I wish to ask now, don't you just love Andre Rieu's expressions? One can feel every emotion of a song, every experience of a song just by watching Andre's expressions.
Life is given to a song just by watching this incredible musician play his beautiful violin music!
 

To all that read my review, I may have gone into some extra detail in some of my explanations of certain songs. It's only because I am attempting to explain why Andre Rieu and the JSO, the music, the DVD and CD mean so much to me, and why I chose it to write about. Also, if I become redundant, then I apologize, but sometimes it's very hard to choose an expression or explanation that is different for each song. There are only so many ways one can say beautiful, incredible, lovely, great, etc.; I wish there were more, as each song deserves it's own credit, as does Andre Rieu, with each and every beautiful song that he plays.
 

There are 19 songs on the cd. I will review the songs that I did not review on the dvd as there is no reason to do them twice; however, I may have a hard time not saying anything of course!

a.. The Old Castle - Again, this is a wonderful, romantic, adventurous song, I enjoy it very much.

b.. The Red Rose Café - Such a great song!

c.. My Heart Will Go On - This song has a special place in my heart.I love the way Andre plays this, his expressions really make this song come to life for me and touch my heart.

d.. Dark Eyes - Great song! Very entertaining.

e.. Lost Heroes - I close my eyes and see Andre walking the beach.my goodness does it ever touch my heart! The world, I hope someday, will live up to the meaning of this incredibly beautiful, heartfelt song

f.. The Marino Waltz - Very pleasant, wonderful song!

g.. Under The Sky of Paris - The life of artists! How special it is!

h.. J'attendrai - "J'attendrai" was the French version of the old Italian song "Tornerai". - I don't understand the words, but it's a very enjoyable song, I love it very much.

9. ROMANCE FOR CLARA - Written by Andre Rieu and Jean -Philippe Rieu.

This is a most romantic and beautiful song. What an incredible piece of music this is! When I am driving, I almost have to stop the car to listen to this one. I do drive on, but by the time the song is finished, I wonder if I have followed all the rules of the road correctly. Did I stop at all the stop signs. I didn't run any red lights, did I? I'm in another world and it's a very beautiful world. This wonderful music does set me to dreaming of many beautiful things. I close my eyes and romance and happiness fills my mind. It's the music that dreams are made of. It has to be a very sensitive, beautiful, loving person/s to compose a song as beautiful as this one. I love it so very much.

Note: The song "Romance for Clara" is played in the 'special features' section of the dvd. It's called 'photo gallery' and this song is playing while the photo gallery is showing some wonderful pictures that were throughout the dvd. I thoroughly enjoy running this portion of the dvd, so I can hear this beautiful song again and again. Like I have it on my computer, in my car, on my cd player in my room, in the living room. I listen all the time and it just gets more beautiful each and every time I hear it. If you have not heard it yet, then please listen and get in touch with this beautiful world of romance, peace and happiness.

10. Memory - From the production of "Cats". The song was composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The lyrics were written by Trevor Nunn. A very popular song sung by Bette Midler. This song was a favorite of my mother and fathers, when I hear it, I think of them. When it plays, I say in my mind "listen to your song mother, I'm sure you would love to hear Andre play this", and in my heart I know she would have, as she enjoyed him as much as I do. In my heart, I really do know that she is hearing it, and I thank Andre for recording this, it means so much to me.

k.. The Merry Widow - Such a great song! It's very beautiful and I can see why it is loved so much and has been in the hearts of all that listen.

l.. The Hurdy-Gurdy Waltz - Written by Andre Rieu and Jean-Philippe Rieu. This is such a great song and I love hearing it. The change in the tune is very interesting and enjoyable; first it's a very lively tune and then it gets more mellow, or melancholic (?) which I dearly love. I think that melancholic, or mellow, in a tune makes it more sensitive to the heart; it brings out the feelings in a song. This song is a song that you really get involved in the rhythm is very enjoyable.

h.. My Love Song Should Be a Waltz - I close my eyes and see Andre waltzing at just the right time. It's wonderful and a whole lot of fun to watch and listen to. It's a beautiful title and a beautiful song; its wonderful tune speaks to us telling us how much we love those wonderful waltzes! It would be hard not to waltz right along with this tune.

i.. Granada - Nice to see the dancer and hear this Spanish tune, the guitar player was great.

j.. Que Sera Sera - Always been a great song. It means so much to anyone who listens! It did for me, even though I already knew what I wanted in life.

k.. Moonriver - It's a very beautiful song, I remember Andy Williams singing it years ago." Moon River, wider than a mile, I'm crossing you in style, some day." It's nice to hear Andre play these songs.

l.. Vieni sul mar - It means - 'Come to the sea' - Written by Aniello Califona, 1870/1919, composer/lyricist of this song. Based on an old Neopolitan waltz, made popular by Enrico Caruso, but well known before his time. - It's an extremely beautiful song and I would love to see Andre and the JSO perform this one in person. I would prefer no one talk to me while I'm listening to this beautiful song.it just touches my soul and I can hardly move when I'm listening to it.

m.. Blue Danube - The song of songs, the waltz of waltzes, the song I remember as a little girl and never tire of hearing. It was the tune in a music box that I was given as a small child, I used to open it up and play it all the time, there was a ballet dancer in it and it would twirl with the music. I remember loving this music so far back. I love watching the people dance to it as Andre and the JSO plays it during the concerts. When I went to his concert in December, there was this one young couple dancing. They must have been prepared for this because she had on a beautiful dress, she held up the hem and danced to this beautiful music. Thank you Andre for keeping this beautiful song alive in our hearts forever!

n.. Lullaby - Whenever I hear this song now, I see Andre performing it in my mind, he played it at the concert last fall and it really touched my heart. I've heard this song many times over my life, and I never tire of it. It's just one of those songs that is very beautiful, and relaxing. I just love listening to Andre play his violin. He plays so beautifully. How many adjectives are there that I could use to describe how Andre Rieu's violin music affects me? I don't know, the ones that come to mind are "beautiful", "incredible", "wonderful", and descriptions like "Heartfelt", "beyond words", "words cannot describe", "incredible feeling", "touches my soul". Well, you understand. I just wish there were better ways to describe how much I enjoy hearing Andre Rieu, without being redundant all the time. One cannot get any better than listening to Andre Rieu play his beautiful
violin.

***

I thoroughly enjoyed "Love Around The World", and I enjoy it each time I watch it or listen to it, which is often. I've never heard any kind of music by any musician that I enjoy as much as Andre Rieu. His music makes me happy and it's thoroughly enjoyable. I don't think Andre will ever read this review that I have written, so you know that what I say is written totally
from the heart. I'm not saying any of this to impress anyone, nor do I expect to get any thanks or any recognition. If someday he does read this, then I would be very happy, because he would then know how much his music means to me, and how much his dedication to his music and violin is very much appreciated by me.

Who am I? No one, just an Andre Rieu fan who loves his music and loves the sounds as he plays his beautiful violin. He must be
a very special man to dedicate his life to this and to bring it to the peoples of the world as he does. What a life he has chosen for other people. If more people in the world could dedicate their life to giving such enjoyment to other people, then wouldn't this be a better world?


Andre, if you ever read this, then THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart. You are an extremely talented, incredible man, and I love your music so very much. Thank you for touching my soul with your music!

Excuse me while I go and watch Andre Rieu play his violin and waltz to "My Love Song Should Be A Waltz".. (It's wonderful)!!!

DVD Review:
Love Around The World/Walzertraum

A portion of "Love Around The World" takes place on a beautiful cruise ship called the MS Deutchland; the other portion is filmed at various locations.
 

There are 13 songs on the DVD, plus 3 bonus selections; there is also a section of special features with a discography section. The special features section is very interesting and very enjoyable.
 

The songs of "Love Around The World" are:
 

a.. Dark Eyes - Russian Traditional Folk Song.
A very enjoyable song. I've heard Andre play it many times, and I love it each time. After watching "Love Around the World", I will now always see Andre Rieu dancing on the deck of the MS Deutchland it has a whole new meaning!
 

b.. The Red Rose Café - Written by P. Kartner.
One of my favorite songs that Andre Rieu plays. About "farmers and factory workers who come to the café and the cares of the day are washed away. There's laughter, and everyone is happy to be there". It truly is a feel good song! -- This song is also a selection in the bonus section on the DVD. At the end of the song, Andre and the JSO go into a very lively song. I have never heard this part before and am not sure if it's part of the Red Rose Café, or is it another song altogether? It's very lively tune, extremely enjoyable, and I love it very much! It's more than exciting to watch it. I love watching Andre dancing in this; he has so much energy moving with the music. It's more than exciting to watch it is very entertaining as well! Everyone is having so much fun!
 

c.. Que Sera Sera - A song recorded by Doris Day many years ago, it was written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans.
I've hummed it for many years. It's always been a great song. As far as the meaning, a child is asking a parent about his/her future. The answer: "Whatever will be will be". - I think that we choose which path we may take along the way in life. No one knows the long-range outcome of course, until it's lived. Sometimes we choose our path, for whatever reason, and it's wrong, sometimes our choices are right. What makes them so meaningful, is how we play them out. We learn to deal with them, hoping they will turn out right of course. But no matter what those choices are, we live them, and then they become our experiences in life. We dream and love and adjust and make whatever happens beautiful to the best of our abilities. As long as we try as long as we dream, to make it beautiful, then nothing is lost.
 

d.. The Merry Widow - Written by Franz Lehar
A wonderful song. Lehar's operetta premiered in Vienna on December 30, 1905. It opened in New York on October 21, 1907 at the New Amsterdam Theatre. Franz Lehar was thirty-five years old when his operetta became an international hit. - I love this song very much and am happy to be able to listen to it all the time now. It definitely is a song we can sway to, I don't think anyone could possibly sit still while listening to this song.
 

Songs 5 through 12 are filmed on location.
 

e.. The Old Castle- A beautiful waltz, written by Andre Rieu and Jean-Philippe Rieu.
It is a wonderful song, written about their adventures around an old ruined castle in France when they were young. They were knights and robbers and they dreamt of a beautiful lady on a beautiful white horse. And one time there was a beautiful blond who was one of their loves or fantasies, she had blue eyes, her name was Clara and she rode a beautiful horse. I love the story and it's an incredibly beautiful song. There's something about old castles that have "adventure" written all over it! I'm sure these young boys found plenty of adventure in an old castle. Just imagine what it would be like as a child playing around an old castle, dreaming, fantasizing, and imagining.
 

f.. Granada - Written by A. Lara -
Great song, Flamenco dancer, dancing, the guitar player is excellent. Flamenco is a genuine Spanish art, and to be more exact a genuine Southern Spanish art. It exists in three forms: Cante, the song, Baile, the dance, and Guitarra, guitar playing. These dancers are always so "intense". They look to be so serious, but I think it's just that they are concentrating so much, which makes them seem intense.
 

g.. Under The Sky of Paris - Written by H. Giraud. I enjoy this very much, as I'm an artist, or at least I try really hard when I have the time. I enjoy the street vendors as they paint, sketch, draw various people, including Andre Rieu. The music reminds me of a pleasant day in Paris, and I haven't even been there. This song is extremely pleasant with the sounds of the violin.
 

h.. Lost Heroes - Written by Andre Rieu and Jean-Philippe Rieu. If ever there was a song that touches my heart it's this song; the dedication is very special indeed. Of all those lives lost in wars and results of wars, of all those innocent people who were lost when the planes flew into the Trade Center, of all those who go to some war to fight for what? When innocent peoples all over the world die for a so-called specific cause, or belief, brought about by those who don't see the innocence they are taking away from life; then there has to be the question of "Why?" When I see Andre walking the beach during this music, it brings tears to my eyes; it really is beautiful and it touches me so much. I don't like war, and I don't understand why there has to be war. I wish that the leaders of the world would really take this song to heart and listen to the words and the music. I wish that it would mean as much to them as it does to me. And as it must mean to the ones who wrote it. Thank you Andre and Jean-Philippe for writing and recording this song. What a beautiful and meaningful song this truly is.
 

i.. My Heart Will Go On: Written by J. Horner.
From the movie "Titanic", made very popular by Celine Dion, made very romantic by Andre Rieu. When I lost my own husband, this was the song that I dedicated to my loss of him. "My Heart Will Go On", somehow. It is a very special song for me, and when I hear Andre play it, it is very special indeed. Thank you Andre for
your beautiful and heartfelt version of this song you so beautifully play on your violin. It has always been one of my favorite melodies.
 

j.. My Love Song Should Be A Waltz - Written by R. Stolz/R. Benatzky/R. Gilbert.
This is filmed at the Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria. A beautiful setting for this wonderful song. Andre is inside an incredibly beautiful great room, just him and his violin, he's playing this song and at that right moment, starts waltzing, it can't get any better! I love watching this one.
 

Edelweiss - Written by Rodgers and Hammerstein. Interesting story of the beautiful little white flower. When I took German in school, long ago, before I graduated, we used to sing this song; I loved it then as I love it now. I listened to it in "Sound of Music" and loved it. Now, when Andre and the JSO plays it on top of those beautiful mountains and most likely those beautiful little white flowers are everywhere, and Suzan Erens sings with her incredible voice, I love it still! When Andre looks out over the Alps and holds up his arms and violin, the mountains are there so majestically. How wonderful it is. What a beautiful song; it will always have a special place in my heart.
 

Clog Dance
This portion of the show is so much fun to watch, extremely enjoyable! Everyone is having so much fun dancing around the town with their clogs on. We see and hear those clogs stomping and the traditional outfits the girls are wearing, Andre is right there with them, stomping with his clogs too. This always brings a smile to my face, such a happy song! The end is very humorous when they are back on the stage on the ship and everyone kicks off their clogs towards Andre on stage, when the song is finished.
 

m.. Strauss & Co
This is such a wonderful song. As a final song on the DVD, this song finds everyone in the audience swaying with the music as is very common when listening to Andre Rieu and his JSO. Andre still has his clogs on, it's hilarious. This is a perfect song to end the show with, as everyone is smiling and so happy! When I listen to this song in the car I sway with the music as I'm driving. Not to worry, I have "I'd rather be listening to Andre Rieu" on my license plate cover, and so anyone who would see me, will know that I'm listening to Andre and swaying with the music! They will understand, of course!
 

The Bonus selections are:

1). Red Rose Café, Andre and the JSO are in a Town Square setting, they are playing and people are everywhere around them. It's a very fun setting and all are enjoying themselves, everyone is very into the moment. At the end of the song, Andre and the JSO go into a very lively song. Is this extra part of the Red Rose Café? I don't know, but I love this so much! It's very fun and lively. It's more than exciting to watch. I love watching Andre dancing in this; he has so much energy moving with the music. How very entertaining it is to watch!
 

2). Ohne Sorgen, I first heard this song on the "100 Years of Strauss" CD, it's a very happy song, and very enjoyable. And now when the JSO are riding down the street in their bicycles, and whatever else they can get hold of, it's wonderful (hilarious) to watch, it's wonderful to listen to. All are having a great time. It's so fun to watch them having fun. They do it so well!
 

3). The Marino Waltz - Written by J. Sheahan. I enjoyed this man so very much in "Live In Dublin". He made my mother so happy, as she loved "Irish" music so much. It was just wonderful to see him and Andre visiting and then playing "The Marino Waltz" together, it was enjoyable watching them. The Marino Waltz is a great song, and worthy of the best reviews.
 

***

Fantasize ... if you are romantic and adventurous, you will love this DVD. All we have are our fantasies and "Love Around The World" let's our fantasies surface. We live in a world that is far from being a perfect world, and so if we can escape into this incredible, fun-filled, happy life which Andre has given to the world, then our not-so-perfect-world becomes a beautiful fantasy well deserved. For this moment in time, we can say we do have a "perfect" world, and it starts as we are watching and listening to Andre Rieu and his JSO orchestra, in "Love Around The World".
 

Dream ... we are now in another world with our thoughts, or at least in another part of the world, on a beautiful cruise ship, on the open ocean, away from our daily life schedules. We are having fun and enjoying what makes life beautiful … Music and Andre Rieu ... playing these incredibly beautiful songs with his wonderful Johann Strauss Orchestra, making one feel as though they are actually there.
 

Reality ... It doesn't get any better than watching Andre Rieu and the JSO in "Love Around The World", playing their beautiful music and having fun. The romance on the high seas in "Love Around The World" is worth the trip!

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