In a moving tribute to one of the quiet figures behind the maestro’s rise, news broke today that Father Matthias — the humble Dutch priest who first handed a young André Rieu a violin — has passed away in his sleep at age 98.

Though he remained largely unknown to the public, those closest to the Rieu family knew the truth: without Father Matthias, the world may never have known the “King of the Waltz.” It was Matthias who gave André his first lessons in the back room of a Maastricht chapel, who taught him that “music is prayer in motion,” and who once prophesied, “This boy’s bow will bring peace where words fail.”

In a heartfelt letter found tucked inside his Bible, Matthias reflected on their final conversation:

“André said to me, ‘You gave me more than music, Father. You gave me purpose.’ I told him, ‘No, André — you gave that violin a voice.’”

Even in his final years, Matthias never missed a Rieu concert, listening from a small wooden radio at the abbey. His last request? To be buried with the broken bow from André’s first violin — “the one that cracked when he played too passionately.”

As tributes pour in from around the world, fans are calling for André Rieu to dedicate his next concert to the man who started it all.

🎻 One soul taught another to sing. Now the world mourns in harmony.