Tuesday, 3 October 2023

Thunder and Lightning

Thunder and lightning!

In this rendition by André Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra the polka is played at a fast and furious pace and sometimes seems in danger of running away with itself. 

It's great fun, though, and certainly gets the toes tapping. All the members of this privately owned orchestra look as though they are really enjoying the experience and surely that should be the case with all music performances.

André Rieu founded The Johann Strauss Orchestra in 1987 with twelve members. Now there are more than 50 musicians who travel around the world to perform concerts in large venues.

The Austrian violinist and composer Johann Strauss II, (Strauss the Younger)  wrote the Thunder and Lightning Polka (Unter Donner und Blitz) in 1868.  He composed it in Vienna for the Artists’ Ball. He was known in his lifetime as ‘The Waltz King’ and wrote over 500 pieces of dance music, as well as operettas and a ballet. He is credited with popularising the waltz in 19th century Vienna.

We have had thunder and lightning today. It had been forecast for many days, but the weather sometimes passes us by. Our 'thunderstorm' was rather pathetic but maybe we'll have more action later. I may live to regret that last sentence! 

Our storm was more on a par with the nursery action rhyme:

I hear thunder, I hear thunder.

Hark! Don’t you? Hark! Don’t you?

Pitter, patter raindrops, pitter, patter, raindrops.

I’m wet through, so are you!



18 comments:

  1. I can't listen to that today, I have a hayfever headache.

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    1. I hope your headache eases soon. Hayfever is miserable.

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  2. My late mother and her sisters learned a lot of music formally, but always played it as amateurs. Later in life they discovered Mr Rieu and loved every moment of his musical choices.
    But his concert tickets were not cheap.

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    1. Moving the orchestra and the sets around the world is an expensive business. His concerts are always sold out.

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  3. Orchestras are so impressive. It's amazing to see the level of coordination they all are able to achieve!

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    1. All playing as one entity - it is marvellous.

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  4. I went to see his live concert shown in cinemas recently. I cried through most of the music. He is a great man and it was a fabulous show. He is doing another one that will be shown in cinemas for Christmas. On the big screen at the Odeon it felt like I was actually there.

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    1. He is a consummate showman. The music tugs at the heartstrings and experiencing it with others enhances the emotion.

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  5. It feels like we should have thunder and lightning but no sign. I’m ready for the air to clear as it’s far too muggy here. B x

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    1. It feels all wrong for October, doesn't it? x

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  6. We heard thunder at tea time, but that's all, no rain.

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    1. It's annoying - expectation without fulfilment ;-)

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  7. I love that piece of music!
    It’s very humid here too…I call it growing weather! 😁

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  8. I am allergic to André Rieu, can't see his face, he is such a hypocrite, I have met somebody years ago who knew André personally and it seems that he is disgusting with his personal and very arrogant. When you see him on stage he looks like an angel ! On TV was a reportage which confirmed it. I also have to admit I don't like this kind of music, I feel like an old grandma which I am !

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  9. The private person is often very different to the public persona.

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  10. Not really a fan of thunderstorms, but could definitely appreciate a musical version. However, like Gattina before me, I'm not exactly into André Rieu ... xxx

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  11. You and Ingrid (Gattina) obviously know something the rest of us don't (though I've always wondered . . . ) x x x

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