In Concert

Popularized by frequent airings on PBS, the well coiffured Andre Rieu and his Netherlands Johann Strauss Orchestra have made quite a name for themselves performing 19th century ballroom music in authentic dress and manner. Offering Viennese confections of the sweetest kind, IN CONCERT is a collection of Strauss family favorites and the like, with a few choice medleys thrown in for good measure. Of particular note is the delightful arrangement of Johann Strauss Jr.'s polka "Im Krapfenwaldl", which features a comically persistent two-note cuckoo call!
Recorded live in Haarlem, Netherlands, the captivated audience is heard throughout, clearly enjoying themselves applauding and laughing at the antics on stage, giving one a sense of real occasion. Bringing the concert (and the album) to a festive close is a rousing rendition of Shostakovich's "Second Waltz" accompanied in chorus by the much appreciative audience. In short, anyone looking for an hour of pure escapist fare will undoubtedly get much pleasure from this recording.