Romanian pan flute virtuoso Gheorghe Zamfir created some of the most beautiful music ever with André Rieu when they played “The Lonely Shepherd” with Rieu’s orchestra. Zamfir joined the Dutch violinist at his concert in Romania and when watching, you’ll quickly understand why he is known as The Master of the Pan Flute.
Rieu has a real knack for choosing the best talent to appear at his concerts, and this is no exception as the 82-year-old flutist is an absolute master of his craft. As you can see in the video below, the emotional impact of their stunning playing had several of the audience members wiping away tears.
“The Lonely Shepherd” is an instrumental piece written by German composer James Last which features Zamfir playing pan flute. The song peaked at #22 in Germany in 1977 and has continued to be popular to this day. It is also notable as Zamfir’s international commercial breakthrough.
The evocative song has been used in numerous soundtracks, and listening to it, you’ll immediately understand why. The most notable film appearance of “The Lonely Shepherd” is in Quentin Tarantino’s masterpiece Kill Bill: Volume 1. You can see how the piece was used in the clip from the film below, which features The Bride visiting master swordsmith Hattori Hanzō. It was also featured in the closing credits.
The magical feel of Zamfir’s performance with Rieu captured the hearts of listeners online, with the clip being viewed 156 million times on YouTube. His captivating performance attracted comments such as “This is not music, this is the sound of heaven” and “Couldn’t stop my tears and chills, absolutely transcendent.”
Zamfir has been active in the music industry since 1960 and came to broader attention in the early 1970s due to his appearance in a Vladimir Cosma film soundtrack, as well his work with other notable composers such as Francis Lai and Ennio Morricone.
Many credit Zamfir with reviving interest in the pan flute for modern audiences and helping to bring the folk instrument out of obscurity. In recent years he’s continued to make high profile appearances, such as playing “Silent Night” at the Vatican Christmas Concert for Pope Jean Paul II in 2018.