Sky Arts - André Rieu fortnight

[Barbirollians]

Since I returned from hols on Wed it seems that Sky Arts are playing endless Andre Rieu concerts - with their sickly arrangements , female orchestral players dressed up in puffy gowns and the slimy Rieu with his silly hair and Stepford Wives Mitteleurope audiences with glazed eyes.

Can someone explain this - does Mr Pee approve ???

[Pabmusic]

Since I returned from hols on Wed it seems that Sky Arts are playing endless Andre Rieu concerts - with their sickly arrangements , female orchestral players dressed up in puffy gowns and the slimy Rieu with his silly hair and Stepford Wives Mitteleurope audiences with glazed eyes.

Can someone explain this - does Mr Pee approve ???

"Steptford Wives Mitteleurope audiences". Priceless.

I'm not Mr Pee, but Mr P., and I steer well clear.

[Mr Pee]

Since I returned from hols on Wed it seems that Sky Arts are playing endless Andre Rieu concerts - with their sickly arrangements , female orchestral players dressed up in puffy gowns and the slimy Rieu with his silly hair and Stepford Wives Mitteleurope audiences with glazed eyes.

Can someone explain this - does Mr Pee approve ???

Sadly it is not an April fool- Sky Arts 2 has become Sky Arts "Rieu" for two whole weeks.

And I do not approve- I think it is an unfathomable piece of programming. I just hope that when the two weeks are over next weekend that the channel will be a Rieu free zone for the foreseeable future.

Anyway, to cheer us up:-

I love it when she says "The response was excellent".....

[Stunsworth]

Two weeks? I thought it was only one, that means there's nothing to watch on the channel for another week.

Someone at Sky must think he's popular with their audience, wasn't there a Rieu weekend last year?

[Richard Tarleton]

Never mind, normal service will be resumed shortly. I strongly recommend a listen to Melvyn Bragg on The Media Show in which he extols Sky Arts coverage, he having just joined them. The main point of the discussion was the shameful state of arts coverage on the BBC, the programme continued with a discussion between Alan Yentob and Gillian Reynolds, Ms Reynolds cutting through the corporate speak to tell it like it is.

[Mr Pee]

Two weeks? I thought it was only one, that means there's nothing to watch on the channel for another week.

Someone at Sky must think he's popular with their audience, wasn't there a Rieu weekend last year?

We are approaching the end of week one; I think it will finally finish next Friday.

Rieu has been a regular fixture on SA2 for the last year or so; I don't mind him being scheduled occasionally, he clearly has a huge following among a certain demographic, more in Europe than in the UK, but to inflict two solid weeks on us is beyond reasonable punishment.

I have no idea why Sky thought this was a good idea; they have received a fair amount of flak for it on social networking sites. Let's hope it is a one-off.

[Nick Armstrong]

Another

April fool

gone wrong...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJx-xixOw4c

[Richard Tarleton]

To make up for it last week we watched again the marvellous 6 Brandenbergs by the Orchestra Mozart cond. Abbado from an opera house in N Italy - perfect to watch and listen to, not a presenter in sight or sound, just on-screen credits start and finish. In the last 2-3 weeks we've also had Bruckner 8 and Eine A cond. Nagano.

[Mr Pee]

To make up for it last week we watched again the marvellous 6 Brandenbergs by the Orchestra Mozart cond. Abbado from an opera house in N Italy - perfect to watch and listen to, not a presenter in sight or sound, just on-screen credits start and finish. In the last 2-3 weeks we've also had Bruckner 8 and Eine A cond. Nagano.

And I did enjoy those Omnibus programmes with Leonard Bernstein, about Opera etc. Wonderful stuff.

[Stanfordian]

Since I returned from hols on Wed it seems that Sky Arts are playing endless Andre Rieu concerts - with their sickly arrangements , female orchestral players dressed up in puffy gowns and the slimy Rieu with his silly hair and Stepford Wives Mitteleurope audiences with glazed eyes.

Can someone explain this - does Mr Pee approve ???

Three weeks of Andre Rieu concerts. I'm thinking of asking Sky Arts for a refund on my subscription.

[John Wright]

Well at least Mr Pee answered Barbs question, the reason for the Rieu marathon - he has a huge following.

Classical Top 40 - how many Rieu albums?


there are 7

http://www.officialcharts.com/classical-charts/

Interesting chart eh? Kennedy's ECO 4 seasons is still there. Has that album been there for 24 years?

Caroline Sampson sings Couperin

and a set of an albums of English music conducted by Beecham

[Barbirollians]

Andre Rieu in a classical chart is a joke .

[EdgeleyRob]

The classical chart is a joke.

[Lord Mersey]

Andre Rieu is appearing at the Echo Arena later this year.The cheapest ticket is £40. I presume there will be booking fees etc.The dearest is £90!!! Apparently he is so popular they have added an extra date.

This year a season ticket for the Proms will be about £190. What should I choose?

[John Wright]

Andre Rieu in a classical chart is a joke .

Yes but Barbs, it does answer your question, Rieu is very popular.

Sky Arts have been showing Rieu videos for some time now and presumably the viewing figures justified the idea of a marathon. Possibly Mr Rieu's company had a hand in the decision too :)