LOTS or criticism on the 'Koningslied' (King's song) which was presented this morning.
Het Koningslied - John Ewbank - YouTube
Infantile, old fashioned, retarded, horrible, a torture etc. are the comments and the song contains a number of language mistakes too ('als je ooit je weg verliest'...!!!). Sylvia Witteman started a petition against the song, saying that this song makes her want to resign as a Dutch citizen:
Nee tegen het koningslied - Petitions24.com
The song quickly disappeared on youtube as many people rapported the song as abuse.
If the goal is to 'unite' us, I think they achieved their goal.... I still need to see the first positive comment on the song .
The song will be played in Ahoy, Rotterdam on 30 April, and the idea is that there will be a live connection to village squares all over the country where people will sing along.
Satirical magazine 'De Speld' has various satirical articles on this song, with headlines like: 'Netherlands hit my musical attack', 'Queen visits victims of King's song' and 'The Netherlands United in blind hate against King's song'. According to them the AIVD is looking for a certain John E.
And on twitter some tweets like: 'North Korea threatens to use the King's song, international tension increases' .
http://www.speld.nl/2013/04/19/nederland-getroffen-door-muzikale-aanslag/
On facebook there is a new page 'sorry voor het Koningslied' (sorry for the king's song)
https://www.facebook.com/Sorryvoorhetkoningslied.
--
RTL Boulevard also made a song, 'Koningin van alle mensen' (Queen of all people), as a tribute to Queen Beatrix. The proceeds of this song will be donated to the 'Beatrix spierfonds' (fund dedicated to muscle diseases). They used an existing melody though:
KONINGIN VAN ALLE MENSEN GRADED SD-x264 MOV 1280x720 16x9z - YouTube
---------
Andre Rieu also composed something, a sort of waltz that consists of melodies from various traditional Dutch songs. He named it 'coronation waltz' and I assume that will be played at the museumplein. No idea why he uses Scottish pipers and the Auld Lang Syne though:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DahsbFHWtT0
-------
More music news: Herman van Veen composed/wrote a song that will actually be sung in the Nieuwe Kerk, by the Nieuw Amsterdams Kinderkoor (children's choir). Fred de Graaf says that apart from this song, the other music will be classical...thankfully. I believe that for Beatrix' inauguration they performed (parts of) Mozarts coronation mass before the ceremony started.
Van Veen schrijft lied inhuldiging - NOS Nieuws)
I wonder if WA will exit the church on religious hymn like his grandmother (De Heer is Mijn Herder) and mother (Wat de Toekomst Brenge Moge) did.
----
Due to stricter safety regulations the New Church will only have place for 2400 people (2045 as guests), approx. 1000 less than at the previous inauguration.