Prom 60: Vienna Philharmonic and Bernard Haitink - 3.09.19

[underthecountertenor]

Please remember that however big a name musicians have they are like the rest of us ageing human beings and not immune from ill-health - I sometimes wonder about the sensitivities of some forum members!

‘MP has form in this area’ is a deeply insensitive remark.

[LMcD]

‘MP has form in this area’ is a deeply insensitive remark.

I agree - but it seems that even miscarriages are apparently now considered a suitable subject for tasteless messages.

[Alison]

Mr Ax has a long association with Sir Bernard too of course and I am still looking forward to this momentous occasion!

[duncan]

‘MP has form in this area’ is a deeply insensitive remark.

Quite. His thumb problem (a bone spur) forced a hiatus of several years and was nearly career-ending. It would be entirely reasonable of him and his medical advisors to err a little on the side of caution given this history.

[cloughie]

Mr Ax has a long association with Sir Bernard too of course and I am still looking forward to this momentous occasion!

A safe pair of hands to take on the role!

[alywin]

‘MP has form in this area’ is a deeply insensitive remark.

I'm sorry, as usual I had no idea what the indisposition was - just had had friends complaining about the number of times they'd booked for him and he'd cancelled.

The rest of my post remains valid, though - it's very poor for the BBC not to make it clear, on a dedicated page (not just Twitter, assuming they do that), when changes to artists and programmes are made, but just to change the listings, presumably in the hope that people won't notice.

[bluestateprommer]

FWIW, I looked through the Proms performance archive for the list of Uncle Bernie's past Proms appearances. Going back 53 years (almost exactly now today; the anniversary was this past August 22), BH has previously conducted 89 Proms. So yes: the gods willing, Prom 60 next Tuesday night, the grand finale for Bernard Haitink at the RAH and at The Proms, following his 90th birthday this past March 4, will be his 90th Prom.

[Alison]

FWIW, I looked through the Proms performance archive for the list of Uncle Bernie's past Proms appearances. Going back 53 years (almost exactly now today; the anniversary was this past August 22), BH has previously conducted 89 Proms. So yes: the gods willing, Prom 60 next Tuesday night, the grand finale for Bernard Haitink at the RAH and at The Proms, following his 90th birthday this past March 4, will be his 90th Prom.

I guess he would also break some kind of record for the number of different ensembles he has presided over at the Proms.

[Petrushka]

I guess he would also break some kind of record for the number of different ensembles he has presided over at the Proms.

I think I've seen him at the Proms with just about all of them!

I shall be present in the Hall on September 3 and I'm fully expecting it to be an emotional and moving occasion. I first saw Haitink at the Proms in 1978 (in Mahler 2 with the LPO) and have been to most of his subsequent visits. He has been my musical godfather since the early 1970s so this final concert will be, for me and I'm sure for many others whose memories go back further, a true end of an era.

[bluestateprommer]

I guess he would also break some kind of record for the number of different ensembles he has presided over at the Proms.

From another look at the Proms performance archive, here is the list of orchestras alone (i.e. no choruses, unless anyone really wants that list also):
1. BBC SO
2. Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam
3. LPO
4. Philharmonia Orchestra
5. European Community Youth Orchestra / European Union Youth Orchestra
6. Orchestra of the ROH, Covent Garden
7. Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
8. Boston Symphony Orchestra
9. LSO
10. Staatskapelle Dresden
11. Chicago Symphony Orchestra
12. Chamber Orchestra of Europe
13. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

The lion's share of appearances is with the LPO, clearly from his stints as principal conductor of the LPO and music director of Glyndebourne.

As has been usual for Haitink Proms (and BBC R3 relays) for several years now, Martin Handley is in the presenter's box. However, I gather that MH will be actually disadvantaged, because I don't think that he can actually sit in the hall proper to hear the concert in full, but must remain in the presenter's booth, which seems to be partitioned off (never seen it up close myself). MH will get to chat with Uncle Bernie one last time for the scheduled (and clearly pre-recorded) interval feature. It'll be interesting to hear what MH asks BH.

[Darkbloom]

One Haitink performance that sticks in my mind is the Mahler 2 with the BBC SO. Unusually, for a Haitink performance, it was very controversial, with the first movement so draggingly slow it nearly came to a stop.

[Alison]

One Haitink performance that sticks in my mind is the Mahler 2 with the BBC SO. Unusually, for a Haitink performance, it was very controversial, with the first movement so draggingly slow it nearly came to a stop.

Littered with bum notes too as I recall, trumpets had a shocker.

Very rousing conclusion all the same.

[Alison]

From another look at the Proms performance archive, here is the list of orchestras alone (i.e. no choruses, unless anyone really wants that list also):
1. BBC SO
2. Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam
3. LPO
4. Philharmonia Orchestra
5. European Community Youth Orchestra / European Union Youth Orchestra
6. Orchestra of the ROH, Covent Garden
7. Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
8. Boston Symphony Orchestra
9. LSO
10. Staatskapelle Dresden
11. Chicago Symphony Orchestra
12. Chamber Orchestra of Europe
13. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

The lion's share of appearances is with the LPO, clearly from his stints as principal conductor of the LPO and music director of Glyndebourne.

As has been usual for Haitink Proms (and BBC R3 relays) for several years now, Martin Handley is in the presenter's box. However, I gather that MH will be actually disadvantaged, because I don't think that he can actually sit in the hall proper to hear the concert in full, but must remain in the presenter's booth, which seems to be partitioned off (never seen it up close myself). MH will get to chat with Uncle Bernie one last time for the scheduled (and clearly pre-recorded) interval feature. It'll be interesting to hear what MH asks BH.

Thanks for that BSP, I lack the patience for such research.

What a boxed set the Haitink complete Proms would be!

[Petrushka]

From another look at the Proms performance archive, here is the list of orchestras alone (i.e. no choruses, unless anyone really wants that list also):
1. BBC SO
2. Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam
3. LPO
4. Philharmonia Orchestra
5. European Community Youth Orchestra / European Union Youth Orchestra
6. Orchestra of the ROH, Covent Garden
7. Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
8. Boston Symphony Orchestra
9. LSO
10. Staatskapelle Dresden
11. Chicago Symphony Orchestra
12. Chamber Orchestra of Europe
13. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

The lion's share of appearances is with the LPO, clearly from his stints as principal conductor of the LPO and music director of Glyndebourne.

As has been usual for Haitink Proms (and BBC R3 relays) for several years now, Martin Handley is in the presenter's box. However, I gather that MH will be actually disadvantaged, because I don't think that he can actually sit in the hall proper to hear the concert in full, but must remain in the presenter's booth, which seems to be partitioned off (never seen it up close myself). MH will get to chat with Uncle Bernie one last time for the scheduled (and clearly pre-recorded) interval feature. It'll be interesting to hear what MH asks BH.

Thanks for this, bsp, you've saved me the time of having to do it myself!

And, yes, I've seen Haitink at the Proms with every one of them!

[Simon B]

Wasn't Karajan's last ever concert also... Bruckner 7... with the Vienna Philharmonic?

The two men could hardly be more different in many respects, but as meaningless coincidences go it's a striking one.

It doesn't seem to self-advertise as an inherently valedictory work so it is mildly diverting to ponder the choice.