Favourite Bernard Haitink recordings

[Petrushka]

Hi Thomas, Haitink has said that he has no feeling for the Scandinavians and avoids conducting their music. A great pity , I feel, as I am sure that he would have much to say on Sibelius in particular bearing in mind the Finn's Bruckner-like sonority.

[Alison]

Interesting that neither Abbado nor Tennstedt seem to conduct the Scandinavians either. You would have thought Haitink temperamentally
suited to Sibelius in a way the other two probably aren't. He did once schedule a Nielsen 5 at the Proms only for it to be replaced by Dvorak 7.

[Belgrove]

A wonderful conductor whose recorded performances never quite capture the special qualities of those given live, but here goes:

Debussy Nocturnes with the Concertgebouw
Mastersingers with the ROH (live recording - which I attended, so a very special performance)
Mahler 9 with the Concertgebouw
Pelleas et Melisande with the Orchestra National de France

[ostuni]

Haitink live

Belgrove's point about the difference between the excitement of the live recordings and the caution of the studio ones is often seen: the booklet notes to the Mahler Christmas Matinées box go into some details on this. These Mahler recordings are certainly some of my favourite Haitinks.

As is a recent 2-cd set from Hänssler Profil of 2 live performances from Dresden in 1992. Mozart's Prague Symphony was recorded in September at a special fundraising concert for the Danube floods in the previous month; Bruckner 8 was recorded in December at the first concert back in the orchestra's flood-damaged home, the Semperoper. The Staatskapelle strings and brass produce their customary wonderful sound in the Bruckner; the Mozart is surprisingly fleet-footed, given the size of the band.

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

A quiet magician is a lovely description.

Agreed. Among my favourite Haitink discs, I'd nominate his Vaughan Williams cycle, the LSO Live Beethoven recordings (so different from his earlier Concertgebouw cycle, which I found rather dull), and the ROH Meistersinger. Of his Mahler, I particularly like the RCO Live disc of No.4, with Christine Schäfer - wonderfully unforced playing from the Concertgebouw. I will keep an eye out for his Scheherazade, I promise!

[Barbirollians]

Oops yes how could I forget his VW recordings as I was only the other month extolling them on the defunct MB

[johnb]

After reading just how highly people rate Haitink's Mahler Kerstmatinees DVD set I've succumbed and ordered it from a Dutch supplier.

[rubbernecker]

I was weaned on his 70s Mahler recordings, but if I had to pick just one, it would be the VW Sea Symphony on EMI

[mathias broucek]

"I am sure that he would have much to say on Sibelius in particular bearing in mind the Finn's Bruckner-like sonority. "

Dunno about that. I thought that about Jochum (one of my absolute favourite conductors) but his Night Ride and Sunrise is terrible despite some fairly positive reviews.

[Exonian]

I think haitink is one of the greats. His Shostakovich 13, 14 and 15 on decca were wonderful. His early Philips Debussy (rare on original CD now) absolutely sublime and for me the watermark performances. His Mahler 3, 4 and 9 superb (rare too on original CD for some reason). His Vaughan Williams consistently excellent and as someone who often finds impatience with Bruckner (my fault not the composer's!) his 4 and 9 magical. The Schumann symphonies and Richard Strauss I find very fine as well.

[Paul N]

I have only a handful of Haitink recordings. Really enjoy the Debussy orchestral works (keep coming back to them - yes) and love the Rachmaninov Rhapsody with Ashkenazy. The Beethoven concertos with Perahia seem more OK rather than special.

[PaulT]

After reading just how highly people rate Haitink's Mahler Kerstmatinees DVD set I've succumbed and ordered it from a Dutch supplier.

You wont regret it! The only downside is the excellent documentary on the DVDs is in Dutch with no English titles.

[Thomas Roth]

There is a new Blu-ray and DVD with Haitink and Cgo playing Bruckner 9 and Schumann PC with Perahia. Alas, it is only available in Japan and costs fortune. Argh, I want it.

[Petrushka]

There is a new Blu-ray and DVD with Haitink and Cgo playing Bruckner 9 and Schumann PC with Perahia. Alas, it is only available in Japan and costs fortune. Argh, I want it.

Yes, I want it as well! Has Alison shelled out for this one, I wonder?

[Alison]

No, I keep hoping the disc will appear over here. Patience wearing a bit thin now.

That Bruckner 9 would be a very special performance to have based on our Barbican Sunday afternoon experience

in March 2009.

Thanks for all the replies.

I feel like digging out the Elgar symphonies again while Nigel Simeone's review in IRR is sending me back to the Brahms Serenades
with the Concertgebouw.

A reminder of the wonderful Bizet Symphony (Eloquence) if anyone fancies adding a record of that work to their collection.