Harnoncourt & KCO, Bruckner 5 - his last concert in Amsterdam

[bluestateprommer]

Nikolaus Harnoncourt stated this past weekend that the Sunday performance of Bruckner 5 with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra was his final performance with them, and "his last concert in Amsterdam", per the posting by the KCO on their FB page. Radio 4 from Radio Netherlands has this performance available to listen to at this link:

http://concerthuis.radio4.nl/concert/3841/Zondagmiddagconcert_Koninklijk_Concertgebouw_o.l.v._Nicolaus_Harnoncourt

The opening paragraph translates (with help from "the Google"):

"Honorary guest conductor Nikolaus Harnonourt is, for the last time, back at the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. In 1994 he conducted Anton Bruckner's Third Symphony at the RCO, the Fourth Symphony in 1994 and now, in the anniversary year of the orchestra, Harnoncourt takes leave of the RCO with the Fifth Symphony of Bruckner."

You've got 3 months (91 days or so) left to hear it.

[amateur51]

Many thanks for taking the trouble to post this, bsp - I look forward to listening to this concert

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Yes, many thanks for the link, bsp. Is there any particular reason why Harnoncourt isn't going to appear in Amsterdam again?

[bluestateprommer]

Yes, many thanks for the link, bsp. Is there any particular reason why Harnoncourt isn't going to appear in Amsterdam again?

Unfortunately, by the time back in October of the concert, I didn't think to check the Amsterdam papers on-line to see if there was anything in the reviews to hint as to why NH decided to exit from guest-conducting with the KCO (much to the disappointment of at least one KCO musician who followed up comments on FB about this). One hint is buried in a blog post by the Dutch blogger Guido van Oorschot (you might have to forgive the slightly unflattering-ish picture of NH there):

http://dehandvanguido.blogspot.com/2013/10/nikolaus-harnoncourt-sloopt-het-kco.html

It's the passage at the end:

"Bovendien beseffen de musici: elke keer met Nikolaus Harnoncourt kan de laatste zijn. 's Mans gezondheid kwakkelt. Geprezen de trombonist die hem behoedde voor een struikelpartij onderaan de podiumtrap."

The Google Translation reworked:

"Moreover the musicians realize that each time with Nikolaus Harnoncourt may be the last. The man's health is ailing. Praise to the trombonist who saved him from stumbling down the stage stairs."

The most obvious reasons, which presumably occurred to everyone upon reading the news, tie to NH's age, and presumed health. He is 84, after all. I'd also seen later on that NH pulled out of scheduled Berlin Philharmonic concerts this month where he was supposed to lead Robert Schumann's Scenes from Goethe's Faust (Daniel Harding stepped in, BTW). So perhaps the obvious answer seems to be the case, namely that NH wants to go out 3 years too early rather than 3 minutes too late, at a time when he feels up to the job and leading a top orchestra like the KCO, with full faculties intact.

Also, if anyone still wants to give the concert a listen, you can scroll down this page a bit to the "Zondag 27 oktober" section:

http://zondagmiddagconcert.radio4.nl/uitzendingen/24-11-2013.html

It is very much worth a listen, especially just speaking for myself, that I'm not a Bruckner fan at all, but I found this performance quite refreshing.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Thanks for that bsp - and Christmas greetings! It's salutory to be reminded of NH's age: he was so much the new "kid" on the block when I first encountered his work in the '70s. Sad, too, to hear of his health problems.

[BBMmk2]

Thanks fpor the heads up for NH's final concert. Very sad to hear of his health problems.

[bluestateprommer]

Thanks for that bsp - and Christmas greetings! It's salutory to be reminded of NH's age: he was so much the new "kid" on the block when I first encountered his work in the '70s. Sad, too, to hear of his health problems.

I'll admit that I'm wondering just how much van Oorschot is reading into the situation with Harnoncourt's health, per his blog post, unless he has insider knowledge somehow. Perhaps NH is trying to take it easy. People may remember that he was scheduled for the Proms a few years back with the VPO, but he pulled out then as well. For now, NH and the Concentus Musicus Wien are scheduled for appearances at the Musikverein this coming April and May:

April 5 & 6, JSB St. Matthew Passion (pretty nice line up of vocal soloists, including NH's daughter):

http://www.musikverein.at/konzerte/konzertprogramm.php?idx=130743

http://www.musikverein.at/konzerte/konzertprogramm.php?idx=129485

May 24 & 25, Haydn, The Seasons:

http://www.musikverein.at/konzerte/konzertprogramm.php?idx=129485

http://www.musikverein.at/konzerte/konzertprogramm.php?idx=129606