theme From Romeo & Juliet (Rota) • Madame Butterfly – Aria • Main Title from ”Once Upon A Time In The West” • Main Title from ”The Godfather” • Mamma Mia • Martha – The Last Rose (Flotow) • Méditation (J. Massenet) • Mei Muatterl War A Weanerin • Milord • Mon amant de Saint-Jean • Money, Money, Money • Moon River from ”Breakfast at Tiffany’s” • Morgenblätter (J. Strauss Jr.) • Morning from the ‘Peer Gynt Suite’ (E. Grieg) • Moulin Rouge – Paris Canaille • Music Of The Spheres (Strauss) • My Heart Will Go On from ”Titanic” • Ole Guapa • Ouvertüre Carmen (G. Bizet) • Ouvertüre Wilhelm Tell (G. Rossini) • Persischer Marsch (Johann Strauss Jr.) • Plaisir D’amour (Martini) • Poliushko Polie • Pour un flirt • Ramona • Romance In F (L. v. Beethoven) • Romance The gadfly • Romeo & Juliet: Aimer • Salut D’Amour, Op. 12 (E. Elgar) • Send In The Clowns • Serenade (J. Haydn) • Serenade No. 1, Op. 6 (Toselli) • Snowwhite • Song To The Moon (Lied An Den Mond) (Dvorak) • Sous le ciel de Paris • Spartacus: Adagio • Stenka Rasin • Stranger In Paradise • Strauß & Co • Strauss Party (Medley) • Symphony “From The New World” (A. Dvorak) • Tea For Two • Thank You ABBA • Thank You For The Music • The Second Waltz (Dmitri Shostakovich) • The Swan (C. Saint Saëns) • The Third Man • The Way Old Friends Do • The Windmills Of Your Mind • The Winner Takes It All • Tristesse (Chopin) • True Love • Unter Donner Und Blitz (Johann Strauss Jr.) • Veleta • Vilja-Lied (Franz Lehár) • Violin Concerto – Adagio (Mozart) • Waterloo • Wien, Wien, Nur Du Allein • Wiener Lied (Vienna Song) (Schubert) • Wolgalied (F. Lehár) • You Are My Heart’s Delight • Zorba’s Dance •
