Bernard Haitink at 85 - and Beyond.

[bluestateprommer]

Perhaps this is old news, but tucked away at the bottom of the Askonas Holt page on BH:

https://www.askonasholt.co.uk/artists/bernard-haitink/

"After the 2018/19 season, during which he celebrates his 90th birthday and a 65 year conducting career, Bernard Haitink will take a sabbatical."

[BBMmk2]

At 90 he takes a sabbatical? My goodness! Extraordinary!

Btw, has anyone listened to the new BR Klassic Bernard Haitink Portrait.

It has superlative recordings of Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, Bruckner’s 5 & 6, Haydn’s Die Jahrenseiten, and The Creation.

[LeMartinPecheur]

At 90 he takes a sabbatical? My goodness! Extraordinary!

Btw, has anyone listened to the new BR Klassic Bernard Haitink Portrait.

It has superlative recordings of Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, Bruckner’s 5 & 6, Haydn’s Die Jahrenseiten, and The Creation.

Let's hope that the sabbatical is just to prepare himself for a new 25-yr contract a la Monteux, aged 86, and the LSO in 1961

[BBMmk2]

Let's hope that the sabbatical is just to prepare himself for a new 25-yr contract a la Monteux, aged 86, and the LSO in 1961

Sounds good!

[Conchis]

I reckon he'll make it well into Stokowski territory!

[Darkbloom]

I'm guessing the 'sabbatical' may last a long time, and it's his way of bowing out in a typically self-effacing way. Although it's sad to contemplate his retirement, I don't want to see him tottering to the podium like Gunter Wand. Haitink provided me with some of my most indelible opera/concert memories (and some pretty inert ones too, if I'm honest. He has always been a moody conductor) and I hope he doesn't disappear entirely. Maybe he could be persuaded to go on the record about his career in the way Karajan did with Osborne. Haitink rarely says much, which is a shame because when I hear him talk it's usually thoughtful and interesting.

[visualnickmos]

with some of my most indelible opera/concert memories (and some pretty inert ones too, if I'm honest. He has always been a moody conductor)

Not to mention his vast recorded output; much of it utterly timeless.

[Petrushka]

I'm guessing the 'sabbatical' may last a long time, and it's his way of bowing out in a typically self-effacing way. Although it's sad to contemplate his retirement, I don't want to see him tottering to the podium like Gunter Wand. Haitink provided me with some of my most indelible opera/concert memories (and some pretty inert ones too, if I'm honest. He has always been a moody conductor) and I hope he doesn't disappear entirely. Maybe he could be persuaded to go on the record about his career in the way Karajan did with Osborne. Haitink rarely says much, which is a shame because when I hear him talk it's usually thoughtful and interesting.

Yes, you might very well be right about this, I have a ticket for his LSO concert on March 21 and, unless there is a Prom in the summer, I'm more or less reconciled to the fact that this could well be the last concert I see him give.

There is a Haitink biography, written by Simon Mundy and published in 1984 so the story stops just at the point where Haitink took up his post at Covent Garden. A lot has happened since and one hopes that Mundy might revisit his volume and expand it.

[Darkbloom]

I think Haitink did a lot of his best work at Covent Garden. He never seemed a naturally theatrical conductor to me but the quality of sound he got from the orchestra beggared belief at times. He really struck sparks off them in a way I rarely heard with other bands.

[Conchis]

I'm guessing the 'sabbatical' may last a long time, and it's his way of bowing out in a typically self-effacing way. Although it's sad to contemplate his retirement, I don't want to see him tottering to the podium like Gunter Wand. Haitink provided me with some of my most indelible opera/concert memories (and some pretty inert ones too, if I'm honest. He has always been a moody conductor) and I hope he doesn't disappear entirely. Maybe he could be persuaded to go on the record about his career in the way Karajan did with Osborne. Haitink rarely says much, which is a shame because when I hear him talk it's usually thoughtful and interesting.

Did he ever patch it up with the Concertgebouw Orchestra?

Personally, I'm glad Gunter Wand died in the saddle. I saw his final Proms concert in 2001, knowing it would be the last time he ever conducted in Britain, if not anywhere. He was dead less than six months later.

[Darkbloom]

Did he ever patch it up with the Concertgebouw Orchestra?

Personally, I'm glad Gunter Wand died in the saddle. I saw his final Proms concert in 2001, knowing it would be the last time he ever conducted in Britain, if not anywhere. He was dead less than six months later.

I believe his argument was with the management rather than the players and he did come back in the end.

I wish I'd gone to the Wand Prom. I changed my mind at the last minute and have regretted it ever since. There are conductors who live to make music (it kept Abbado alive through appalling illness, and Rattle seems like he will conduct until he drops) but Haitink always seemed ambivalent about being a conductor so it wouldn't surprise me to see him quietly walk away.

[Conchis]

I believe his argument was with the management rather than the players and he did come back in the end.

I wish I'd gone to the Wand Prom. I changed my mind at the last minute and have regretted it ever since. There are conductors who live to make music (it kept Abbado alive through appalling illness, and Rattle seems like he will conduct until he drops) but Haitink always seemed ambivalent about being a conductor so it wouldn't surprise me to see him quietly walk away.

Rattle is still a relatively young man (given the age conductors seem to live to, he's probably in his prime at the moment) with a young family, so continuing is probably a matter of inclination as well as necessity.

I'll never forget that final Wand Prom. The memory may be cheating but I think G.W. was carried onto the platform (he was certainly assisted). Schubert 8/Bruckner 9 - a predictable programme for him, but one was grateful, nevertheless.

[Petrushka]

Rattle is still a relatively young man (given the age conductors seem to live to, he's probably in his prime at the moment) with a young family, so continuing is probably a matter of inclination as well as necessity.

I'll never forget that final Wand Prom. The memory may be cheating but I think G.W. was carried onto the platform (he was certainly assisted). Schubert 8/Bruckner 9 - a predictable programme for him, but one was grateful, nevertheless.

I was at the final Günter Wand Prom, too, (Aug 24 2001) and he was assisted in walking to the platform and sat throughout. An unforgettable concert!

[pastoralguy]

I was at the final Günter Wand Prom, too, (Aug 24 2001) and he was assisted in walking to the platform and sat throughout. An unforgettable concert!

I was at the equivalent concert at the Edinburgh Festival and it was spellbinding. I spoke to a young violinist in the Orchestra who told me that Wand rehearsed and rehearsed them in repertoire they knew inside out. This reminds me of a story...

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra contacted Dr. Wand and invited him to conduct them in Bruckner's Seventh Symphony. Dr. Wand replied and specified that he would require 6 rehearsals. The Orchestra board gulped and replied that that was double the number that a guest conductor would normally be allocated. However, due to Dr. Wand's eminence they would acquiesce.

'Who was the last conductor to perform this work with the Orchestra?', replied Dr. Wand. 'That would have been Sir Georg Solti seven years ago'. 'In that case I'll need 12 rehearsals', replied Dr. Wand!

[Alison]

I think Haitink did a lot of his best work at Covent Garden. He never seemed a naturally theatrical conductor to me but the quality of sound he got from the orchestra beggared belief at times. He really struck sparks off them in a way I rarely heard with other bands.