A Mesmerizing Performance of Sir Anthony Hopkin's Waltz

What else can I say? Enjoy!!

A beautiful piece. Anthony Hopkins is one of the coolest dudes ever.
A bit OT, but his work in the 1993 film "The Remains of the Day" is one of the greatest performances in modern cinema.
A must-see.

Snarl, thank you for posting this, it was mezmerizing. I for one did not know Sir Anthony Hopkins wrote a waltz and what a beautiful piece of music!
I loved that the audience was shown reacting to the music and not just the camera on the orchestra, although I could watch Andre Rieu lead his orchestra for hours.

SnF

reply to post by 2manyholes

You're welcome ... but I can't take credit. Friends of mine and e-mail. I'm happy I have the rest of the ATS family to share with.

-Cheers

reply to post by Snarl


Well...

That was pretty fantastic! I also had no idea that Sir Anthony was a composer. It just goes to show how bloody multi-talented he is I suppose. I cannot see him in a hat like the one he wears in the video, without thinking about Hannibal Lecter though lol!

reply to post by TrueBrit

You, Sir, are quite talented yourself!!

Just being in the virtual presence of people of your caliber on these forums often leaves me in awe at what the world truly has to offer.

reply to post by Snarl


Well.. Um...thank you! I have no idea what I could have done to inspire such comment, but I will take the compliment

Had no idea he was a composer...im a bit of a composer myself but after that brilliant piece I think ill just say I dabble in music haha.

Im embarrassed to ask this but what is that instrument at 2:44?

reply to post by TrueBrit

True are you holding out on us? Come clean now, tell us please?

reply to post by cosmicexplorer

what is that instrument at 2:44?

That is the piccolo.

reply to post by Snarl


Oh boy, how to say this? This piece has a lot of little variations in it thanks to the talent of Andre Rieu, but overall it evokes two very strong images in me , both of which make me identify it with the WW2 era : The first is the eerie pathos of the holocaust images I've seen in so many films of that genre, and the second is the supposed indifference or ignorance of the rest of the world while this is happening, so dance on and enjoy life. The two moods contrast in a macabre way, enough to make me recoil. Major and minor perhaps, but I did not enjoy what to me is the pronounced contrast to be honest.

reply to post by Snarl


That was quite beautiful. Thank you so much for posting it, I doubt that I would have come across it without your intervention.

And I agree with 2manyholes, Andre the conductor is quite mesmerizing in his own right.

Thoroughly enjoyed

reply to post by aboutface


I feel that as well. The piece has a Hungarian feel to me........ it is beautiful and evocative and more than a bit melancholy. Wonderful.

To my surprise, I found out that Anthony Hopkins composed this piece 50 years ago, when he was 23. On this link you can see his waltz being performed for the first time, in Vienna. Mr. Hopkins flew in for the performance, and his reaction to hearing his works is touching.