Rieu's mission to inject 'life' back into genre

STYLE: Andre Rieu wants to make classical music fun in honour of his hero Johann Strauss

- 

DESPITE outselling Beyonce and playing to bigger crowds than Take That, one of classical music's most recognisable faces, Andre Rieu, is still on a mission.

The 76-year-old Dutchman wants to make classical music fun again in honour of his hero Johann Strauss, saying the genre has become “so elite, and so stiff” with no jokes or humour.

The violinist's orchestra is named after Strauss, who was nicknamed The Waltz King, and his recently released album is named Thank You, Johann Strauss!, a whopping 39-track collection that pays homage to what would have been the legendary musician's 200th birthday.

Speaking of being inspired by Strauss from the age of three, when his conductor father played his music live, the castle-dwelling superstar explains: “As a little boy, I looked up to all these adults who suddenly were moving and smiling, and even humming the melody, that took my heart.

“I thought: 'My god, is that possible?’ Also, this beautiful classical music can bring joy also, so that was the first time I started to like Strauss and for the rest of my life.”

Rieu says the 19th-century musician not only got him into music, but taught him to “bring humour in music”.

He adds: “He was such a genius that he could combine the beautiful joy and the melancholy in one piece, and that’s only stars who can do that.”