Favourite Bernard Haitink recordings

[Mr Pee]

Petrushka -How about the BBCNOW Petrushka ??

To get back on topic, I'd briefly say that the EMI Haitink Ring is a good set to own especially at its current asking price.
It feels a trifle studio bound at times and does not fully convey the magic of the Covent Garden performances many of us
were privileged to attend. Any newcomer to Wagner would find much to enjoy and can go on to explore more charismatic
accounts as the years go by. At least one hugely knowlegeable chap I know ranks the Walkure as the best version on disc
- and he's got them all.

And as an added bonus, with the CDs you don't have to look at the ridiculous production!

[Alison]

There were also of course the marvellous Ring performances at the Royal Albert Hall (at which Colonel Danby was present.)

[Ferretfancy]

In mid broadcast as I write, Beethovens's C minor, Perahia, Haitink, Concertgebouw, perfection!

[Donnie Essen]

Thank you for your thoughts on the EMI Ring, Alison.

Me, I've ordered the CSO Bruckner 7 to put under the Christmas tree (plus the Wolf's Morike lieder).

[Mandryka]

Petrushka -How about the BBCNOW Petrushka ??

To get back on topic, I'd briefly say that the EMI Haitink Ring is a good set to own especially at its current asking price.
It feels a trifle studio bound at times and does not fully convey the magic of the Covent Garden performances many of us
were privileged to attend. Any newcomer to Wagner would find much to enjoy and can go on to explore more charismatic
accounts as the years go by. At least one hugely knowlegeable chap I know ranks the Walkure as the best version on disc
- and he's got them all.

Interesting to read that. I've never heard Haitink's Walkure rated that highly by anyone.

I'd agree with those who think the Haitink Ring was recorded too early - as I recall, it went head to head with James Levine's concurrently issued Met version, and won on points. I'm afraid Reiner Goldberg's Siegmund rules it out of court for me, plus the final scene goes off the boil a bit. I think the Rheingold and Gotterdammerung are more successful (not heard the Siegfried).

As to my own preferences:

Bruckner 5 (VPO)

Mahler 3 (1966 recording with RCO)

Rosenkavalier (VPO, with Te Kanawa/Hendricks/Von Otter)

[Roehre]

One of my absolute favourites of Haitink's recordings is scheduled for R3 coming Friday:

11.34
Strauss
Four Last Songs
Gundula Janowitz (soprano)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Bernard Haitink (conductor)
DG 477 5832.

This is the live recording which surpasses Janowitz' karajan/BPO recording, and in which Haitink addresses the public for coughing.

[Karafan]

Roehre:

Is that recording only available in the "Golden Voice" DG boxset?

Thanks

Karafan

[Roehre]

Roehre:

Is that recording only available in the "Golden Voice" DG boxset?

Thanks

Karafan

Yes, that's the one, but the same recording found a place in one of the RCO boxes with radio recordings as well IIRC.

[Peter Katin]

Haitink has said that he has no feeling for the Scandinavians and avoids conducting their music.

Strange, as he lives, or did live, in Helsinki.

[Panjandrum]

Strange, as he lives, or did live, in Helsinki.

Haitink did perform Sibelius's 2nd symphony, once, in 1965. There is no record of him having conducted any other of his symphonies. However, he has admitted, in interviews, that he does listen, with pleasure, to Sibelius at home; although he doesn't elaborate as to why he hasn't performed him more often. OTOH, Günter Wand, another noted Brucknerian, admitted that he had no affinity with Sibelius, but Haitink (apparently) admires him.

[Alison]

How do connoisseurs rate the Haitink performance of Prince Igor ?

I'd love to see issued radio recordings of any BH Tippett performances.

[Petrushka]

One of my absolute favourites of Haitink's recordings is scheduled for R3 coming Friday:

11.34
Strauss
Four Last Songs
Gundula Janowitz (soprano)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Bernard Haitink (conductor)
DG 477 5832.

This is the live recording which surpasses Janowitz' karajan/BPO recording, and in which Haitink addresses the public for coughing.

Roehre: I know we visited this topic on the old BBC boards but my boxed set of Haitink's radio recordings has the soprano credited as Elisabeth Soderstrom and the date given as February 6 1977. Which is correct?

[Roehre]

Roehre: I know we visited this topic on the old BBC boards but my boxed set of Haitink's radio recordings has the soprano credited as Elisabeth Soderstrom and the date given as February 6 1977. Which is correct?

Yes, my memory is playing havoc with these two recordings of Haitink's

The Janowitz-recording is in the DGG box, the Soderstrom in the Q-disc box of RCO-radio-recordings.

[Petrushka]

Yes, my memory is playing havoc with these two recordings of Haitink's

The Janowitz-recording is in the DGG box, the Soderstrom in the Q-disc box of RCO-radio-recordings.

Is there a date given for the Janowitz performance as I'd like to take this off-air?

[Roehre]

Is there a date given for the Janowitz performance as I'd like to take this off-air?

IIRC there is, but I am unable to tell you as I haven't got the box here unfortunately.