Prom 60: Vienna Philharmonic and Bernard Haitink - 3.09.19

[Darkbloom]

I've noticed a few reviewers over the last few days going with the image of Haitink as dignified elder statesman of music, but some of the most intense live concerts I've ever heard were conducted by Haitink. He never went for cheap excitement, so when he was really 'on' it was a visceral experience that was quite unforgettable. I'm glad he bowed out on his own terms and we all had a chance to express our thanks.

[Alison]

Yes, I was asking my dad about the Elgar 1 Petrushka mentioned. He took along some not particularly musical friends and they were more or less falling off their choir seats at the end of the symphony.

[Keraulophone]

He never went for cheap excitement, so when he was really 'on' it was a visceral experience that was quite unforgettable.

As, for example, in his headlong attack at the beginning of the finale of Bruckner’s 8th. When recently comparing the tempi here of a dozen or so conductors, I found to my amazement that BH and the Concertgebouw sounded the most frenetic of all, the (exciting) playing alarmingly out of time, or rather different sections of the orchestra were playing at different speeds with the timps doing a sudden acceleration, though it was just a touch less rapid than Andris Nelsons with his LGO at the Prom. Haitink’s later live performance (2005, on the RCO label) is much more restrained at a slower pace.

[chairboy]

Yes indeed, they played the Egmont Overture as an encore believe it or not! That was the concert given on Sept 5 1983 and I can certainly confirm the verdict of Alison's father. Unforgettable! The Bruckner 9 was given on Sept 3. This was the golden age of Haitink and the Concertgebouw and am glad I saw them on several occasions at that time in the very late 1970s/early 1980s.

Would greatly appreciate a copy once you have one. Please send me a PM.

I think the Egmont overture is 100% confirmation then that I do indeed have the 1983 Shostakovich 8 you were after. Because of my lack of suitable cabling (hoping it arrives today), I had to listen to all of it on an old pair of headphones direct from the tape deck but based upon Alison's father's (thank you Alison) and your recommendation as to the performance I shut myself away and listened to it yesterday and even given the limitations of 1980s FM radio I was blown away by it!

As a result spent all of the rest of yesterday with my head buried in my boxes of old tapes to see what else I could find - completely unbelievable what I have found, should have done it years ago! My 17 year old daughter thought I was completely mad, literally running round the house brandishing reel to reel tapes - "what are they?" .... "tapes!!!"..... "what are tapes?" ....

Anyway I have further good news I hope, although to caution am still checking out the tapes as I type but I have located performances as follows:

Wagner Siegfried Idyll - Concertgebouw / Haitink - from the same concert
Elgar Symphony No. 1 - BBCSO / Haitink - one of the others you are I think looking for.

No sign of the Mozart / Bruckner 9 as yet so I may not have that. I have however found other treasures however with Solti, Tennstedt and Boult conducting amongst others, but I guess that is for another thread. Apologies to all for taking this thread a bit off topic, please excuse the newbie

I will PM you as requested of course

[visualnickmos]

I think the Egmont overture is 100% confirmation then that I do indeed have the 1983 Shostakovich 8 you were after. Because of my lack of suitable cabling (hoping it arrives today), I had to listen to all of it on an old pair of headphones direct from the tape deck but based upon Alison's father's (thank you Alison) and your recommendation as to the performance I shut myself away and listened to it yesterday and even given the limitations of 1980s FM radio I was blown away by it!

As a result spent all of the rest of yesterday with my head buried in my boxes of old tapes to see what else I could find - completely unbelievable what I have found, should have done it years ago! My 17 year old daughter thought I was completely mad, literally running round the house brandishing reel to reel tapes - "what are they?" .... "tapes!!!"..... "what are tapes?" ....

Anyway I have further good news I hope, although to caution am still checking out the tapes as I type but I have located performances as follows:

Wagner Siegfried Idyll - Concertgebouw / Haitink - from the same concert
Elgar Symphony No. 1 - BBCSO / Haitink - one of the others you are I think looking for.

No sign of the Mozart / Bruckner 9 as yet so I may not have that. I have however found other treasures however with Solti, Tennstedt and Boult conducting amongst others, but I guess that is for another thread. Apologies to all for taking this thread a bit off topic, please excuse the newbie

I will PM you as requested of course

Absolutely no apology needed! One of the most interesting and exciting, developing projects, that you are kind enough to share. Thank you....

[richardfinegold]

With Bernard Haitink on the podium I have always felt that his performances seem so natural and I was listening to the music itself, and not more to the conductor

That is the essence of Haitink. I don’t think I ever left a Haitink concert thinking “I just heard Haitink’s Mahler Third” (for example), in the same way after I would hear Solti or Muti (by way of contrast). It was more that I had just heard a the Composer, presented by a very able interpreter. Haitink’s Conductorial Profile always placed the Composer first

[Maclintick]

Yes indeed, they played the Egmont Overture as an encore believe it or not! That was the concert given on Sept 5 1983 and I can certainly confirm the verdict of Alison's father. Unforgettable! The Bruckner 9 was given on Sept 3. This was the golden age of Haitink and the Concertgebouw and am glad I saw them on several occasions at that time in the very late 1970s/early 1980s.

I still have a vivid recollection of that concert, and Shostakovich 8 in particular, occurring as it did at a time of heightened tension in the Cold War, following the shooting down of KAL007 by the Soviets on Sept 1, with the loss of 269 passengers and crew. I can only surmise whether the international climate of fear and revulsion, mirroring the atmosphere of dread and terror in the music, added an extra visceral intensity to Haitink & the CO players, but the pity and savagery of DSCH's great symphony was overwhelming.

Another nugget from Pet's aptly-styled "golden age" for BH & the Concertgebouw was a sublime Bruckner 5 at the 1980 Proms....Oh, and the 7th with the VPO last Tue wasn't bad either !

[Tevot]

..Oh, and the 7th with the VPO last Tue wasn't bad either !

Fully agree Maclintick. Listened to it earlier today. The Beethoven wasn't bad either !

Best Wishes,

Tevot

P.S. Really loved Haitink's Decca recording of Shos 8 back in the day. Played it incessantly at one point. Not sure whether the neighbours felt the love

[Petrushka]

I think the Egmont overture is 100% confirmation then that I do indeed have the 1983 Shostakovich 8 you were after. Because of my lack of suitable cabling (hoping it arrives today), I had to listen to all of it on an old pair of headphones direct from the tape deck but based upon Alison's father's (thank you Alison) and your recommendation as to the performance I shut myself away and listened to it yesterday and even given the limitations of 1980s FM radio I was blown away by it!

As a result spent all of the rest of yesterday with my head buried in my boxes of old tapes to see what else I could find - completely unbelievable what I have found, should have done it years ago! My 17 year old daughter thought I was completely mad, literally running round the house brandishing reel to reel tapes - "what are they?" .... "tapes!!!"..... "what are tapes?" ....

Anyway I have further good news I hope, although to caution am still checking out the tapes as I type but I have located performances as follows:

Wagner Siegfried Idyll - Concertgebouw / Haitink - from the same concert
Elgar Symphony No. 1 - BBCSO / Haitink - one of the others you are I think looking for.

No sign of the Mozart / Bruckner 9 as yet so I may not have that. I have however found other treasures however with Solti, Tennstedt and Boult conducting amongst others, but I guess that is for another thread. Apologies to all for taking this thread a bit off topic, please excuse the newbie

I will PM you as requested of course

Excellent! I count those two 1983 Concertgebouw/Haitink concerts amongst the very best I've attended of the considerable number of Haitink concerts over the past 41 years. I first saw Haitink in March 1978 (with the LPO) and there never was a duff evening among them.

No apologies needed, you seem to have a gold mine there.

[Bryn]

Last Tuesday's Bruckner 7 can be found in a binaural mix at https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p07mhltx

[Serial_Apologist]

Last Tuesday's Bruckner 7 can be found in a binaural mix at https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p07mhltx

Thanks Bryn - I shall "listen again" on Thursday, having missed the Prom first time round, in the knowledge that others will be tuning in at the same time. From reading what others have so enthusiastically posted on here, this could be my "conversion" moment re-Bruckner; I've always admired Haitink... who knows?

[ARBurton]

Try this link: https://www.nporadio4.nl/live

Thank you for posting that link!

[Richard Tarleton]

Listened to this concert last night - I'd been saving it. Just wonderful. Lost for words.

And I enjoyed the half time interview with MH - of all the possibles I'm so glad it was him

PS my memories of Haitink go back to 1972 - as well as lots of RFH concerts with the LPO I attended his 1972 Bruckner 8 at the Proms. Then a gap of a few years for geographical reasons, so I can't compete with Pet, but several concerts and a lot of Wagner post 1992

[silvestrione]

Listened to this concert last night - I'd been saving it. Just wonderful. Lost for words.

And I enjoyed the half time interview with MH - of all the possibles I'm so glad it was him

PS my memories of Haitink go back to 1972 - as well as lots of RFH concerts with the LPO I attended his 1972 Bruckner 8 at the Proms. Then a gap of a few years for geographical reasons, so I can't compete with Pet, but several concerts and a lot of Wagner post 1992

Fairfield Hall Croydon in 1969. The LPO, I think, and the second half was Dvorak Sym 8. Wonderful!

[Alison]

Repeated 7.30 tonight.