Prom 3 - 16.07.17: Bernard Haitink conducts Mozart and Schumann

**Petrushka** · 18-07-17, 21:28

Originally posted by Alison View Post

Many autograph hunters about Pet?

Yes, a few and one brave soul went up to Haitink for an autograph. The rest of us, I imagine, could see how tired and frail he looked and let him get in his car. On the platform before an orchestra he is rejuvenated though I would strongly doubt if we will get any more Bruckner or Mahler from him.

**bluestateprommer** · 19-07-17, 04:43

Originally posted by Petrushka View Post

Yes, a few and one brave soul went up to Haitink for an autograph. The rest of us, I imagine, could see how tired and frail he looked and let him get in his car. On the platform before an orchestra he is rejuvenated though I would strongly doubt if we will get any more Bruckner or Mahler from him.

You might find the closer of David Nice's review of Prom 3 from The Arts Desk interesting, in this light:

"The actual bonus, then, was apt, perfection again: the most gossamer-light dance through the Scherzo from Mendelssohn's incidental music to A Midsummer Night's Dream, proving that Haitink at 88 is still an ageless Puck at heart."

Prom 3: Faust, COE, Haitink - Europeans tread air under 88-year-old master

http://www.theartsdesk.com/classical-music/prom-3-faust-coe-haitink-europeans-tread-air-under-88-year-old-master

The message must be getting through. On the First Night of the Proms, Igor Levit played as encore Liszt's transcription of the great Beethoven melody appropriated as the European Anthem; in Prom 2, Daniel Barenboim unleashed his Staatskapelle Berlin on Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance following an inspirational speech about European culture, education and humanism. Yesterday afternoon's manifesto was a given, showcasing the finest of all European bands under a Dutch citizen of the world who resided for many years in London. Bernard Haitink is also the world's greatest living Mozart conductor now that Mackerras is no longer with us - and at 88, his baton technique and his nuancing are more focused than ever in the love and passion they inspire.You might argue that the Chamber Orchestra of Europe could play the programme in question without a conductor. But Haitink (pictured below) fine-tuned the dynamics in Mozart's "Prague" Symphony, No. 38, adding many more than are in the score, with a notably magical dimuendo back into the first-movement recap, and added his own subtle sense of space throughout, starting with the end of the slow introduction.All repeats cried out to be heard with playing as hyper-alert and well sprung as this - and especially in Mozart's Andante, which Haitink now, surely, conducts more swiftly than he used to, making it a deeply expressive kind of minuet in a three-movement symphony where that ritual is officially missing.The woodwind playing was predictably both cultured and vivid, from Kai Frömbgen's very personal oboe solos to Clara Andrada's flute loudly protesting against the sudden ensemble rudeness at the heart of the finale.Mozart's ubiquitous Third Violin Concerto might have seemed one-dimensional after that, a nice little exercise in 18th century gallantry, but not with another peerless artist, Isabelle Faust (pictured below), who as one-time COE member had to join her fellow violinists in the opening tutti. If from a distance in the Albert Hall you had to lean in to catch the nuances, that's no bad thing; and Faust's vibrato-light line in the Adagio was a delight. So was her choice of startling cadenzas by her frequent duo partner, pianist Andreas Staier, the last introducing a repeated pizzicato in homage to Mozart's use of it in a belated rondo-theme and carrying it over into the final fun and games.No doubts, either, about any aspect of Schumann's Second Symphony – not an obvious second-half work – could possibly remain in an air-treading performance like this. The much-derided orchestration seemed perfect, with low horn notes cutting as much as the rest of the orchestra through the Albert Hall vasts. Haitink convinced us that this is one of the most miraculous scherzos ever written, so deft and sleight-of-hand in its transitions that you really wanted to applaud it and even call for an encore, as they did of old mid-symphony. The actual bonus, then, was apt, perfection again: the most gossamer-light dance through the Scherzo from Mendelssohn's incidental music to A Midsummer Night's Dream, proving that Haitink at 88 is still an ageless Puck at heart.Listen to this Prom on the BBC iPlayer for the next monthRead more classical music reviews on theartsdeskNext page: watch Daniel Barenboim's inspiring pro-European speech in Prom 2

Had a quick look through the collection, and saw that I have 5 CDs/CD sets with Haitink's autograph, from various occasions when I've managed (with occasional other intrepid souls) to be granted admission backstage.

**Beef Oven!** · 19-07-17, 08:02

Originally posted by Goon525 View Post

Funny to read of someone whose first exposure to BH live was today. Mine was 1973.

Over 15 years before I did. But I didn't 'properly' come to classical music until quite late - in my late 20s/early 30s.

I've been to BH concerts around no 15 - 20 times (?), but never thought to get an aoutograph. I regret that.

**kea** · 19-07-17, 09:51

By coincidence I wished to hear K.504 today, and decided to make this Prom my listening experience because I haven't yet heard one this season and don't want to completely miss out. (Albeit through less-than-legal means, due to being in a foreign country without iPlayer...)

It is the kind of perfectly balanced and deeply heartfelt performance that heals the soul and soothes the fear of death, or.... something like that anyway. I will probably move on to the rest of the programme.

**BBMmk2** · 19-07-17, 10:02

Originally posted by Beef Oven! View Post

Over 15 years before I did. But I didn't 'properly' come to classical music until quite late - in my late 20s/early 30s.

I've been to BH concerts around no 15 - 20 times (?), but never thought to get an aoutograph. I regret that.

My first experience with BH was at the RFH. With the LPO, what was an amazing concert. I can't remember their year but I do know that the programme was Beethoven PC no.4, with Alfred Brendel, and Shostakovich Symphony No.4. The atmosphere was quite electric, as back then the work was not heard. Rather like a world premier performance!

**Petrushka** · 19-07-17, 18:18

I first saw Haitink in March 1978 in Manchester with the LPO, and again the following day with the same programme, Goehr: Little Symphony, LvB 8 and Elgar 2, in Derby).

I've lost count of the number of times I've seen him since. Got his autograph long ago and more than once.

**Darkbloom** · 19-07-17, 19:16

Originally posted by Petrushka View Post

I first saw Haitink in March 1978 in Manchester with the LPO, and again the following day with the same programme, Goehr: Little Symphony, LvB 8 and Elgar 2, in Derby).

I've lost count of the number of times I've seen him since. Got his autograph long ago and more than once.

I'll always feel Haitink's best work was with the ROH orchestra. Although he didn't conduct there nearly as much as Pappano, he got a sound from them that nobody else ever has. Refined but steely at the same time. I've never heard anyone else approach that quality of sound, at his best. Anyone who heard the Tristan revival will know what I mean. When he's not at his best, however, it can all get a bit routine.

**pastoralguy** · 19-07-17, 19:23

Originally posted by Darkbloom View Post

I'll always feel Haitink's best work was with the ROH orchestra. Although he didn't conduct there nearly as much as Pappano, he got a sound from them that nobody else ever has. Refined but steely at the same time. I've never heard anyone else approach that quality of sound, at his best. Anyone who heard the Tristan revival will know what I mean. When he's not at his best, however, it can all get a bit routine.

I spoke to a horn player from the ROH Orchestra who told me that Haitink often kept a sheet of blank manuscript paper on his rostrum so he could scribble a chi-chi should a horn player ask about transposition!

**Petrushka** · 23-07-17, 19:13

Damn! Due to yet another senior moment forgot to set the recorder for the BBC4 broadcast of this concert and have only now just caught the Schumann from the beginning.

Has any kind Forum member taken it from the start and can help out?

Thanks

**Zucchini** · 23-07-17, 20:37

It's on iplayer

**jean** · 23-07-17, 20:39

What was the architecture printed all over Isabelle Faust's skirt?

**Petrushka** · 23-07-17, 20:59

Originally posted by Zucchini View Post

It's on iplayer

I know but as I was there I wanted to keep it! Still, I got the Schumann and I do have the R3 broadcast so not a total disaster. Just so annoyed with myself!

**makropulos** · 23-07-17, 21:04

My first Haitink concert was a Prom in September 1970 with the Concertgebouw Orchestra. The programme was Strauss Don Juan, Mozart K491 with Curzon and the Berlioz Symphonie fantastique - the last featuring the amazing giant bells that the Concertgebouw use(d). It was a thrilling evening. Many, many concerts since, some of them unforgettable, including a thrilling VW 4th Symphony at one of the "Fanfare for Europe" festival in the RFH (rather a poignant memory these days), some excellent LPO concerts of Mahler, Bruckner et al, rather disappointing Brahms, wonderful Elgar and Britten, and so on. Then Glyndebourne operas - Love of Three Oranges, Don Giovanni, Figaro (in particular), some great evenings at the ROH (notably Meistersinger twice), and much else besides. And much more recently, the Brahms Proms with the COE a couple of years ago.

I thought tonight's BBC Four relay was a delight: extremely refined playing, wonderful pacing, Haitink's customarily alert, detailed and perceptive conducting, and a lovely programme. Interesting that he now takes the slow movement of the Prague Symphony at a really flowing speed - completely convincing - and throughout the Mozart there was much-reduced vibrato, hard timp sticks and so on. It was all most impressive, as was the hugely satisfying Schumann. The TV presentation was helped by unobtrusively excellent presentation from Roderick Williams.

**David-G** · 23-07-17, 21:10

Originally posted by Petrushka View Post

Damn! Due to yet another senior moment forgot to set the recorder for the BBC4 broadcast of this concert and have only now just caught the Schumann from the beginning.

Has any kind Forum member taken it from the start and can help out?

Thanks

I am in same situation as Petrushka. Would likewise appreciate any offers of help.

**Bryn** · 23-07-17, 21:24

I have the BBC 4 and BBC 2 Proms programmes set to record to hard disc for later burning to Bu-ray. However, the BBC 4 ones are not HD (can't receive it here). The iPlayer versions are pretty good in the HD option. The sound is probably better than the standard broadcast version I record. I could convert the recordings I have to XP and burn to DVDs, but I don't have enough space on the hard disc/Blu-ray recorder to do the processing at the moment. I can make some room over the next few days, however.

Prom 3 - 16.07.17: Bernard Haitink conducts Mozart and Schumann

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