Hoping for a Petrushka concert review of last Thursdays Barbican concert.
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I'm not really up to reviewing concerts - it's a lot harder than you think - other than to say I enjoyed it, which I did, a view shared by a capacity audience in the Barbican. Isabella Faust was the soloist in the Dvorak Violin Concerto while Sally Matthews told us of a child's view of heavenly delights in the Mahler 4. Faust played an encore after the Dvorak but I'm afraid I don't know what it was, sorry. Both soloists, and the LSO, took their share of the applause but everyone knew that the loud cheers and standing ovation were for Bernard Haitink.Originally posted by Alison View Post
Now 90, Haitink is a bit shaky on his legs and used a walking stick to leave and return to the platform once or twice. He sat for most of the Mahler but otherwise was as alert s ever.
Haitink has been part of my concert-going life since 1978 and I was in reflective mood at the end of the concert realising that this could be the last concert I see him give. His sabbatical next year could well be his way of bowing out. Inevitably, then my mind went back to the first occasion I saw him, March 5 1978 in Manchester with the LPO in a concert that included the Elgar 2.
My contribution to that standing ovation was my way of saying 'Thank you' for the many unforgettable concerts over the past 41 years."The sound is the handwriting of the conductor" - Bernard HaitinkComment
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I believe the SNO were offered the opportunity to have Haitink as their chief conductor shortly after he started his career but passed...Comment
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I've not seen Haitink conduct since around 2000. He was still very much a part of musical life when I lived in London.
I remember him as having some very interesting mannerisms on the podium: he often reminded me of an extremely well-bred gentleman trying to politely correct the table-manners of a bunch of oafs. Other Netherlanders who have worked in Britain's capital may have understood how he felt.....Comment
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Thanks Pet, only wish I could have been there. I Expect the ovation was very moving.
Maybe there’ll be a Prom for one more London appearance.Comment
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Possibly not according to this ( admittedly not the most reliable ) source.Originally posted by Alison View Post
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I think everyone assumed this season was the last batch of concerts from the great Dutchman.Comment
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May I humbly recommend a much better source of the news, namely an article by Guido van Oorschot in De Volksrant where GvO interviewed Haitink:
The article quotes Haitink (Google translation follows, lightly paraphrased):
Netherlands Radio 4 cites the De Volksrant article (while mentioning that you can hear his upcoming concert with the RFO):"‘Luister even. Ik ben 90. En als ik zeg dat ik een sabbatical neem, dan is dat omdat ik niet wil zeggen: ik houd op. Ik heb geen zin in al die officiële afscheidsdingen, maar het is een feit dat ik niet meer zal dirigeren.’"
("Listen. I'm 90. And when I say I take a sabbatical, it's because I don't want to say: I'm stopping. I don't feel like making all those official goodbyes, but the fact is that I will no longer conduct.")
This is actually a good reminder to get up early on Saturday to tune in. BTW, his RFO concert this weekend is sold out ("Uitverkocht"):
Still some tickets for his 1st Lucerne concert with the COE:
Tickets for his Lucerne VPO concert are gone, though:
If you want to catch him in Salzburg, though, there might still be a chance:
Seats for his VPO Prom @ the RAH are gone, but by the law of averages, a few seats will open up closer to the date (and you guys can Prom, of course, with appropriate planning):
Interestingly, at the end of the article, BH says that he could possibly be available in case of a dire emergency somewhere:
PS: When it comes to citing the worst gossip in classical music, the thing to do is to work back to root sources, especially in other languages besides English, that are almost always first past the post with the real news."Mocht ergens de nood aan de man zijn, misschien kan ik dan inspringen. Maar of ik het doe hangt af van zo veel factoren. Het programma, de repetitietijd, de afstand. Naar Amerika vlieg ik bijvoorbeeld niet meer. Maar eerlijk gezegd: als ik eenmaal ben gestopt, geloof ik niet dat ik het nog kan, dirigeren."
("If there is a need for somewhere, maybe I can respond. But whether I do it depends on so many factors. The program, the rehearsal time, the distance. For example, I no longer fly to America. But to be honest: once I quit, I don't believe I can still do it.")Last edited by bluestateprommer; 12-06-19, 13:32.Comment
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"Interestingly, at the end of the article, BH says that he could possibly be available in case of a dire emergency somewhere..."
Given he lives in London, London would appear to be the best hope of this...
Perhaps he could step in to conduct the odd Prom in future? Keep his hand in. Once a year!Comment
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I have never seen him conduct but have a VPO Prom ticket ! Fingers crossed .Originally posted by pastoralguy View PostComment
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It does look as if Darkbloom had it right in #66 and that the 'sabbatical' was Haitink's self-effacing way of bowing out. It will be very difficult facing a concert season without his presence.
I also have my ticket for the VPO Prom on September 3 and earnestly hope that Haitink will be well enough to conduct."The sound is the handwriting of the conductor" - Bernard HaitinkComment
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My own thoughts there would have been Lucerne, since I thought that he and his wife have a place there, where supposedly they converted a barn into a mini-concert hall. Plus, from what I understand of its reputation, what conductor wouldn't want to conduct in the KKL?Originally posted by Prommer View Post
From the Dutch newspaper Trouw today, Peter van der Lint takes up the thread from GvO, so to speak, with a bit of wry comment on the Volksrant article:
Maybe someone in the RAH that night (perhaps Petrushka?) can lead the Proms audience to sing "For he's a jolly good fellow" at the end of that Prom. I would offer if I could attend, except that I can't sing :) ."Van Haitink is bekend dat hij officiële plichtplegingen het liefst uit de weg gaat, en van bijzondere gala-afscheidsconcerten met loftuitingen en laudatio’s niets moet hebben.
De ironie is dat met Haitinks onthulling in de Volkskrant alle nog komende concerten juist wél dat karakter krijgen, en dat hij daar nog harder zal worden toegejuicht dan normaal al het geval is. Het is misschien tekenend voor de dubbele houding die de dirigent altijd tegenover zijn beroep heeft gehad – ‘als je het al een beroep kunt noemen’, zei hij er ooit over."
"It is known that Haitink prefers to avoid official duties, and that he should have nothing to do with special gala farewell concerts with lofty expressions and praise.
The irony is that with Haitink's statement in De Volkskrant, all the upcoming concerts will actually get that character, and that he will be cheered even harder there than is normally the case. It is perhaps indicative of the double attitude that the conductor has always had towards his profession - "if you can call it a profession," he once said."Comment
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Hope Bernard Haitink has a quiet retirement.Don’t cry for me
I go where music was born
J S Bach 1685-1750Comment
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I've seen him only once, conducting my favourite tone poem at the Proms, with what I consider to be the finest orchestra in the world.Originally posted by Barbirollians View PostComment
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