Bernard Haitink (1929-2021)

[Alison]

Was there anything for Colin Davis or Charles Mackerras? I know they have done evenings devoted to conductors in the past (I remember one for Solti a long time ago) but I don't know if it's something R3 does routinely. Maybe it's best to wait a while and do a proper job than simply rush something out shortly afterwards.

Pretty certain I can recall a Sir Charles evening which was rather well done.

I’d like to see next years Proms honour the Dutchman in some way.

[duncan]

Another thank you to BSP for collating memorials and obituaries.

I have numerous happy memories of Haitink, starting with the Debussy and Shostakovich recordings of the 70s and 80s. After moving to London I was fortunate to see him live on a regular basis. The Beethoven cycle with the LSO was a notable set of performances; I was expecting stately Klempereresque tempi but we got what sounded like 'young man's' Beethoven.

His pulling back from performance was characteristically billed as a sabbatical, I'm guessing so he wouldn't be plagued by retirement celebrations. No-one at his last London concert with the VPO was under any such illusions and it was a magnificent one to bow-out on.

[bluestateprommer]

Maybe it's best to wait a while and do a proper job than simply rush something out shortly afterwards.

Starting on January 7, R3 in Concert will have 5 evenings of Haitink concerts:

January 7: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0013387

January 10: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00138ld

January 11: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000v8ch (I think that the date given for the relay is a typo)

January 12: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00139mr

January 13: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00137mg

Thanks also for the kind words about the source-tracking. For Petrushka's question, in this instance, a random element came into it, where I was skimming some sources that I normally 'drive by' (e.g. Gramophone), and happened to see an article. In the case of the Concertgebouw tribute, however, it belatedly occurred to me that while we all understandably went to the KCO's own website to see what they would post, the next obvious place to look was the hall itself, since the hall is its own entity. Had I been smart, I would have looked there earlier.

[Belgrove]

Further to the above from bluestateprommer, another treat in store - Haitink’s sublime 1993 Covent Garden Mastersingers is to be broadcast on 15/1/22 at 5pm.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0013htv

One of the great Nights at the Opera, with Tomlinson at the height of his powers.

[Barbirollians]

The Lucerne performance of his final concert with the VPO rather the Prom is on 14/1/22.

[Barbirollians]

The Lucerne performance of his final concert with the VPO rather the Prom is on 14/1/22.

In fact, it appears from the Bridcut film that this Lucerne concert was his very last.

[Petrushka]

In fact, it appears from the Bridcut film that this Lucerne concert was his very last.

It was. It took place on September 6 2019, three days after the Prom. I managed to catch it live by listening to the Dutch Radio 4 broadcast.

[Nick Armstrong]

Further to the above from bluestateprommer, another treat in store - Haitink’s sublime 1993 Covent Garden Mastersingers is to be broadcast on 15/1/22 at 5pm.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0013htv

One of the great Nights at the Opera, with Tomlinson at the height of his powers.

As there is an active thread in ‘Performance’:

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?23744-Celebrating-Bernard-Haitink-Friday-7th-Jan-Saturday-15-Jan

about the broadcasts flagged by bluestate and Belgrove (and Barb) above, I’ve moved a few posts from here to that thread in order to bring specific posts about these performances together.

[bluestateprommer]

I think that one appeared on LP as a Universo reissue long ago but, as far as I know, has never been released on CD so I've never heard it. One for the complete Haitink/Concertgebouw big box when it appears.

Officially as of last Friday, a fresh Haitink big box is out on Decca Classics:

https://store.deccaclassics.com/*/Box-Sets/Concertgebouworkest-Complete-Studio-Recordings/7IU61YD9000

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9369461--bernard-haitink-concertgebouw-edition

In addition to the principal issues from Philips and Decca, a few "outside label" recordings look to be present from CBS Masterworks (later Sony Classical), EMI, and RCO Live. The LPO recordings in his full DSCH cycle are also included, so that the recordings are not exclusively of the Concertgebouw Orchestra. But it does seem that this new big box set pretty much captures his Concertgebouw Orchestra studio recordings as the principal focus.

It's probably too niche to hope for a parallel London Philharmonic Orchestra / Haitink box set, or rather sets, since they'd be divided among his legacy Philips recordings (now under Universal) and EMI (now under Warner Classics). The latter would hold quite a few opera recordings, to be sure, to bulk up that set.

[smittims]

His EMI 'Ring' is certainly a highlight, arguably the best digital 'Ring'. Some had reservations about Eva Marton's Brunnhilde, but I liked her.

[Petrushka]

Officially as of last Friday, a fresh Haitink big box is out on Decca Classics:

https://store.deccaclassics.com/*/Box-Sets/Concertgebouworkest-Complete-Studio-Recordings/7IU61YD9000

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9369461--bernard-haitink-concertgebouw-edition

In addition to the principal issues from Philips and Decca, a few "outside label" recordings look to be present from CBS Masterworks (later Sony Classical), EMI, and RCO Live. The LPO recordings in his full DSCH cycle are also included, so that the recordings are not exclusively of the Concertgebouw Orchestra. But it does seem that this new big box set pretty much captures his Concertgebouw Orchestra studio recordings as the principal focus.

It's probably too niche to hope for a parallel London Philharmonic Orchestra / Haitink box set, or rather sets, since they'd be divided among his legacy Philips recordings (now under Universal) and EMI (now under Warner Classics). The latter would hold quite a few opera recordings, to be sure, to bulk up that set.

'Pre-ordered' from Presto in October, finally released on Friday but still not despatched! Presto need to be doing much better than this, especially as they took my payment in October. I rather wish I'd gone to Amazon instead but Presto had the best price. They need to up their game.

One should not forget the recordings that Haitink made on the Philips label with the Berlin PO and Vienna PO. My favourite Mahler 3 and Bruckner 5 are among them. They could usefully share a box with the remaining orchestral LPO discs. I'd certainly be in the market for an opera box from Warner/EMI should it ever be issued.

[LHC]

'Pre-ordered' from Presto in October, finally released on Friday but still not despatched! Presto need to be doing much better than this, especially as they took my payment in October. I rather wish I'd gone to Amazon instead but Presto had the best price. They need to up their game.

One should not forget the recordings that Haitink made on the Philips label with the Berlin PO and Vienna PO. My favourite Mahler 3 and Bruckner 5 are among them. They could usefully share a box with the remaining orchestral LPO discs. I'd certainly be in the market for an opera box from Warner/EMI should it ever be issued.

Sorry to hear that Pet. Mine arrived on Friday, so hopefully yours will be with you soon. It’s a lovely set and I have enjoyed going through the accompanying book while working out which recording to listen to next.

A Haitink opera box set would be good, although I suspect I’d have most of the sets already.

[Petrushka]

Sorry to hear that Pet. Mine arrived on Friday, so hopefully yours will be with you soon. It’s a lovely set and I have enjoyed going through the accompanying book while working out which recording to listen to next.

A Haitink opera box set would be good, although I suspect I’d have most of the sets already.

I've still not had any email confirmation of despatch and the 'my account' section still says awaiting despatch. I tried ringing Presto webchat this afternoon but a message appeared saying 'all our agents are offline...' so I've done an email to them instead which, from previous experience, won't be picked up for two or three days.

This is very poor customer service from Presto and I'm afraid I won't be ordering from them again.

[Darkbloom]

I've still not had any email confirmation of despatch and the 'my account' section still says awaiting despatch. I tried ringing Presto webchat this afternoon but a message appeared saying 'all our agents are offline...' so I've done an email to them instead which, from previous experience, won't be picked up for two or three days.

This is very poor customer service from Presto and I'm afraid I won't be ordering from them again.

Unfortunately that tends to be the rule when you buy online: if it's cheaper than elsewhere, the customer service is virtually nil. I still have nightmares about being bounced around India for over two hours trying to cancel my internet service last year.

[Cockney Sparrow]

I've still not had any email confirmation of despatch and the 'my account' section still says awaiting despatch. I tried ringing Presto webchat this afternoon but a message appeared saying 'all our agents are offline...' so I've done an email to them instead which, from previous experience, won't be picked up for two or three days.

This is very poor customer service from Presto and I'm afraid I won't be ordering from them again.

Not a good sign that they don't take phone calls two days a week, including today:

https://www.prestomusic.com/contact

"Office hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday - 10am-4pm UK time"